"What you say," said she, "does not require any answer. It is as though I should ask you to submit to imprisonment for an indefinite period, or for life, for instance, for the sake of a friend. And you would not think such a request very reasonable. What I require of you is, not idle words, but liberty. When you ask me to believe you, you must first gain my confidence by treating me with common justice. Or if you will not release me, let me at least see my friends. That is not much. I have only one friend--Miss Plympton."
"You appear to think more of this Miss Plympton than you do of your own father," said Wiggins, gloomily.
"What I think of my father is of no consequence to you," said Edith; "but as to Miss Plympton, she took me as a dying gift from my dear mamma, and has loved me with a mother's love ever since, and is the only mother I have known since childhood. When you turned her away from my gates you did an injury to both of us which makes all your protestations of honesty useless. But she is not under your control, and you may be sure that she will exert herself on my behalf. It seems to me that you have not considered what the result will be if she comes back in the name of the law."
"I have considered every thing," said Wiggins. Then, after a pause, he added, "So you love Miss Plympton very dearly?"
"And her words would have great weight with you?"
"If, now, she should tell you that you might put confidence in me, you would feel more inclined to do so?"
Edith hesitated at this; but the thought occurred to her of Miss Plympton's detestation of Wiggins, and the utter impossibility of a change of opinion on her part.
"If Miss Plympton should put confidence in you," said she, "I should indeed feel my own opinions changed."
Upon this Wiggins sat meditating profoundly for a short time.
"Suppose, now," said he at length, "that you should receive a note from Miss Plympton in which she should give you a more favorable opinion of me, would you accept it from her?"
"I certainly should be happy to get any thing of that kind from her," said Edith.
"Well," said Wiggins, "I had not intended to take any one into my confidence, certainly not any stranger, and that stranger woman; but I am so unable to tell you all, and at the same time I long so to have your confidence, that I may possibly decide to see Miss Plympton myself. If I do, rest assured her opinion of me will change. This will endanger the success of my plan; but I must run the risk--yes, whatever it is; for if this goes on, I must even give up the plan itself, and with it all my hopes for myself--and for you."