,,holden ,,with ,,the ,,cords ,,by ,w4 ,m4 ,l4 ,,jay ,author of ,shiloh1 etc4 ,sin will pluck on sin4 ,king ,richard ,,iii4 ,,new ,,york ,e4 ,p4 ,,dutton ,,company1 #gac ,,broadway #ahgd ,entered1 according to ,act of ,congress1 in the year #ahgd1 by ,e4 ,p4 ,,dutton ,,co41 ,in the ,office of the ,librarian of ,congress1 at ,washington4 ,,preface4 ,in sending forth another book belonging to the class known as religious novels1 the author is moved to say a word to the critics who received a former one with so pleasant a mixture of praise and deprecation4 ,as one of them frankly explained1 they like a pill none the better for being sugar-coated4 ,it is not necessary to remind them that there may be younger 7and possibly older7 people who do4 ,it is more to the point to state that persons to whom religion is a pill--a bitter1 nauseous compound1 to be bolted in sickness1 and kept out of sight in health--are not the persons for whom the author writes4 ,there is another class of objectors4 ,they talk solemnly of ,art and its canons2 they make a religion of it1 having little other4 ,one of these remarks1 that a tract in the hands of the ,venus di ,medici would be an impertinence4 ,i quite agree with him4 ,but why need he ignore the fact that the ,venus is also the outcome of a religion8 ,to the ancient sculptor1 it was a goddess1 not a woman1 that grew under his hands2 it was ,devotion1 working together with ,genius1 that produced the two or three statues which the world agrees to admire4 ,so the few great poems of the world are religious poems4 ,why1 then1 should not the great novel of the world be a religious novel8 ,some day1 be sure1 a genius sweeter than ,hawthorne's1 more genial than ,dickens'1 and subtler than ,thackeray's1 will arise to give it to us4 ,let me humbly help to prepare the way for him6 ,meanwhile1 be it also understood that the persons to whom ,art is a sufficing end1 instead of a noble means1 are not the persons for whom ,i write4 ,i do write for the gentle reader who enjoys religion in novels1 as elsewhere4 ,be thus much said for his liking1 even from the art side4 ,there are two classes of novels--the descriptive and the analytical2 one pictures real life1 the other passions and motives4 ,religion has its rightful place in both1 because it is an important part of real life1 and controls both passions and motives4 ,finally 7for the subject is much too wide for a preface71 the modern novel being so potent a power1--for evil on the one hand1 for social and civil reform on the other1--it is fair to suppose that it may do good service for religion4 ,in conclusion1 ,i have to make two acknowledgments4 ,the first to an unknown coadjutor1 a hand that is doubtless mouldering into dust4 ,some years ago1 a yellow1 time-worn manuscript1 purporting to be a veritable family history1 fell into my hands4 ,i am indebted to it for the main outline of my story4 ,the second is to ,,miss ,,freeborne1--the only sculptor of our day1 so far as ,i know1 who has consecrated her genius to ,christian ,art4 ,from her studio ,i have quietly abstracted the sculpture which lends its white grace to these pages4 ,i should also have seized upon the slender figure of her ,st4 ,agnes1 and the bowed head of her ,martyr1 had they been available to my purpose4 ,,new ,,york1 ,july1 #ahgd4 ,,contents4 ,,introduction ,,part ,,first4 ,a ,,way ,,that ,,seemeth ,,right4 ,i4--,proverbs and the ,interpretation ,,ii4--,studying to ,answer ,,iii4--,pattern of ,old ,fidelity ,,iv4--,a ,goodly ,heritage ,v4--,waste ,places ,,vi4--,the ,day of ,temptation ,,vii4--,a ,bitter ,draught ,,viii4--,as a ,dream when one ,awaketh ,,ix4--,the ,blot ,cleaves ,,part ,,second4 ,,the ,,fruit ,,of ,,the ,,way4 ,i4--,through a ,mist ,,ii4--,strengthened out of ,zion ,,iii4--,seeing1 but ,understanding ,not ,,iv4--,patient ,waiting ,v4--,under the ,oaks ,,vi4--,of ,clay ,,vii4--,hidden ,riches ,,viii4--,the ,wind ,changes ,,ix4--,the ,first ,links of a ,chain ,x4--,feeling ,his ,way ,,xi4--,sleepless ,nights ,appointed ,,xii4--,a ,consultation ,,xiii4--,dinner-,table ,talk ,,part ,,third4 ,,the ,,in-,,gathering4 ,i4--,unfoldings ,,ii4--,the ,foundations ,fail ,,iii4--,building ,anew ,,iv4--,a ,sermon ,v4--,partings ,,vi4--,with a ,double ,heart ,,vii4--,overburdened ,,viii4--,a ,business ,letter ,,ix4--,smoother ,than ,butter ,x4--,a ,wicked ,device ,,xi4--,a ,clue ,,xii4--,too ,late ,,xiii4--,escaped ,,xiv4--,the ,way ,stopped ,,part ,,fourth4 ,a ,,new ,,field4 ,i4--,alive in ,famine ,,ii4--,new ,acquaintances ,,iii4--,farview ,,iv4--,a ,word in ,due ,season ,v4--,intercepted ,,vi4--,an ,aimless ,stroll ,,vii4--,ordered ,steps ,,viii4--,though ,he ,slay ,,ix4--,mistakes ,x4--,like a ,thief in the ,night ,,xi4--,after ,many ,days ,,part ,,fifth4 ,a ,,better ,,harvest4 ,i4--,a ,cloud for a ,covering ,,ii4--,swift ,feet ,,iii4--,fatality or ,temptation ,,iv4--,blind ,v4--,more ,mystery ,,vi4--,a ,clue ,,vii4--,the ,set ,time ,,viii4--,gift and ,giver ,,ix4--,faithful unto ,death ,,holden ,,with ,,the ,,cords4 ,,introduction4 ,very beautiful was the long vista of the elm-arched street4 ,so irresistibly did it woo the eye to linger among its gray columns and green arches1 or wander adown its fair1 temple-like perspective to the hazy vanishing point1 that the wayfarer might easily forget to observe what sort of dwellings were ranged along its sides4 ,nor did they seek to force themselves upon his notice4 ,they were all plain1 substantial structures1 with no obtrusive marks of ostentation or of meanness about them2 and they all stood a little back from the street1 leaving room for a trim grass-plot1 or a thicket of flowering shrubs1 between them and the passer-by4 ,they would impress him1 collectively1 as genuine1 well-to-do homes1 free alike from the struggles of poverty and the temptations of wealth1 without troubling him to recognize them individually1 or diverting his gaze from the over-arching elms that were so much better worth his looking at4 ,such1 at least1 would be the fact1 until he came to a certain corner2 where a large square structure of stuccoed brick1 coming boldly forward to the pavement1 and planting its heavy steps thereon1 would be sure to arrest his glance1 and1 perhaps1 faintly stir his curiosity4 ,it was too large for a private building1 and too unpretending for a public one1--what was it8 ,if he had put the inquiry into audible words1 he would have been told that it was the ,medical ,college4 ,and if his interlocutor had chanced to be a white-haired1 genial-faced old man1 long ago flung aside from the stream of active life1 and1 consequently1 with time on his hands for a little chat with a stranger1--he would1 doubtless1 have woven into his answer the popular witticism2-- ,everything here1 sir1 is arranged just as it should be4 ,the divinity school is on the road to the poorhouse2 the law-school adjoins the jail2 and the medical college--this building before you1 sir--is hard by the cemetery2--you can see the monuments rising above the hedge yonder4 ,but the young man now coming up the street1 through the pleasant play of sunshine and shadow beneath the elms1 would neither have asked the question1 nor smiled at the answer4 ,he knew the stuccoed building well1 as a three years' occupant thereof must needs do2 and he had heard and repeated the witticism too many times to leave it the faintest sparkle4 ,it was doubtful1 too1 whether he gave a thought to the loveliness of the elm-arched vista that stretched before him1--partly by reason of his familiarity therewith1 partly on account of a preoccupied mind1 and still more1 perhaps1 because his bright1 brisk1 energetic temperament was not of the sort which is quickest to feel subtile charm1 and recognize the delicate outline1 of the spirit of beauty4 ,he came on rapidly1 with an elastic step and a cheery whistle1 and1 as he neared the college1 he cast a quick glance at one of its upper windows4 ,what he saw there would have been a pretty enough sight to most people1--merely a tiny brown bird hopping to and fro on the window-sill1 and turning its small head briskly from side to side in its search for infinitesimal crumbs1--but it brought a shadow to his broad1 frank brow4 ,not yet up1 he muttered1 or that