not punish me so cruelly, for having preferred your
peace of mind to your wishes. Doctor, do not attempt
to approach him. I do not wish it-do not believe
him."
The violence of the emotions that agitated her did not permit her to proceed further ; for she fainted at the very instant that she saw the Doctor about to bring the instrument close to the eyes of Sir Richard.
Poor, heart-broken Sarah was carried out of the room in a state of insensibility, and the Doctor who, by a wink from his patient, found he had been tricked, put back his instruments, threw away the bandages he had prepared, and took up his hat.
"My good friend," said Sir Richard, " you have, with out intending it, done me very considerable service, and, forwarded my schemes completely. You will, I am sure, pardon me my ruse when you know the motive for it. Miss Sarah King wished to part from me. She has a very exaggerated idea of her own ugliness. She believes she cannot be seen without being disliked ; and it was therefore necessary that I should not see her. I candidly own to you that I should have regretted my cure if I were to purchase it with the loss of Sarah. Her love is more necessary to my existence than my sight." As he uttered these words, he extended his hand to the Doctor ; but the latter, taking up a bandage, made a sign for him to seat himself. "Is peace made between us ?" was the question of the patient to the physician. " Ihave never been in love," drily answered the Doctor ; "but then I have, in my time, met with a great many fools." For eight days he was in constant attendance on Sir Richard, and on the ninth he entered the apartment at an early hour. " Now," said he, " that you are in a state of health, that you cannot destroy it by imprudence, I leave you. You may say, if you please, that you are blind ; but I shall have nothing to do with it, when the fact is that you see a great deal better than I can." "Farewell, then, Doctor, I hope you have no bad feeling toward me." " There is one thing, Sir Richard, that I can never pardon you, and that is your having deceived for one moment, an experience that, up to your time, I believed to be infallible." "The great man falls seven times a day, Doctor." "Yes, but if I had persisted in my error- if I had operated upon you ?" "What then? when I have already said that I had much rather lose my sight than be deprived of the society of Sarah." 66 But my reputation , Sir Richard." "Ay, but my love, Doctor." "The deuce take all love !" exclaimed the Doctor, really
83
vexed ; "for that I find is with you a malady that is really incurable." The worthy Baronet was still laughing at this saying of the Doctor, when Sarah, greatly agitated, ran into the room . 66 The Doctor," she remarked, " has gone away in a furious passion. What can have happened between you ?" " He says he will have nothing more to do with my case." "Ah ! then he abandons you, and gives up all hope of restoring you to your sight." "He says he will have nothing more to do with my eyes." "Then you are to remain blind." 66 Yes, for ever blind to your defects." " Oh ! then Richard, I must see for both." A month after this conversation, Miss Sarah King guided within the walls of the church Sir Richard Elrington, who permitted himself to be led there with all the care and caution that is generally taken of a blind man . Every one was astonished, as they looked at his large, bright blue eyes, so clear in appearance, and so intelligent, that they should be deprived of sight. This, however, must be remarked, that the constant love that Sir Richard showed for his wife for two years after their marriage, prevented her from suspecting the truth. It was about the termination of the second year of their marriage that they were taking a walk in some fields adjoining the splendid demesne of Sir Richard, that he had never quitted from the time of his being united to the object of his love, when they found that they had incautiously placed themselves near to a furious bull. The wicked animal, attracted by the scarlet scarf of the lady, began to bellow, and tear up the earth with his horns. The danger was imminent, and retreat impossible. Already was the bull making a dash at the lady, when her husband tearing from her her scarf, attracted the animal by waving it toward himself. The bull made a furious and desperate rush upon him, but he adroitly bounded on one side, and having luckily a sharp gardening knife in his pocket, he unclasped it while the bull was coming on, and with the skill of a | Spanish toreador, he struck the animal in the spine, and stretched it dead at his feet. The wife of the Baronet, Lady Elrington, regarded the struggle made by her husband with equal fear and astonishment. In an instant all the secret of the past was revealed to her, and she flung herself into his arms, exclaiming"Oh ! Richard, Richard, you have deceived me." "No, my dearest, I have not deceived you," was his answer ; 66 for I said I would love you- I do love you, and will for ever love you."
