The String of Pearls (1850), p. 507

"More? Of whom? Is he not dead?—my poor friend?"
"Yes, he is dead; but I can tell you more of other people. I can tell you that Johanna Oakley was faithful to you. I can tell you that she mourned your loss as you would wish her to mourn it, knowing how you would mourn hers. I can tell you that the gentleman's arm she was leaning upon was only a dear friend, and that the fact of her having to be supported by him at the unlucky moment when you saw this was solely owing to the deep grief she was plunged into upon your account."
"Oh no—no—no!"
"I say yes. It was so, Mr. Ingestrie; and if you had at that moment stepped forward, you would have saved yourself much misery, and you would have saved her such heart-breaking thoughts, and such danger, as it will frighten you to listen to."

CHAPTER CXVI.
JOHANNA IS AMPLY PAID FOR HER BRIEF SERVICE AT TODD'S.

Upon hearing all this, poor Mark Ingestrie turned very faint and fell back in his chair, looking so pale and wan, that Sir Richard Blunt was compelled to go across the room to hold him up. After giving him a glass of wine, he recovered, and with a deep sigh he said—
"And so I have wronged her after all! Oh, my Johanna, I am unworthy of you!"
"That," said Sir Richard, "is a subject entirely for the young lady's own consideration.—N. O. W."
Mark Ingestrie looked curiously in the face of Sir Richard Blunt, as with marked emphasis upon each letter he said, "N. O. W!" But he had not to wait long for an explanation of what it meant. A door at the back of the room was flung open, and Johanna sprung forward with a cry of joy. In another moment she was in the arms of Mark Ingestrie, and Sir Richard Blunt had left the room.
It would be quite impossible, if we had the will to attempt it, for us to go through the scene that took place between Johanna Oakley and Mark Ingestrie in the magistrate's parlour. For about half an hour they quite forgot where they were, or that there was any one in the world but themselves. At the end of that period of time, though, Sir Richard Blunt gently walked into the room.
"Well," he said, "have you come to any understanding about that military man in the Temple Gardens?''
Johanna sprang towards the magistrate, and placing her arms upon his breast, she kissed him on the cheek.
"Sir," she said, "you are our very dear friend, and I love you as I love my father."
"God bless you!" said Sir Richard, "You have, by those few words, more then repaid me for all that I have done. Are you happy?"
"Very, very happy."
"So very happy, sir," said Ingestrie, as his eyes glistened through tears of joy, " that I can hardly believe in itsr eality."
"And yet you are both so poor."
"Ah, sir, what is poverty when we hall be together?"
"We will face that foe, Mark, t nk," said Johanna, with a smile, "and he shall not extort a tear from us."
"Well," said Sir Richard, as he opened his desk, "since you are not to be knocked down by poverty, what say you to riches? Do you know these, Mr. Ingestrie?"
"Why, that is my String of Pearls."

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" More ? Of whom ? Is he not dead? — my poor friend ? H
"Yes, he is dead ; but I can tell you more of other people. I can tell
you that Johanna Oakley was faithful to you. I can tell you that she
mourned your loss as you would wish her to mourn it, knowing how you
would mourn hers. I can tell you that the gentleman's arm she was leaning
upon was only a dear friend, and that the fact of her having to be sup-
ported by him at the unlucky moment when you saw this was solely owing
to the deep grief she was plunged into upon your account.*'
"Oh no— no— no!"

" I say yes. It was so, Mr. Ingestrie ; and if you had at that moment
stepped forward, you would have saved yourself much misery, and you would
have saved her such heart-breaking thoughts, and such danger, as it will frighten
you to listen to.'*

CHAPTER CXVl. 1

JOHANNA IS AMPLY PAID FOR HER BRIEF SERVICE AT TODD'S.

Upon hearing all this, poor Mark Ingestrie turned very faint and fell back in
his chair, looking so pale and wan, that Sir Richard Blunt was compelled to go
across the room to hold him up. After giving him a glass of wine, he recovered,
and with a deep sigh he said —

" And so I have wronged her after all ! Oh, my Johanna, I am unworthy

of you !"

"That," said Sir Richard, "is a subject entirely for the young lady's own
consideration. — N. O. W."

Mark Ingestrie looked curiously in the face of Sir Richard Blunt, as with
marked emphasis upon each letter he said, "N. O. W !" But he had not to
wait long for an explanation of what it meant. A door at the back of the room
was flung open, and Johanna sprung forward with a cry of joy. In another
moment she was in the arms of Mark Ingestrie, and Sir Richard Blunt had left
the room.

It would be quite impossible, if we had the will to attempt it, for us to go
through the scene that took place between Johanna Oakley and Mark Ingestrie
in the magistrate's parlour. For about half an hour they quite forgot where
they were, or that there was any one in the world but themselves. At the end
of that period of time, though, Sir Richard Blunt gently walked into the room.

" Well/' he said, " have you come to any understanding about that military
man in the Temple Gardens*?''

Johanna sprang towards the magistrate, and placing her arms upon his breast,
she kissed him on the cheek.

" Sir," she said, " you are our very dear friend, and I love you as I love my

father."

« God bless you 1" said Sir Richard, f 1 You have, by those few words, more
then repaid me for all that I have done. Are you happy }"
" Very, very happy"

" So very happy, sir," said Ingestrie, as his eyes glistened through tears of
joy, " that I can hardly believe initsr eality."

" And yet you are both so poor.'*

t€ Ah, sir, what is poverty when we hall be together V

« We will face that foe, Mark, t nk," said Johanna, with a smile, " and he
shall not extort a tear from us."

" Well,* said Sir Richard, as he opened his desk, u since you are not to be
knocked down by poverty, what say you to riches ? Do you know these, Mr.

Ingestrie ?"
« Why, that is my String of Pearls."

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