wren wouldn't be trotting up and down there so complacently6 ,to be sure1 he may have gone out1 but it isn't likely4 ,neither for the look nor the thought did he pause1 but strode straight up two flights of stairs1 his firm tread resounding loudly through the empty1 uncarpeted halls1 and knocked at the door of a front room4 ,there was no response4 ,he knocked again1 with a somewhat impatient hand1 tried the door and found it locked1 waited a moment1 beat a third emphatic rat-tat-too upon the panel1 without eliciting other reply than a faint and dreary echo from the attic above2 and1 finally1 turned on his heel1 and walked down-stairs4 ,at the head of the second flight1 a thought seemed to strike him2 after a moment of hesitation1 he turned and knocked at a door close at hand4 ,scarcely waiting for the prompt ,come in6 he opened it1 with the question1--,have you seen ,arling this morning8 ,the occupant of the room was a broad-shouldered young man1 sitting at a table covered with books and papers1 and deeply absorbed in study4 ,he only half turned his head1 showing a regular1 clear-cut profile1 as he answered1-- ,no4 ,i left him so late last night that ,i overslept this morning1 and have thought of nothing but making up lost time4 ,and really1 ,trubie1 a man might be excused for forgetting his best friend--if he had one--in examination week4 ,but1 is ,arling any worse8 ,that's what ,i should like to know1 ,roath1 returned ,trubie1 planting himself a little more firmly on the threshold1 but taking no notice of the chair that the other had carelessly pushed toward him4 ,at any rate1 he's out4 ,roath started1 and turned completely round1 giving a view of a square-featured1 somewhat moody1 but still handsome1 face4 ,out6 he repeated1 looking both amazed and startled4 ,so it would seem4 ,the door is locked1 and ,i rapped and rattled loud enough to wake the dead4 ,oh1 said ,roath1 with a prolonged falling inflection4 ,and after a moment's consideration1 he turned back to his books1 as if there were no more to be said4 ,trubie lingered4 ,not1 evidently1 from any special liking for ,roath's society1 but because he was undecided what to do next4 ,i don't understand it1 ,roath1 he said slowly4 ,you know ,arling was to have kept his room to-day1 by way of gaining strength1 and guarding against a relapse4 ,and we were to have gone over ',barnes' together this morning1 so as to be all primed for ,professor ,beers to-morrow4 ,what can he have done with himself8 ,perhaps1 said ,roath1 absently1 with his eyes on his book1 some of the others may have seen him4 ,trubie took the hint--if such it was meant to be--and withdrew4 ,he spent the next half hour in knocking at sundry doors1 and repeating1 with slight variation1 the questions and remarks wherewith he had favored ,roath4 ,no one had seen ,arling2 no one knew anything about him4 ,all seemed surprised to learn that he had gone out2 but all were laboriously cramming for the examinations in progress1 and the surprise made but a faint and transient ripple on the surface of their troubled minds4 ,trubie's persistency impressed them much more strongly2 they wondered that he had leisure to bestow upon any anxiety not connected with those dreaded examinations1 any fear save that of failing to secure the right to sign himself1 ,frank ,trubie1 ,m4,d4 ,nor--to represent him fairly--was the young man himself wholly insensible of his absurdity4 ,well6 said he1 at last1 ,i can't afford to spend my morning in this way4 ,i must go back to my room1 and set to work4 ,when ,arling comes in1 tell him ,i've been here4 ,and away he went through the dancing elm-shadows1 more quickly than he had come4 ,two hours passed4 ,then ,roath closed his books1 gathered up his papers1 and took his way to the examination room1 amid the groups of assembling students4 ,many eyes followed him1 some with admiration1 some with envy1--few or none1 it was plain to see1 with affection4 ,no question but that he'll pass6 said one4 ,he's all brain1--,i'd be content with half as much4 ,and his memory6 exclaimed another4 ,it appears to be constructed on the principle of a rat-trap2 ingress is easy1 egress--not provided for6 ,no one can keep step with him but ,arling1 remarked a third2 if he gets well enough1 there will be a close race between them4 ,i bet on ,arling1 said a fourth1--a somewhat slender young man1 with an easy1 almost careless air1 but a thoughtful face1--,mark ,tracey by name4 ,eh6 why8 asked the first speaker4 ,because1 as you said just now1 ,roath is all brain4 ,whereas ,arling1 while he does not want for brain1 has also a heart and a conscience4 ,and in medicine1 as in everything else1 that wonderful trio are too strong for brain alone4 ,moralizing1 as usual1 returned the other with a light laugh4 ,not at all4 ,it is plain common-sense4 ,the history of the world shows it4 ,perhaps there is no better type of pure intellect than ,satan4 ,and ,michael the archangel does very well for a representative of love1 duty1 and intellect1 combined4 ,you remember which beat8 ,it is not possible1 ,tracey1 that you believe that fable6 ,grant that it is a fable1 replied ,tracey1 lifting his eyebrows2--it nevertheless stands for the concrete wisdom of the ages which preceded it4 ,the last words were spoken on the threshold of the examination room1 and1 of necessity1 closed the discussion4 ,roath's examination1 on this day1 did not disappoint the general expectation4 ,although somewhat paler than ordinary1 he was thoroughly self-possessed2 his answers were clear and to the point2 not once did his memory play him false2 scarcely once did he hesitate for a word4 ,he gave evidence not only of close study1 but of careful analysis1 and profound1 sagacious thought4 ,but he looked worn when it was over1 as if the mental strain had been severe2 and seemed scarcely to hear the comments and congratulations showered upon him4 ,into the midst of these burst ,trubie1 with the old question1 ,have you seen anything of ,arling8 and hardly waiting for the general ,no which answered it1 upstairs he rushed1 three steps at a time1 to the room of his friend4 ,the stream of talk had scarcely resumed its flow1 ere he was back again1 with a hurried step1 and a perturbed face4 ,it's odd about ,arling1 he began1 abruptly4 ,i can't get any answer1 and there's nothing stirring in the room4 ,but ,i looked into the keyhole1 and the key is certainly inside4 ,some few of the students1 startled by his words1 and the deep gravity of his look1 gathered around him to discuss the matter1 when a stout1 gray-haired professor came out from the examination room4 ,good day1 ,mr4 ,trubie1 said he1 as he passed the group4 ,i hope your patient is doing well4 ,i--,i don't know1 sir1 faltered ,trubie2 ,i have not seen him since yesterday1 at dusk4 ,and he is unaccountably missing this morning2--at least1 ,i thought he must be out when ,i went to his room1 at eight o'clock1 and couldn't get in4 ,but ,i have just been up again1 and--and the door is certainly locked on the inside4 ,being already in possession of the main facts of the case1--namely1 that ,alec ,arling1 one of the class of medical students now undergoing examination for their degree1 had been suffering for some days from severe and increasing intestinal trouble1 and had been advised by the faculty to keep his room for a day or two1 under the care of his friend1 ,frank ,trubie2--the professor now1 by means of a few rapid questions1 elicited the additional facts1 that ,trubie had been suddenly called away1 on the previous evening1 by family affliction1 to his home in a near suburb1 and had spent the night there1 and that ,edmund ,roath1 who had volunteered to keep a little watch over the sick-room during his absence1 had remained with ,arling till past midnight1 engaged in comparing notes of clinical lectures1 and in psychological talk 7with which matters ,arling would busy himself1 in spite of remonstrance71 and had then left him1 recommending him to go to sleep at once1 and had heard the door duly locked on his exit4 ,roath further stated that1 in consequence of this protracted sitting1 and previous hard work1 he had slept late this morning2 and1 taking it for granted that ,trubie1 according to promise1 was already