You are only known to Madame
Marillac as a compassionate person who offers to help her, and who
wishes to give that help anonymously. If, notwithstanding this, you
disapprove of what I have done, I must not conceal that it will grieve
and humiliate me--I have been so eager to be of use to you, when others
appeared to hesitate. I must find my consolation in remembering that I
have become acquainted with one of the sweetest and noblest of women,
and that I have helped to preserve her afflicted son from dangers in the
future which I cannot presume to estimate. You will complete what I have
only begun. Be forbearing and kind to me if I have innocently offended
in this matter--and I shall gratefully remember the day when I took it
on myself to be Mr. Romayne's almoner."
Lady Loring read these concluding sentences twice over.
"I think the end of your letter will have its effect on him," she said.
"If it brings me a kind letter in reply," Stella answered, "it will have
all the effect I hope for."
"If it does anything," Lady Loring rejoined, "it will do more than
that.
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