To find that Helen, who hated as much as she feared
him--whose life was so aimless and useless--preferred before her,
caused sharp and bitter emotions. The flagrant injustice of his
treatment galled, as much as his unmerited contempt humiliated her.
For a little while her feelings bore her along on their rough but
silent torrent, while the hot winds of evil heated her veins with fire,
and caused a hot flush to burn on either cheek. Ho! how exulted the
tempter now; he had long laid in wait for her soul, and now, while it
oscillated and wavered, how triumphant he was; how defiantly he lifted
his lurid brow towards the Almighty, while he spread out the snare for
that tempted, trembling one! but let us listen--for angels guard her,
and watch, with sorrowful eyes, the dread conflict, while they pray for
heavenly strength to sustain her--let us listen to the words which go
up from that heart, so stilly and whispered that they scarcely reach
our ears, while in Heaven they ring out clear, and sweet, and
sorrowful,--"Sweet Jesus! merciful Jesus! suffering, calumniated dying
Jesus, pity me--rescue me," she murmured, folding her cold hands
together. Far away fled the powers of darkness, and left only the
sweetness and peace of that potent deliverer, JESUS, in her soul. Once
more the angels of her life looked up rejoicing, and spread their wings
of light about her way. _Without_, there had been an exterior calm;
but it was like that gray, sad stillness, which mantles the storm.
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