back at his post1 he had seated himself at his books1 immediately upon rising4 ,very shortly after1 ,trubie had appeared1 and informed him that ,arling had gone out1 whereat he had been considerably surprised1--not that the young man was unable to leave his room1 but because it was inexpedient to do so4 ,nevertheless1 he frankly acknowledged that his mind was too much preoccupied to give more than a passing thought to the matter1 especially as he knew well that any remissness on his part was sure to be amply atoned for by ,trubie1--he and ,arling being1 as everybody knew1 the ,damon and ,pythias of the class4 ,the professor was a man of few words1 quick conclusions1 and prompt action4 ,there is but one way of getting at the bottom of the matter1 said he1 at the end of this rapid statement4 ,let somebody bring a crowbar1 and pry open the door4 ,scarce sooner said than done4 ,the door yielded easily to the rude implement1 in ,trubie's impetuous hands1 and was followed by a rush of the assembled students toward the opening1--though1 even in this moment of eager curiosity1 the instinct of subordination allowed the professor to in first4 ,he went straight to the bed1 where was seen a human form1 lying on its side1 in an easy attitude of slumber4 ,he bent for a moment above this form1 while a sudden silence fell upon the startled spectators1--he touched the brow1 lifted the hand1 and then1 turning slowly round1 said1 in deep1 serious tones2-- ,he is dead4 ,trubie let fall the crowbar1 darted forward1 and caught the hand of his dead friend1 with a kind of indignant incredulity4 ,but the icy touch1 the marble pallor1 the lifeless weight1 brought instant conviction4 ,he stood as if stunned4 ,the professor had turned from the bed to the table1 where a glass1 a spoon1 and four or five phials1 stood within easy reach of the dead man's hand4 ,he held the spoon to his nostrils1 and then examined the phials1 holding them up to the light4 ,in one1 labelled ,mag4 ,sol4 ,morph41 he seemed to find what he sought4 ,mr4 ,trubie1 said he1 turning round1 with the open phial in his hand1 did your friend ever say anything to you1 that indicated a disposition to suicide8 ,the question roused the young man from his stupor1 although it was a moment or two ere he seemed to comprehend its purport fully4 ,never1 sir6 he exclaimed1 indignantly1 a hot flush rising to his brow1--,alec ,arling would have scorned to do such a thing6 ,he was neither a fool nor a coward1 sir6 ,besides1 there was no earthly reason why he should do it4 ,the professor shook his head4 ,he seems to have done it1 nevertheless1 said he1 thoughtfully4 ,to be sure1 he added1 after a moment1 it is barely possible that he took it by mistake4 ,most likely1 that is the real state of the case1 remarked ,roath1 who was standing on the other side of the table1 calmly and gravely observant of the scene4 ,in temperaments like ,trubie's1 the transition from grief to anger is often curiously direct2 the one is the natural outlet of the other2 and in this instance1 the sound of ,roath's voice seemed to afford the bereaved and horrified young man the object of indignation that he so sorely needed4 ,springing quickly forward1 and clenching his fist1 he confronted the speaker with a convulsive rage and excitement in strong contrast with ,roath's grave composure4 ,you know better6 he shouted4 ,it was neither a suicide nor a mistake4 ,you killed him6 ,roath gave a violent start1 and seemed about to speak1 but his lips only trembled nervously4 ,he was evidently confounded1 almost bewildered1 by the suddenness and fierceness of the accusation4 ,trubie went on with scarce a moment's pause1 and with1 still hotter indignation1 ,you were last in his room--you acknowledge it4 ,and you hated him4 ,roath had regained his self-command1--which1 to do him justice1 he had but for an instant lost4 ,if you were not beside yourself with grief1 said he1 coldly1 there could be but one answer to such a charge as that4 ,as it is-- ',as it is1' ,i repeat it1 interrupted ,trubie1 with bitter scorn4 ,i repeat it1 and am ready to maintain it1 always--anywhere--anyhow6 ,roath drew himself up4 ,i1 too1 am ready1--he began1 haughtily1 but the professor interposed4 ,mr4 ,roath1 said he1 with dignity1 ,i command you to be silent4 ,mr4 ,trubie1--laying his hand on the shoulder of the agitated young man1 and speaking in a tone of grave rebuke1--much may be forgiven to the first excitement of sorrow and horror1 but this is going too far4 ,such an accusation is not to be made lightly4 ,lightly6 repeated the frantic ,trubie2--he hated ,alec1 ,i tell you6 ,he couldn't forgive him for rivalling him--aye1 and beating him1 too--everywhere2 in scholarship1 in popularity1 in--he hesitated for an instant1--in love4 ,roath's face grew dark2 a frown traced a deep1 vertical line between his brows2 he set his teeth1 and made a quick stride forward4 ,but a dozen hands seized him1 a dozen others laid hold of ,trubie1 and both were half forced1 half led away to their rooms2 while the faculty of the college1 hastily called together1 gathered around the corpse1 to examine more minutely into the cause of death4 ,a coroner's jury was duly summoned4 ,it examined the body1 weighed the evidence1 and being about equally divided in regard to the question of suicide1 finally agreed upon ,accidental ,death by ,poison1 as1 upon the whole1 the safer and less objectionable verdict4 ,there seemed to be no good reason to suspect murder1 nor any ground whatever for implicating ,roath1 or anybody else1 as a perpetrator thereof4 ,trubie1 to be sure1 persisted in his accusation2 but it was with a vehemence and a dogmatism so unlike his wonted careless good nature1 as to suggest the idea that his mind had been temporarily thrown off its balance by the shock of his friend's death4 ,this idea gained color from the fact that all which he could offer1 in support of so grave a charge1 was the statement that he had long seen or suspected1 in ,roath a secret hatred of ,arling1 and a willingness to do him covert mischief4 ,he had even mentioned the suspicion to his friend2 but ,arling--being of the most candid and generous1 as well as unsuspecting temper1 unable to conceive of any but an open1 honorable enemy--had refused to entertain it for a moment4 ,trubie also solemnly affirmed that his passionate accusation of ,roath1 by the side of the newly-discovered corpse1 was the involuntary result of an intuition so sudden1 so clear1 and so powerful1 that1 though little given to look for supernatural agencies in human affairs1 he could not rid himself of the conviction that it was the direct inspiration of his dead friend4 ,but it may readily be imagined how much weight a statement of this sort was likely to have with men of plain minds and sturdy understanding1 searching among the external phenomena of the event for grounds upon which to base a reasonable verdict4 ,on the other hand1 the theory of accidental poisoning was supported1 negatively1 by the lack of apparent cause for self-destruction2 and positively1 by the fact that on the dead man's table1 side by side with the potent narcotic before mentioned1 stood a phial of exactly the same size1 and with equally colorless contents4 ,of this ,arling had been accustomed to take two or three spoonfuls1 mixed with a few drops of a third preparation of exceeding bitter flavor4 ,a careless hand might have mistaken the one phial for the other4 ,the taste of the morphine1 so swallowed1 would be much disguised2 while the dose was sufficient1 under the circumstances1 to produce death4 ,it will be seen1 therefore1 that the verdict rendered was the only one upon which a coroner's jury could well have been expected to agree4 ,the body was next solemnly laid in a vault1 to await the disposal of the parents1 who lived in a western state2 and the widening circles of excitement1 horror1 curiosity1 and regret1 of which it had been the unconscious centre1 rapidly subsided1 or were effaced by the growing interests of the now imminent closing examination4 ,even ,trubie1 though he flatly refused to acquiesce in the coroner's verdict1 was forced tacitly to accept its results4 ,he took refuge in a complete personal proscription of ,roath2 he neither