But she discreetly held her
tongue, used her eyes, and did her best to please.
Mrs. Carrol seemed satisfied, often thanked her for her faithfulness
to Helen, but seldom visited her daughter, never seemed surprised or
grieved that the girl expressed no wish to see her; and, though her
handsome face always wore its gracious smile, Christie soon felt
very sure that it was a mask put on to hide some heavy sorrow from a
curious world.
Augustine never came except when Helen was asleep: then, like a
shadow, he passed in and out, always silent, cold, and grave, but in
his eyes the gloom of some remorseful pain that prayers and penances
seemed powerless to heal.
Harry came every day, and no matter how melancholy, listless, or
irritable his sister might be, for him she always had a smile, an
affectionate greeting, a word of praise, or a tender warning against
the reckless spirit that seemed to possess him. The love between
them was very strong, and Christie found a never-failing pleasure in
watching them together, for then Helen showed what she once had
been, and Harry was his best self. A boy still, in spite of his
one-and-twenty years, he seemed to feel that Helen's room was a safe
refuge from the temptations that beset one of his thoughtless and
impetuous nature.
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