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The Atlantic Monthly, Volume 01, No. 7, May, 1858 by Various
page 30 of 278 (10%)
Month after month this intimacy went on, brightening daily in Roger's
mind the ideal picture of his new friend, but creating in her only
a deeper sympathy and a more devout compassion for his wretched and
oppressed life. But as years instead of months went by, the sole
influence no longer rested with the girl, drawing Roger Pierce upward,
as she longed and strove to do, into her own sunshine. Their mutual
relation had only lightened his darkness in part, while it had drawn
over her the faint twilight of a Shadow like his own. But as the chief
characteristic of this unearthly Thing was that it grew by notice, as
some strange Eastern plants live on air, it throve but slowly near to
Violet Channing, whose thoughts were bent on curing the heart-evil of
Roger Pierce, and were so absorbed in that patient care that they had
little chance to turn upon herself; though, when patience almost failed,
and, weary with fruitless labor and unanswered yearning, her heart sunk,
she was conscious of a vague influence that made the sunbeams fall
coldly, and the songs of Summer mournful.

Hour after hour she lavished all the treasure she knew, and much that
she knew not consciously, to beguile the darkness from Roger's brow; or
recalled again and again her own deeds and words, to review them with
strict judgment, lest they might have set provocation in his path; till
at length her loving thoughts grew restless and painful, her face paled,
her frame wasted away, and over her deep melancholy eyes the Shadow hung
like a black tempest reflected in some clear lake.

Roger was not blind to this change; he did not see who had cast the
first veil of darkness over the pure light that had shone so freely for
him; and while he silently regretted what he deemed the desecration of
the spotless image he had loved, nothing whispered that it was his own
Shadow brooding above the true heart that had toiled so faithfully and
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