spoke to him nor looked at him2 he treated him precisely as if he did not exist4 ,to a person of ,roath's cold1 hard1 steely temper1 and obtuse sensibilities1 this demeanor was1 perhaps1 the most tolerable of which the circumstances admitted4 ,it spared him the necessity of being either conciliatory or resentful2 he was well content to ignore ,trubie as completely as ,trubie ignored him4 ,he soon found1 however1 that he had greatly underestimated the moral force of an abhorrence deeply rooted in immitigable distrust4 ,though largely given to psychological studies1 and profoundly learned1 for his years1 in the intricacies and tendencies of the human mind1 he was astonished to find how soon the atmosphere grew heavy around him1 how quickly ,trubie's dogged dislike communicated itself1 more or less strongly1 to others2 while the increased cordiality of a few1 though kindly intended to offset it1 only served to point him out more clearly as one set apart1 for the time1 from life's ordinary course and level1 by the force of an unenviable1 if undeserved1 notoriety4 ,not that he ever appeared to be conscious of either of these manifestations1 or of their ultimate effect4 ,nature had given him a moral and intellectual fibre so tough1 and he had trained himself to a control so perfect1 that the keenest observer could not detect the least variation from his usual composed1 concentrated1 somewhat moody demeanor4 ,whatever of suffering1 or of sin1 lay at the bottom of his heart1 not a shadow thereof was seen in his face4 ,it might well be1 however1 that he was glad when the examination was over1 his degree obtained1 and himself left free to depart by any one of the many paths which life opened before him4 ,yet he was in no suspicious haste to be gone4 ,his departure was fixed for an early hour on the following morning4 ,meanwhile1 at dusk1 he went out for his habitual solitary stroll4 ,never had he invited companionship1 and was it thrust upon him4 ,he had no intimate friend4 ,though he had been not only admired1 but respected1 by many1 for his intellectual gifts1 and for a certain firm1 even texture of character1 and dispassionateness of judgment1 that often looked like virtue1 whether such in reality or not1 he was beloved by none4 ,where he went1 what he thought1 is not to the purpose of our narrative4 ,his walk was long1 however2 he did not return until dusk had deepened into clear and starry1 but moonless night4 ,as he came up through the great1 dim elm-arches1 with their solemn resemblance to a vast cathedral nave1 a strange tremor seized him4 ,a complete sceptic in regard to all superstitions and forebodings1 he yet felt his nerves shaking with an undefined fear2 he could not rid himself of the impression that something unprecedented and sinister was at that moment taking place4 ,reaching the college1 he ascended the steps with a strange mixture of eagerness and reluctance2 and immediately became aware of a subdued but excited murmur of voices in the upper hall4 ,at the same moment1 ,mark ,tracey came rushing down the stairs1 carpet-bag in hand4 ,what's up8 asked ,roath1 in a voice that trembled in spite of himself4 ,i don't rightly know1 responded ,tracey1 hurriedly1--,i am so late for the train1 that ,i couldn't stop to hear4 ,something about a diamond that ,trubie has found in ,arling's glass--the one from which the poor fellow drank his death-draught1 ,i believe4 ,good-by6 ,and away he went4 ,had he waited but for an instant1 he would have been startled and spellbound by the deadly whiteness of ,roath's face4 ,through all the glimmering indistinctness of the dimly-lighted hall1 his features were clearly discernible1 by reason of that marble pallor4 ,for the moment1 he seemed to lose sense and consciousness2 he would have fallen1 except for the friendly support of the wall against which he leaned4 ,but it was only for a moment4 ,the man's hard energy of character1 his iron will1 his rigid self-control1 though they had gone down before the suddenness and severity of the shock1 quickly rose again4 ,with a mighty effort1 he rallied his broken forces2 back into his face came the look of purpose1 the sense of power1 the sternness of immitigable resolve2 and this with so rapid and almost imperceptible a change1 that it seemed as if the granite man must have stood there from the first1 and the weak man not at all4 ,while ,tracey's receding footsteps still echoed faintly from without1 going swiftly in the direction of the city's principal thoroughfare1--while the murmur of voices from above was still at its eager1 wondering height1--he had turned1 noiselessly descended the steps1 and was gliding down through the sombre elm-arches1 swift and stealthy as a phantom4 ,the street was shadowy at best1 but he chose the darker side2 it was wellnigh deserted1 at that hour1 but he soon turned into a still less frequented one1 and then struck into a more assured and less noiseless1 as well as swifter1 pace4 ,as he went1 he drew a ring from his finger1 and glancing hastily round1 to make sure that he was unobserved1 he flung it far into the dusky shadow of a garden thicket4 ,only the day before1 a friend had said to him1--,roath1 do you know that the stone is gone from your ring8 and he had answered1--,yes2 and ,i am sorry to have lost it1 for it was my father's4 ,and he had proceeded to point out the antique setting1 and to describe the peculiar shape and tint of the gem which it had inclosed4 ,he gnashed his teeth as he recalled the short1 but momentous conversation4 ,but for that1 he would not have fled4 ,the garden into which he had flung the ring adjoined a small cottage2 and1 at one of the open windows1 a gray-haired dame sat in a high-backed chair1 listening to the clear1 musical voice of an invisible reader4 ,this fragment of a sentence floated out to him on the dim night air1--,he shall be holden with the cords of-- ,even at that moment1 the words struck him sharply4 ,involuntarily he slackened his pace1 and half-turned to catch the remainder of the sentence1 but it was inaudible4 ,the uncertainty before him1 the terror behind1 were1 for the time1 almost forgotten in a certain chill curiosity4 ,holden with the cords--holden with the cords1 he repeated to himself1 as he hurried on1--,i wonder what book she was reading6 ,i should really like to hear the end of that sentence6 ,still keeping up his swift pace and vigilant glance1 he nevertheless sank into a partial abstraction4 ,some disconnected sentences1 breaking at intervals from his lips1 served to show the current of his thoughts4 ,set it down1 once for all1 he muttered1 that crime--absolute crime1 of which the law can take hold--is a mistake4--,into the best-laid scheme1 the one most carefully framed and skilfully executed1 ,chance--many would say1 ,providence 7can there be a ,providence after all87--drops some trivial1 fortuitous circumstance1 which disconcerts or betrays everything4--,the question is1 could it have been foreseen8--,i have worn that ring for sixteen years4--,no6 no6 it is too subtile and too intricate a matter to think about now4 ,i have more pressing subjects of reflection4--,only1 set it down1 for future use1 that the essential thing is to keep clear of crime4 ,holden with the cords6 echoed suddenly and pertinaciously through his memory1 as if by way of defiant answer to the conclusion that he had reached4 ,he set his teeth1 and dashed more swiftly onward4 ,ere long1 he reached the railway depot4 ,in a large1 underground space1 half-filled with smoke and steam1 a train stood on the track1 the engine fretting and snorting like a steed impatient to be off1 and the bell ringing out a hasty summons1 curiously typifying the sharp call to leap on to some favorable train of circumstances1 and be borne away to fortune or to ruin1 which life often gives us1 at certain fateful moments of its rapid career4 ,roath sprang to the rear platform1 and1 on the instant1 the train moved4 ,swiftly it left the depot behind3 decayed fences1 rickety outhouses1 heaps of rubbish and offal1 quickly receded into a dingy perspective of backside city life2 scattered coal-yards1 and freight and engine-houses1 succeeded2 and then1 the cool1 moist air coming in at the windows1 and a