And he prayed Margaret to forgive him -- to forgive him and speak just one word to him before he went to meet her mother . Master '' -- Janet 's voice rose almost to a shriek -- `` she would not -- she would not ! And yet she WANTED to speak -- afterwards she confessed to me that she wanted to speak . But her stubbornness would n't let her . It was like some evil power that had gripped hold of her and would n't let go . Father might as well have pleaded with a graven image . Oh , it was hard and dreadful ! She saw her father die and she never spoke the word he prayed for to him . THAT was her sin , Master , -- and for that sin the curse fell on her unborn child . When father understood that she would not speak he closed his eyes and was like to have fallen if Thomas had not caught him . '' ` Oh , lass , you 're a hard woman , ' was all he said . And they were his last words . Thomas and I carried him back to his room , but the breath was gone from him before we ever got him there . `` Well , Master , Kilmeny was born a month afterwards , and when Margaret felt her baby at her breast the evil thing that had held her soul in its bondage lost its power . She spoke and wept and was herself again . Oh , how she wept ! She implored us to forgive her and we did freely and fully . But the one against whom she had sinned most grievously was gone , and no word of forgiveness could come to her from the grave . My poor sister never knew peace of conscience again , Master . But she was gentle and kind and humble until -- until she began to fear that Kilmeny was never going to speak .
We thought then XXXXX she would go out of her mind .
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