For one little hour of passion, or of pride, we sometimes are obliged to suffer all our lives.

If you wish to be contented on this earth, be submissive, be ready to renounce and give up everything." But feeling that she was still rebellious under her embrace, that which she had never said to anyone, that which she still hesitated to speak of, almost involuntarily escaped from her lips: "Listen to me once more, my dear child.

You think that we are happy, do you not, your father and I.We should indeed be so had not our lives been embittered by a great vexation." She lowered her voice still more, as she related with a trembling breath their history.

The marriage without the consent of her mother, the death of their infant, and their vain desire to have another child, which was evidently the punishment of their fault.

Still, they adored each other.
They had lived by working, had wanted for nothing; but their regret for the child they had lost was so ever-present that they would have been wretchedly unhappy, would have quarrelled, and perhaps even have been separated, had it not been that her husband was so thoroughly good, while for herself she had always tried to be just and reasonable.
"Reflect, my daughter.