swift-gliding panorama of what looked like a terrestrial sky and stars1 told him that he was being borne rapidly along the causeway that traversed the broad bay1--in the tranquil waters of which the fair night-heavens were faithfully mirrored4 ,hastily running his eye over his fifty or sixty fellow-passengers1 and finding no familiar face1 he settled himself back in his seat with a long-drawn breath of relief4 ,he remembered that he was on an express train1 with twenty miles between him and the next station2 he could count upon a safe half hour1 at least1 for the working out of the difficult problem before him4 ,to that problem he at once addressed himself1 with the whole force of his intellect and will2--though ever and anon1 that perplexing fragment of a sentence would float distractingly through his mind1 saying itself over and over to the accompaniment of the sharp click of the rails1--,holden with the cords--,holden with the cords6 ,from that night1 for many years1 ,edmund ,roath disappeared as completely from the sight and search of all who had known him1 as if the train wherein he sat had suddenly flung itself headlong from that narrow causeway1 and those deep1 silent1 star-mirroring waters1 closing above him1 had steadfastly refused to give up their dead4 ,in brief space of time1 his very name1 as well as the circumstances that had made it notorious1 was forgotten by those who had been most diligent in passing it from mouth to mouth4 ,seldom was it recalled even by the few who had known him best1 and had yielded the heartiest admiration to his rare intellectual gifts4 ,having never taken any real hold of any human heart1 it was but natural that he should pass behind the first intervening cloud1 and leave no vacancy4 ,did he thereby escape the worst consequences of his sin8 ,,part ,,first4 ,a ,,way ,,that ,,seemeth ,,right4 ,i4 ,,proverbs1 ,,and ,,the ,,interpretation4 ,the road was straight1 level1 and monotonous4 ,it seemed to stretch on for miles1 walled in1 on either hand1 by the rank and profuse foliage of the ,south4 ,great cotton woods and water-oaks1 walnuts1 cypresses1 larches1 and junipers1 stood side by side1 with their brawny arms interlaced1 and their trunks hidden in a dense and varied undergrowth2 while jessamines and wild grapevines climbed up to meet the sunshine at their tops1 and pendent moss hung their boughs with swaying drapery of gray-green leaves and filaments4 ,what lay beyond these walls of verdure was only to be guessed at from occasional and indistinct glimpses4 ,here1 a transient view of corn or vegetable rows1 and a sound of voices1 gave token of the vicinity of a small plantation or market garden4 ,there1 a scarcity of deciduous trees and a predominance of evergreens1 a more lush and succulent character of undergrowth1 and a dark gleam of stagnant water1 betrayed the proximity of an extensive morass4 ,frequently1 the eye lost itself in the complicated vistas of thick pine-barrens1 stretching far away to right and left4 ,and1 ever and anon1 a sudden break in the long line of verdure1 and the sight of a diverging wheel-track1 quickly lost amid overhanging boughs1 served to show in what direction some large rice or cotton estate lay hidden in the circumjacent forest4 ,it scarcely needs to be added that the road was pleasantly cool and shadowy in the late ,september afternoon4 ,even at midday1 its track would present but few and scant patches of sunshine1 alternating with dense masses of shadow or spots of flickering light and shade4 ,now1 therefore1 with the sun hanging red and low in the western horizon1 scarce a fitful orange gleam fell athwart the path of the only traveller in sight1--a young man1 of thoughtful face and stalwart figure1 striding on at a firm1 even pace1 with a portmanteau strapped across his shoulder4 ,both the face and the portmanteau seemed to indicate that his walk was not for pleasure merely1 but tended to some definite1 anticipated goal2 while the keen1 observant glance with which he noted1 not only every object of interest along his route1 but the character of the soil beneath and the foliage overhead1 showed that his road was as unfamiliar as it had been1 for the most part1 solitary4 ,since he left the outskirts of the city of ,savalla behind1 more than two hours ago1 he had seen but three human faces4 ,first1 an old negro woman1 wrinkled and white-haired1 had ducked her decrepit form to him in what would have been1 but for the stiffness of her joints1 a most deferential courtesy4 ,later on1 a teamster1 of the same dependent and obsequious race1 had doffed to him the ragged remnant of a palm-leaf hat1 and uttered a civil1 ,good ebenin'1 ,massa4 ,lastly1 a lank1 listless1 unkempt1 sallow-skinned personage1 in a white covered wagon1 snapping a long-lashed whip at a nondescript team1 and belonging to the curious class known as crackers1 had suddenly nodded to him1 after a prolonged1 and1 at first1 contemptuous stare1 as if finally convinced of his claim to the civility4 ,for some time past1 the road had led through a monotonous pine barren1 and the traveller had fallen into a fit of thought4 ,raising his eyes1 at last1 from the path on which they had been fixed in abstraction1 he saw that the long vista before him was once more enlivened by a moving object4 ,his keen1 far sight1 trained in western wilds1 easily made it out to be a half-obsolete kind of chaise1 moving in the same direction as himself1 but moving so slowly that he gained on it at every step4 ,in a few moments1 he was close behind it1 quietly observing its superannuated style and condition1 as well as the skinny little horse that furnished its motive power4 ,hearing the sound of his quick1 firm tread1 its occupant lifted his eyes from the tattered volume over which he was poring1 and turned to look at him4 ,he himself1 in a very different way1 was well worthy of observation4 ,he was small and spare1 probably not more than sixty years of age1 but looking much older4 ,he had that parched and wizened look1 oftenest the work of circumstances rather than years1 which makes it difficult to realize that the possessor was ever young4 ,his hair and complexion had once been light2 the one was now gray1 the other sallow1 except for a faint suggestion of red at the tip of an otherwise handsome nose4 ,his breath exhaled a perceptible odor of strong drink1 surrounding him as with an atmosphere of inflammable gas4 ,his dress was made up of divers ill-fitting garments that had doubtless accrued to him from cast-off wardrobes2 not one of them bearing any relation to the other1 but all being in an advanced stage of seediness well suited to the wearer4 ,something of the same fusing of special incongruities into general fitness also characterized his manner2 wherein the mean and furtive air of the shiftless old vagabond was curiously blended with the pathetic dignity of the decayed gentleman4 ,he eyed the young foot traveller narrowly for a moment1 though with a sidelong rather than a straightforward glance2 then1 bringing his willing horse to a stand by a jerk of the reins1 and a sonorous ,whoa6 he lifted his hat and gravely accosted him3-- ,manus manum lavat4 ,men were meant to help each other4 ,have a ride1 sir8 ,the stranger hesitated1 perhaps trying to reconcile the address and the speaker1 perhaps with a natural enough doubt as to the character of the companionship thus offered4 ,thank you1 said he1 at last1 but ,i doubt if it be worth while4 ',good and ,quickly seldom meet1' responded the other1 sententiously4 ,besides1 he added1 seeing that the traveller was puzzled to understand the drift of his saw1 ,pegasus--,i call him ,pegasus because he's not winged--is 'like a singed cat1 better than he looks4' ,moreover1 ,compagnon bien parlant vaut en chemin chariot branlant4 ,which may be freely translated1 ',good company shortens the road as much as a swift horse4' ,oh6 ,i meant no disrespect to your equipage1 ,i assure you1 returned the young man1 smiling4 ,only1 ,i supposed that ,i must be near my journey's end4 ,is it far to ,berganton8 ,that depends4 ',the last straw breaks the camel's back4' ,it is three miles1 more or less4 ,but ,i should have said1 from your face1 that you would want to stop this side of that4 ,do ,i look so tired8 ,indeed ,i am not4 ,um--no1 ,i should say not4 ,but faces show something besides weariness1--'like father1 like son1' you know4 ,if your looks are to be trusted1 there's an old mansion about a quarter of a mile farther on1 whose door ought to open to you of its own accord--if it can open at all4 ,the young man smiled and shook his head4 ,i am sorry that my looks should belie me1 said he1 but ,i have no claim upon the said mansion's hospitality4 ,umph6 'tis a wise child that knows its own father4 ,tush1 tush1 man6 he added1 hastily1 seeing the young man's cheek flush1 ,i meant no harm2 proverbs run from my tongue like water from a ,dutch roof4 ,besides1 ,nao ha palavra maldita se na fora mal entendida1--that is to say1 ',no word is ill-spoken which is not ill-taken4' ,but come6 come6 jump in6 ,i'll carry you to ,berganton1 since that's your goal1 and welcome4 ,the night is drawing on apace2 you'll be glad of my pilotage before we get there4 ,the young man glanced down the darkening road1 from which the last ray of sunlight had vanished1 and seemed still to hesitate2 but finally sprang lightly into the chaise1 and the horse jogged on4 ,proverbs1 continued the old man1 treating his three last sentences as mere parentheses1 have been the study of my life4 ,i know ,lord ,chesterfield bans them as vulgar1 but is he wiser than ,solomon8 or better authority than ,cicero and ,scaliger and ,erasmus and ,bacon and ,bentley8 ,bah6 the whole gist of his writings might be compressed into two or three of the maxims that he affects to despise4 ',fair-and-,softly goes far in a day1' will live when his ',letters' are forgotten4 ,and a good reason why4 ,proverbs are the royal road to wisdom4 ,they're the crystallized experience of the ages4 ,they epitomize the minds and manners of the people that brought them forth4 ,who but a 'smooth1 fause' ,lowland ,scot1 for instance1 would have said ',rot him awa' wi' butter an' eggs8' ,who but a marauding ,hielander would have declared1 ',it's a bare moor that ane goes o'er and gets na a coo8' ,who but poor priest-ridden1 king-ridden ,spain would have said1 ,fraile que pide par ,dios1 pide por dos1 ',the friar that begs for ,god1 begs for two2' ,quien la vaca del rey come flaca1 gorda la paga1 ',he who eats the king's cow lean1 pays for it fat2'--but ,i ought to beg your pardon1 perhaps you know ,spanish8 ,not very well1 good-naturedly replied the young man1 taking pity on his companion's inveterate habit of translation1 and the delight which it plainly afforded him4 ,well enough1 ,i suppose1 to know that it's a mine of wealth to the proverb-hunter1 rejoined the old man graciously4 ,here1 now1 is a good one1 of a different character1--,adonde vas1 mal8 ,adonde mas hay1 ',whither goest thou1 misfortune8 ,to where there is more8' ,and here is a pertinent question for people who live well without visible resources1--,los que cabras no tienen1 y cabritos venden1 de donde les vienen8 ',they who keep no goats1 and yet sell kids1 where do they get them8' ,but1 after all1 for right sharp and serviceable proverbs1 commend me to the ,danish4 ,here is an old collection that ,i've lately picked up1 printed at ,copenhagen1 in #agfa2---;just let me read you two or three4 ,he opened the dingy volume aforementioned1 and proceeded to read1 translate1 and comment1 with infinite zest4 ,ingen kommer i ,skaden1 uden han selv hielper til1 ',no man gets into trouble without his own help'--7a moral which no one can point better than your humble servant72 ,naar det regner ,voelling1 saa har ,stodderen ingen ,skee1 ',when it rains porridge1 the beggar has no spoon'--7there's no contenting discontented people72 ,ingen ,ko kaldes broget uden hun haver en ,flek1 ',a cow is not called dappled unless she has a spot'--7most gossip has some small foundation72 ,hvo som vil gjre et stort ,spring1 skal gaae vel tilbage1 ',he that would leap high must take a long run'--7else we should have bishops and judges without gray hairs72 ,det kommer igien1 sagde ,manden1 han gav sin ,so ,floesk1 ',it will come back again1 said the man1 when he gave his sow pork3'--don't you see how the patient1 shrewd1 humorous character of the ,danes peeps through them all8 ,yet1 if some proverbs are national1 others are cosmopolitan1 and fit all generations1 and all countries4 ,for instance1 there's the ,greek saw1 ,arch misu pants1--see how it comes down through every language under the sun1 till1 at last1 it settles into terse ,english rhyme1 ',well begun ,is half done4' ,or1 take that common saying1 ',to carry coals to ,newcastle1' which seems to have originated in the ,east4 ,at least1 we find it first in the ,persian of ,saadi1 ',to carry pepper to ,hindostan2' then the ,hebrews have it1 ',to carry oil to the ,city of ,olives2' the ,greeks1 'owls to ,athens2' the ,latins1 'wood to the forest2' the ,french1 'water to the river2' the ,dutch1 'firs to ,norway2' the ,danish--,hallo6 ,pegasus6 what are you about8 ,the horse1 being left to his own guidance while his master was riding his favorite hobby1 had taken occasion to shoot off from the main road into an apparently little-used track1 cut through a thick pine-barren at the left4 ,he had made several lengths before his driver1 taken at a disadvantage1 could pull him up4 ,pegasus is of the opinion that 'the longest way round is the surest way home1' remarked the old man1 apologetically1 as he scanned the narrow1 tree-lined track1 with a view to the possibility of turning safely around4 ,or1 he added1 with a glance of sly humor at the traveller1 perhaps he thinks1 as ,i did just now1 that ,bergan ,hall is your natural destination4 ,bergan ,hall1 repeated the young man1 in a tone of extreme surprise1--is this the way to ,bergan ,hall8 ,i thought you came to the village first1 from ,savalla4 ,so you did1 once1 rejoined the old man1 looking surprised1 in his turn2 but that must have been before you were born1 if your face doesn't belie your age4 ,the road used to make a long elbow1 to get round that swamp which you crossed a mile back4 ,but it was straightened thirty years ago at least1--,autre temps1 autre chemin1--a different time1 a different road4 ,and so you are going to ,bergan ,hall8 ,well1 thanks to luck and ,pegasus1 you're in the right way4 ,but ,i must not take you out of yours1 responded the young man1 good-naturedly4 ,and he had jumped out of the chaise before its owner was well aware of his intention4 ,canis festinans coecos parit catulos1 muttered the old man1 in a tone of chagrin4 ,in other words1 ',look before you leap4' ,i'd as soon have gone this way as the other4 ,my place lies between the ,hall and the village1 and the choice of roads isn't worth shucks1--at least1 in comparison with a pleasant chat4 ,however1 you're out1 and ,i suppose it's no use to ask you to get in again1 since the ,hall is but a few rods away4 ,keep straight ahead till you come to the old avenue1 then turn to the left4 ,good day1 il n'y a si bons compagnons qui ne se separent1--the best friends must part4 ,yes--to meet again1 said the young man1 pleasantly4 ,very true2 les beaux esprits se rencontrent1 returned the old man1 slowly and cautiously backing his crazy vehicle around4 ,and with another ,good day1 and a parting gesture1 he quickly disappeared among the fast-falling shadows4 ,the young man stood looking after him for a moment1 with a smile half of amusement1 half1 of pity1 upon his lips4 ,but his features soon settled into something more than their accustomed gravity1 and suddenly facing about1 he pursued his way4 ,ere long the tall1 crowded pines of the barren gave place to various stubble and fallow grounds1 with here and there a late crop waiting to be harvested2 and shortly after1 the narrow1 irregular track that he had been following encountered a broader and more beaten one4 ,recognizing this1 with some difficulty1 as the avenue of which his late companion had spoken1 he stopped1 and gazed up and down with a look of surprise and pain4 ,it was bare of trees2 but on either side extended a long row of live oak stumps1 the size of which showed what massive trunks and far-reaching branches had once columned and arched it like a temple4 ,here and there1 some forgotten bole or bough