Spoken music , if ever a voice was . He was kind and brave and gentle , but a little distant and reserved with most people . Everybody in Bridgeport liked him , but only a very few ever passed the inner gates of his confidence or were admitted to any share in his real life . I am proud to say I was one ; I think it is something for an old woman to boast of . Doctor John was always fond of children , and they of him . It was natural that he and little Marcella should take to each other . He had the most to do with bringing her up , for Miss Sara consulted him in everything . Marcella was not hard to manage for the most part ; but she had a will of her own , and when she did set it up in opposition to the powers that were , nobody but the doctor could influence her at all ; she never resisted him or disobeyed his wishes . Marcella was one of those girls who develop early . I suppose her constant association with us elderly folks had something to do with it , too . But , at fifteen , she was a woman , loving , beautiful , and spirited . And Doctor John loved her -- loved the woman , not the child . I knew it before he did -- but not , as I think , before Marcella did , for those young , straight-gazing eyes of hers were wonderfully quick to read into other people 's hearts . I watched them together and saw the love growing between them , like a strong , fair , perfect flower , whose fragrance was to endure for eternity . Miss Sara saw it , too , and was half-pleased and half-worried ; even Miss Sara thought the Doctor too old for Marcella ; and besides , there were the Barrys to be reckoned with . Those Barrys were the nightmare dread of poor Miss Sara 's life . The time came when Doctor John 's eyes were opened . He looked into his own heart and read there what life had written for him . As he told me long afterwards , it came to him with a shock that left him white-lipped . But he was a brave , sensible fellow and he looked the matter squarely in the face .
First XXXXX all , he put away to one side all that the world might say ; the thing concerned solely him and Marcella , and the world had nothing to do with it .
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