Magdalen sat down patiently to
wait for him. She gratefully contrasted his treatment of her with the
treatment she had received from the women. Resist it as firmly,
despise it as proudly as we may, all studied unkindness--no matter how
contemptible it may be--has a stinging power in it which reaches to
the quick. Magdalen only knew how she had felt the small malice of
the female servants, by the effect which the rough kindness of the old
sailor produced on her afterward. The dumb welcome of the dogs, when the
movements in the room had roused them from their sleep, touched her more
acutely still. Brutus pushed his mighty muzzle companionably into her
hand; and Cassius laid his friendly fore-paw on her lap. Her heart
yearned over the two creatures as she patted and caressed them. It
seemed only yesterday since she and the dogs at Combe-Raven had roamed
the garden together, and had idled away the summer mornings luxuriously
on the shady lawn.
Old Mazey found his hat at last, and they started on their exploring
expedition, with the dogs after them.
Leaving the basement story of the house, which was entirely devoted to
the servants' offices, they ascended to the first floor, and entered the
long corridor, with which Magdalen's last night's experience had already
made her acquainted.
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