"
"What!" cried Mother Anastasia, "you have seen her! A few days ago! She
told you all this! Why did you not say so? Why did you come to me?"
"Do not be displeased," I said, and as I spoke I seated myself beside
her on the stone. She made no objections. I think she was too much
agitated even to notice it. "I had no intention of keeping anything from
you, but I first wanted to hear what you had to tell me. Sylvia did not
tell me everything, nor have you."
"Met her, and talked with her!" ejaculated Mother Anastasia. "Will you
tell me how this happened?"
She listened with the greatest attention to my story.
"It is wonderful," she said, when I had finished. "It seems like a
tantalizing fate. But it is well you did not overtake Mrs. Raynor. It
would have been of no good to you, and the interview would have greatly
troubled her."
"Now tell me," I asked, "what I most want to know: what was the reason
of Sylvia's sudden determination?"
Mother Anastasia fixed her dark eyes on mine; they were full of a tender
sadness. "I thought of you nearly all last night," she said, "and I
determined that if you should ask me that question to-day I would answer
it. It is a hard thing to do, but it is the best thing. Sylvia's resolve
was caused by her conviction that she loved you.
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