lay and rotted upon the very spot which it had formerly overhung with a soft canopy of verdure1 and made beautiful with pleasant play of sunshine and leaf-shadow2 while around it gathered a rank luxuriance of weeds1 transmuting its slow aristocratic decay into teeming1 plebeian life4 ,in one or two cases1 as if moved by an almost human sympathy1 vines had sprung up around the bereaved stumps1 and sought to soften their hard outlines with clinging drapery of leaves and tendrils4 ,they had also done their best to cover up various unsightly gaps in the long lines of ruinous fence that divided the avenue from the open fields on either side4 ,yet the final effect of these gentle touches was only to deepen the painful impression of the scene4 ,where they did not reach1 the bareness was so much more bare1 the dilapidation so much uglier6 ,the young observer felt this bareness and dilapidation to his heart's core1--felt it all the more keenly because an image of the avenue's pristine grandeur1 derived from the surrounding fragments 7or from some other source71 continually rose before his mind's eye1 to heighten its present desolation by contrast4 ,his brow contracted as he gazed2 and the expression of his face changed rapidly from surprise to dissatisfaction1 from dissatisfaction to perplexity1 from perplexity to doubt4 ,once1 he turned as if half-minded to retrace his steps2 but the next moment1 he shook off his irresolution with a gesture of disdain1 and immediately hastened forward4 ,the avenue terminated in an open1 circular space4 ,evidently1 it had once been a lawn2 but it was now covered with half-obliterated furrows1 showing that at some not very remote period1 it had been planted with corn4 ,around it stood a number of gigantic live-oaks1 heavily draped with moss1 and brooding dusky shadows under their massive boughs4 ,fronting upon it1 was a large mansion of dark brick1 consisting of an upright1 two-story main building1 with a huge1 clustered chimney in the midst1 and long1 low1 rambling wings on either side4 ,the whole place had a deserted and melancholy appearance4 ,the moss on the live-oaks swayed slowly to and fro in the evening breeze1 with a wonderfully sombre and funereal effect2 and the mansion was dark and silent as any ruin4 ,not a light shone from the closed windows2 not a sound came from the deep1 shadowy doorway2 and the unsteady stone steps1 slippery with damp and green with moss1 gave the impression of a spot where no human foot had left its print for many years4 ,the young man halted at a little distance from the dark building1 and surveyed it moodily4 ,can this be ,bergan ,hall8 he murmured4 ,can this gloomy old ruin be the open1 cheery1 hospitable mansion1 full of light and life1 that my mother has so often described to me8 ,it looks a habitation for ghosts--and for ghosts only6 ,i wonder if any living being-- ,breaking off abruptly1 he ascended the moss-grown steps1 only to find that the vines which so heavily draped the portico1 had woven a thick network across the door4 ,it was plain that it had not been opened for months1 perhaps years4 ,nevertheless1 not to be easily daunted1 he found and lifted the knocker4 ,it fell with a dull lifeless sound1 that smote the young man's heart like a sudden chill4 ,a dreary reverberation came from within1 and then died away into silence4 ,he knocked again1 and1 listening intently1 he fancied that he heard the sound of stealthy footsteps within1 and a slight creaking of the floor4 ,but so dead a silence followed upon these imaginary sounds1 that he soon became convinced of his involuntary self-deception4 ,turning from the door1 he now noticed a little footpath running round the end of one of the long wings4 ,committing himself to this timely guide1 he soon came in sight of the rear of the mansion1 which looked upon a sort of court2 where a few ornamental shrubs still held an uncertain tenure against the encroachments of divers sorts of lawless and vagrant vegetation4 ,at a little distance1 was a long range of dilapidated offices1 showing upon what an almost princely scale the housekeeping had once been administered4 ,but this part of the premises was not less dark1 silent1 and deserted1 than the other4 ,the footpath still held on1 however1 past the court and the offices1 toward a bright light at a considerable distance1 ,the negro quarter6 muttered the young man1 recognizing the whereabout of one of the most salient features of his mother's well-remembered descriptions4 ,at least1 ,i may learn there what it all means4 ,and1 quickening his steps1 he soon came upon a busy and picturesque scene4 ,in the midst of a large1 quadrangular space1 flanked on three sides by double rows of negro-cabins1 and on the fourth apparently sloping down to a water-course1 was a rough sort of threshing-mill1 now idle1 but showing satisfactory results of its day's labor in a large heap of rice by its side4 ,a crowd of negroes1 of both sexes1 coarsely and uncouthly clad1 were busily filling odd1 shallow baskets from this heap1 which they then poised on their heads1 and bore off down the slope to some unseen goal4 ,there were two regular1 silent files1 the one coming1 the other going2 and the heap of grain steadily and even swiftly diminished4 ,near the mill1 stood the only white person visible1--a large1 powerfully-framed man1 carelessly and even shabbily dressed1 yet with the unmistakable air of ownership about him4 ,at his left hand1 a half-naked1 impish looking negro boy was holding a blazing pitch-pine torch1 by the light of which he seemed to be jotting down some sort of memoranda in a small book4 ,the scene was even more strange and weird than picturesque4 ,the dark figures of the negroes1 filing noiselessly up the shadowed slope1 suddenly grew distinct1 wild1 and fantastic1 within the circle of enchantment made by the flaring light of the torch1 only to become dim and spectral again when received back into the dusk4 ,they might have passed for embodiments of those vagaries of the mind1 which come from no one knows whither1 play their fitful parts within the illuminated circle of the imagination1 and vanish as they came4 ,the young man would almost have taken it as a matter of course1 had the whole spectacle suddenly melted into thin air4 ,yet1 even in that case1 he would have expected the masterful personage aforementioned to have remained1 as the one tangible link between the phantasms and the earth4 ,in truth1 a single glance at his massive figure1 which seemed to have been hewn out of the rock1 rather than moulded from any softer material1 went far to disenchant the scene4 ,here was a touch of the actual1 the substantial1 and the dogmatic1 not to be mistaken2 and serving as a clue to the reality of everything else4 ,toward this personage1 after a moment's scrutiny1 the young man unhesitatingly made his way1 with the air of one who has found something certain amid much that is confused1 illusory1 and perplexing4 ,he was immediately spied by the negroes1 and followed by their curious gaze2 albeit1 they ventured not to intermit their labor for an instant1 but contented themselves with slowly and stiffly turning their burdened heads toward him as they marched on1 and keeping their shining black eyes fixed on him to the last1 in such that the heads of the retreating file seemed to have been set on backwards4 ,the boy with the torch was perhaps the most wondering1 open-mouthed gazer of them all4 ,as yet1 the master of the premises had not been made aware of the stranger's approach2 but1 looking up to reprimand his torch-bearer for inattention1 he observed the imp's dumbfounded gaze1 and turned to see what had caused it4 ,my uncle1 ,mr4 ,bergan1 ,i presume1 said the young man1 taking off his hat1 and bowing low3 ,i am ,bergan ,arling4 ,and he added1 after a moment1 seeing that the other did not speak1 ,i bring you a letter from my mother4 ,,ii4 ,,studying ,,to ,,answer4 ,major ,bergan--to give him the title by which he was known throughout the country round--displayed no alacrity of welcome4 ,he first scanned his visitor closely from head to foot1 and then silently extended his hand for the letter which the young man had drawn forth from an inner pocket4 ,hold that light here6 were