Love and Life

Tears filled Aurelia's eyes, and she could only murmur something about being very glad.

'Yes,' pursued Dr. Godfrey, 'it is as if I saw him rising from his living tomb in all senses of the word. I find that your artless Sunday evening conversations have even penetrated the inner hopeless gloom, still more grievous than the outer darkness in which he lived.'

'Indeed, sir, I never meant to be presumptuous.'

'God's blessing on such presumption, my good child! If you had been fully aware of his state of mind, you might never have ventured nor have touched the sealed heart, as you have done, as I perceive, in your ignorance, out of your obedient reverence to the Lord's day. Am I not right?'

'Yes, sir, I thought one could not repeat plays and poems on Sunday, and I was frightened when I found those other things were strange to him; but he bade me go on.'

'For the sake of the music of your voice, as he tells me, at first; but afterwards because you became the messenger of hope to one who had long lain in the shadow of death, thinking pardon and mercy too much out of reach to be sought for. You have awakened prayer within him once more.'

She could not speak, and Dr. Godfrey continued, 'You will be glad to hear that I am to see the curate on my way through Brentford, and arrange with him at times to read prayers in the outer room. What is it?' he added; 'you look somewhat doubtful.'

'Only, sir, perhaps I ought not to say so, but I cannot think Mr. Belamour well ever care for poor Mr. Greaves. If he could only hear that gentleman who comes to Sedhurst! I never knew how much fire could be put into the service itself, and yet I have often been at Carminster Cathedral.'

'True, my dear young lady. These enthusiasts seem to be kindling a new fire in the Church, but I am not yet so convinced of their orthodoxy and wisdom as to trust them unreservedly; and zeal pushed too far might offend our poor recluse, and alienate him more than ever. He is likely to profit more by the direct words of the Church herself, read without personal meaning, than by the individual exhortations of some devout stranger.'

'Yes, sir. Thank you, I never meant to question your judgment. Indeed I did not.'

The horses were here announced, and Dr. Godfrey said,

'Then I leave him to you with a grateful heart. I am beginning to hope that there is much hypochondriacism in his condition, and that this may pass away with his despondency. I hope before many weeks are over to come and visit him again, before I go to my parish in Dorsetshire.'

Then, with a fatherly blesssing, the Canon took his leave.

He was scarcely gone before there was a great rustling in the hall, and Mrs. Phoebe and Mrs. Delia Treforth were announced. Aurelia was surprised, for she had been decidedly sensible of their disapproval when she made her visit of ceremony after her entertainment by them. She, however, had underrated the force of the magnet of curiosity. They had come to inquire about the visitor, who had actually spent a night at the Park. They knew who he was, for 'Ned Godfrey' had been a frequent guest at Bowstead in the youth of all parties, and they were annoyed that he had not paid his respects to them.

'It would have been only fitting to have sent for us, as relations of the family, to assist in entertaining him,' said Mrs. Phoebe. 'Pray, miss, did my eccentric cousin place you in the position of hostess?'

'It fell to me, madam,' said Aurelia.

'You could have asked for our support,' said Mrs. Phoebe, severely. 'It would have become you better, above all then Sir Amyas Belamour himself was here.'

'He has only been here while I was with you, madam, and was gone before my return.'

'That is true,: but Mrs. Phoebe looked at the girl so inquisitively that her colour rose in anger, and exclaimed, 'Madam, I know not what you mean!'

'There, sister,' said Mrs. Delia, more kindly. 'She is but a child, and Bet Batley is a gossip. She would not know his Honour in the dark from the blackamoor going down to visit his sweetheart.'

Very glad was Aurelia when the ladies curtsied themselves out of her summer parlour, declaring they wished to speak to Mrs. Aylward, who she knew could assure them of the absurdity of these implied suspicions.

And Mrs. Aylward, who detested the two ladies, and repelled their meddling, stiffly assured them both of Miss Delavie's discretion and her own vigilance, which placed visits from the young baronet beyond the bounds of possibility. Supposing his Honour should again visit his uncle, she should take care to be present at any interview with the young lady. She trusted that she knew her duty, and so did Miss Delavie.

CHAPTER XV. THE QUEEN OF BEAUTY.

O bright regina, who made thee so faire,

Who made thy colour vermeilie and white?

Now marveile I nothing that ye do hight

The quene of love.-CHAUCER.

Only a week had elapsed before the quiet of Bowstead was again disturbed by the arrival of two grooms, with orders that everything should be made ready the next day for the arrival of my Lady, who was on her way to Carminster for a few weeks, and afterwards to Bath. Forthwith Mrs. Aylward and her subordinates fell into a frenzy of opening shutters, lighting fires, laying down carpets and uncovering furniture. Scrubbing was the daily task for the maids, and there was nothing extra possible in that line, but there was hurry enough to exacerbate the temper, and when Aurelia offered her services she was tartly told that she could solely be useful by keeping the children out of the way; for in spite of all rebuffs, they persisted in haunting the footsteps of the housekeeper and maids, Fay gazing with delight at the splendours that were revealed, Amy proffering undesired aid, Letty dancing in the most inconvenient places, romancing about her mamma and little brother, and making sure that her big beautiful brother was also coming.

The were very unwilling to let Aurelia call them away to practise them in bridling, curtseying, and saying 'Yes, madam,' according to the laws of good breeding so carefully inculcated by sister at home. So anxious was she that she tried them over and over again till they were wearied out, and became so cross and naughty that nothing restored good-homour except gathering blackberries to feast brother Archer.

The intelligence produced less apparent excitement in the dark chamber. When Aurelia, in an eager, awe- stricken voice began, 'O sir, have you heard that my Lady is coming?' he calmly replied,

'The sounds in the house have amply heralded her, to say nothing of Jumbo.'

'I wonder what she will do!'

'You will not long have known her, my fair friend, without discovering that she is one of the most inscrutable of her sex. The mere endeavour to guess at her plans only produces harassing surmises and alarms.'

'Do you think, sir, she can mean to take me away?'

'I suppose that would be emancipation to you, my poor child.'

'I should dance to find myself going home,' said Aurelia, 'yet how could I bear to leave my little girls, or you, sir. Oh! if you could only live at the Great House, at home, I should be quite happy.'

'Then you would not willingly abandon the recluse?'

'Indeed,' she said with a quivering in her voice, 'I cannot endure the notion. You have been so kind and good to me, sir, and I do so enjoy coming to you. And you would be all alone again with Jumbo! Oh sir, could you not drive down if all the coach windows were close shut up? You would have my papa to talk to!'

'And what would your papa say to having a miserable old hermit inflicted on him?'

'He would be only too glad.'

No, no, my gentle friend, there are other reasons. I could not make my abode in Lady Belamour's house, while in that of my nephew, my natural home, I have a right to drag out what remains of the existence of mine. Nay, are you weeping, my sweet child? That must not be; your young life must take no darkness from mine. Even should Lady Belamour's arbitrary caprice bear you off without another meeting, remember that you have given me many more happy hours than I ever supposed to be in store for me, and have opened doors which shall not be closed again.'

'You will get some one to recite to you?' entreated Aurelia, her voice most unsteady.

'Godfrey shall seek out some poor scholar or exhausted poetaster, with a proviso that he never inflicts his own pieces on me,' said Mr. Belamour, in a tone more as if he wished to console her than as it were a pleasing prospect. 'Never fear, gentle monitress, I will not sink into the stagnation from which your voice awoke me. Neither Godfrey nor my nephew would allow it. Come, let us put it from our minds. It has always been my experience, that