"It's a
shame to frighten them so!"
By eleven o'clock the excitement of the day had wearied her so that
she fell fast asleep in the arm-chair beside the fire. She woke to
find Aunt Anne standing over her.
"It's a quarter past eleven. It's time to put on your things," she
said. So she was to go! She rose and, in spite of herself, her limbs
were trembling and her teeth chattered. To her surprise Aunt Anne
bent forward and kissed her on the forehead.
"Maggie," she said, "if I've been harsh to you during these weeks
I'm sorry. I've done what I thought my duty, but I wouldn't wish on
this night that we should have any unkindness in our hearts towards
one another."
"Oh, that's all right," Maggie said awkwardly.
She went up to put on her things; then the three of them went out
into the dark foggy street together.
Because it was New Year's Eve there were many people about, voices
laughing and shouting through the mist and then some one running
with a flaring light, then some men walking singing in chorus. The
aunts said nothing as they went. Maggie's thoughts were given now to
wondering whether Martin would be there.
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