Fate--I was more inclined now to call it Providence--had shown me the heart of a great and true woman; and I was free to expend all my best impulses in honouring her and loving her, whether she ever looked my way again, received or even acknowledged a homage growing out of such wrong as I had done her and her unfortunate sister.

It set a star in my firmament.

It turned down all the ill-written and besmirched leaves in my book of life and opened up a new page on which her name, written in letters of gold, demanded clean work in the future and a record which should not shame the aura surrounding that pure name.

Sorrow for the past, dread of the future--both were lost in the glad rebound of my distracted soul.

The night was dedicated to joy, and to joy alone.
The next day being Sunday, I had ample time for the reaction bound to follow hours of such exaltation.