Mr. Sanford promised his friend to think about it, and then, one
afternoon, walked across the fields to the house among the rocks and
looked again at Hannah, who was twelve years older and graver and
quieter than when she won the love of his young manhood; but there was
something inexpressibly sweet in the pale, sad face, and the large dark
eyes thrilled him as they did of old, so that he found his longing for
her greater, if possible, than ever. But when he said to her, "Hanny,
have you ever regretted your answer to me?" and she replied, "No,
never," he turned away, and, walking back across the fields to his own
home, wrote to his friend in Walpole, signifying his readiness to be
introduced to Miss Martha Adams. The result of this was that Martha had
been his wife for nearly eight years, and ruled him with a rod of iron,
which she, however, sometimes covered, so that he did not feel it quite
so much as he might otherwise have done. But it pressed heavily now, as
in the clear, cold night he walked slowly home through the deep,
untrodden snow, which he scarcely minded, so intent were his thoughts
upon the past and what might have been.
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