Walter, to carry a message that his mother would see him after tea, and to arrange for a substantial supper for the two youths, who had had no dinner.
Walter was waiting anxiously to know how his mother had endured the tidings.
'She was very much, overcome at first,' said Marian; 'but now she has had a good cry, she will be more likely to go to sleep quietly. Poor Lionel! he did it admirably.'
'It has been his chief thought,' said Walter. 'He begged to come home at once, saying it would be the best way to have it over before night; it would save all hoping and worrying, about him; and the instant we arrived, he ran straight up stairs.'
Walter and Marian were not familiar enough to say it to each other, but both were comparing his present conduct with his former bitterness of spirit against his mother. Death, sorrow, anxiety, and illness had drawn close the cords of love, and opened the well-springs of affection, so long choked up and soured by neglect and worldly care.
'How did he bear it at the first?'
'Bravely; he had wound himself up. He was flushing and turning pale all through the journey; but when once he came to the door, he was as calm and steady as possible. My father was much more agitated; he would lead Lionel himself, and very nearly threw him down the steps. You should have seen how Lionel never flinched,--did not let one feature quiver while he was being turned round to the light and examined. We saw how it was by the doctor's face, but Lionel spoke first, as--no, more steadily, than I can tell it, 'There is nothing to be done, then?'--attended more firmly to the explanation of the causes than we could, spoke as freely as if it had been about some indifferent case. The doctor was quite struck with it. He shook hands with him when he went, and kept me a moment after, to say, of all the many cases he had seen, he had never known greater resolution,--never seen any one he had been more sorry for. However, it was not only that,--that might have been the pride of firmness; but it has been the same all along. He set himself to cheer my father, who was very much overcome; and ever since has been telling me of all his schemes for employment, and arranging how to spare my mother as much as possible. Yes, he is a fine fellow!' said Walter, stopping with a heavy sigh.
'I am sure he will make himself happy,' said Marian earnestly; 'you don't know how many resources he has, and you see how wonderfully independent he is already.'
'Yes,' said Walter, sadly; 'but though I know it is all right--to see what he might have been! But that is mere nonsense,' he added, catching himself up; 'we should never have known what was in him; and perhaps he would have been very different.'
Not a word expressed of Walter's sincere thankfulness for the change that affliction was bringing on them.
Lionel came down presently, Marian presided at their tea, and would have enjoyed it very much, if she had not been sorry Clara should not be relieved from her harassing attendance up stairs. But her mother could not spare her, and perhaps the being positively useful, and pulled by force out of her childishness, was the best thing for her.
'Marian, I hope you will be able to ride with me to-morrow, if mamma does not want you?' said Lionel.
Walter looked full of inquiry and consternation.
'If we can manage it,' said Marian, cheerfully; though now that the custom had been disused for a time, she did not like the notion quite so well as before; since she could not now even figure to herself that Lionel guided himself at all, He had said it chiefly for the purpose of asserting his intention of continuing the practice, and was quite satisfied by her answer.
Walter went up stairs to his mother shortly after, and Lionel was left alone with Marian.
'I am sure I hope it won't hurt her,' said he; 'I thought it was best to have it out at once.'
'Much the best, since it was to come.'