his first words1 in a tone deep as a thunder-peal1 and addressed not to ,bergan ,arling1 but to the aforesaid torch-bearer4 ,and quit your staring1 and mind your business1 or ,i'll-- ,the sentence died away in an inarticulate growl1 but the boy was plainly at no loss to understand its purport4 ,with a startled look1 he fixed his eyes on the torch1 and only ventured to withdraw them for an occasional1 furtive glance at the object of his curiosity4 ,meanwhile1 his master opened the letter1 and read it deliberately from beginning to end4 ,the light of the torch fell full upon his face as he did so1 giving ,bergan ,arling an opportunity to study him1 in his turn4 ,his face was a striking one2 in youth it had doubtless been handsome4 ,now1 his brow was too massive1 his mouth too stern1 his eyes too cold1 his beard too gray and heavy1 to bear any relation to mere personal beauty4 ,all soft lights and lines had long gone out of them2 what remained was hard1 bold1 and rugged1 as a rocky headland in winter4 ,the rude strength which was the marked characteristic of his form1 repeated itself emphatically in his face4 ,comparing it with the mental portrait1 carefully touched and retouched by his mother's hand1 which ,bergan had carried in his mind since childhood1 he felt that the one resembled the other only as a tree in autumn1 stripped bare of its foliage and its blossoms1 resembles the same tree in its gracious summer bloom and verdure4 ,little trace of the frank1 proud lineaments1 the warm1 yet generous temper1 of that ideal picture1 was to be found in this harsh1 stubborn1 sarcastic face2 the face of a man long given over to the hardening influences of a solitary and a selfish life4 ,in short1 ,major ,bergan confirmed anew the old truth that no man can live long for himself alone1 shutting out all gentler ties and amenities1 and driving straight at his own practical ends1 unmindful of either the ways1 the opinions1 or the feelings of others1 without reaping his due reward in a loss of moral health1 and a gradual decay of all his finer sensibilities and higher instincts4 ,the only point wherein the real man resembled the ideal one1 was in a certain ineffaceable pride of birth1 showing itself not only in his port1 but darkening his harsh features with a heavy shade of hauteur4 ,yet a smile might do much to light up and soften the ,major's face2 and the smile came when he had finished the letter1 and did its work all the more effectually because it was a somewhat sad one4 ,forty and two years1 said he1 musingly1 since ,eleanor went6 ,yet ,i can see her now1 with her bright face and her arch ways6 ,she was the sunshine of the old ,hall2 it has never been the same place since she left it4 ,and she would hardly know it1 if she were to come back now6 ,but times change2 and we are fools if we do not change with them4 ,well1 my boy6 ,i'm glad to see you1 and that is not what ,i would say to many1--,i'm not much in the way of having visitors4 ,but ,eleanor's son is heartily welcome to the old place4 ,he took his nephew's hand1 shook it cordially1 and continued to hold it in a vice-like grasp1 while he once more attentively scanned the young man's features4 ,you are a true ,bergan1 he said1 at length1 ,i'm glad to see that6 ,and you have her eyes1 too4 ,ah1 what eyes they used to be6 as soft and bright as any fawn's6 ,well6 well6 it's no use to think of the old times--they can't come back4 ,but ,i am right glad to see you1 my boy2 and ,i take it very kind of ,eleanor to have sent you to me4 ,is she much changed8 ,i suppose so1 said ,bergan1 smiling1--that is1 since you knew her4 ,she has not changed greatly during my remembrance4 ,she is a young-looking woman yet1 for her years2 her eyes are still bright1 and her cheeks rosy4 ,our western climate and life have agreed with her well4 ,yet ,i cannot fancy her a young lady4 ,ah1 but you shall see her as a young lady6 ,there's a portrait of her in the old house1 taken not long before she went away1 that does everything but speak and move4 ,indeed1 ,i used to imagine that it did both1 when ,i had it in my quarters out here1 as ,i did for a time4 ,but it gave me the blues so1 to look at it1 and think how things used to be1 and see how they had altered1 that ,i finally sent it back to its old place in the portrait gallery4 ,but how did you get here1 at this hour8 ,i walked from ,savalla1 leaving my baggage--except this portmanteau--to come on by stage to-morrow4 ,walked6 ,a nice little tramp of thirteen miles or more6 ,why in the name of sense didn't you ride8 ,i was too late for the stage1 and could not readily find a hack4 ,to be sure1 ,i wasted but little time in looking for one2 ,i do not mind walking1 ,i am used to it4 ,that may do very well for the ,west4 ,but you'll lose caste1 my boy1 if you walk here4 ,you must have a horse4 ,when ,i can afford it1 replied the young man1 lightly shrugging his shoulders4 ,meanwhile1 doubtless ,i shall find my western habit useful1 if vulgar4 ,but ,i am not prepared to admit that it is vulgar4 ,a young ,english nobleman1 who spent some months in our neighborhood1 was a practised walker2 he thought nothing of fifteen or twenty miles1 on occasion4 ,and if it was 'caste' for him1 why not for me8 ,humph6 we ,southerners boast a good deal of our ,english ancestors1 but we don't feel called upon to imitate them6 ,with the softening recollections of his youth1 the ,major had also laid aside his unwonted gentleness of manner2 and the freezing satire of his last words1 though it was doubtful whether he meant it for himself or his nephew1 pained the young man's ear4 ,instinctively he dropped the discussion4 ,i forgot to mention1 said he1 that ,i did not walk quite the whole distance4 ,a queer old character whom ,i overtook1 insisted upon giving me a lift to ,berganton4 ,to ,berganton6 ,what had you to do with ,berganton1 ,i should like to know8 ,i was not aware that the road had been changed2 ,i supposed that ,i must needs pass through the village on my way to ,bergan ,hall4 ,i intended to stay there over night1 and come to you early in the morning1--,i did not think it right to descend upon you suddenly1 late at night4 ,but finding myself unexpectedly on the road hither1 and almost in sight of the ,hall1 ,i regarded it as an indication of ,providence not to be misunderstood4 ,and well you did6 returned the ,major1 with rude emphasis1 well you did6 ,i should have taken it as a direct insult if my sister's son had slept anywhere in this region1 but on the old place4 ,i wish ,i could say1 under the old roof1 he went on1 in a friendlier tone1 but that leaks like a sieve1 and ,i quitted it long ago4 ,of course1 it might have been mended2 but1 to tell the truth1 the old house was much too big and gloomy and damp and disagreeable to keep bachelor's hall in comfortably1 and ,i was glad to get out of it4 ,besides1 ,i'd had all sorts of trouble with my overseers1 and ,i decided that the only way to have things managed to my mind was to manage them myself4 ,in order to do that1 it was necessary to be on the spot4 ,so ,i fixed up my overseer's cottage into a snug little box for myself1 where ,i'm as cosey and comfortable as a rat in a rice-heap4 ,but come in1 and see for yourself how it looks4 ,jip1 you rascal6 why don't you take your young master's portmanteau8 ,the torch-boy caught the portmanteau1 and ,bergan followed his uncle into a small cottage at one corner of the quadrangle1 so situated as to command a view both of the mill and the cabins4 ,the room into which he was ushered was plainly but comfortably furnished4 ,a fire of pitch-pine knots blazed on the hearth1 reddening the rough walls and the bare floor with its pleasant glow4 ,a slipshod negress1 with a gay turban1 was busy laying the table for supper4 ,the effect was1 upon the whole1 cheery1 and ought to have been especially so to a tired and hungry traveller2 yet ,bergan looked around him with a manifest air of disappointment4 ,his uncle noticed it1 and remarked1 apologetically1 ,you would prefer to see the ,hall1 eh8 ,well1 you shall see it in the morning1 and ,i reckon you'll agree with me that it's anything but a cheerful-looking abode4 ,though1 if ,i had known that a nephew of mine was coming to keep me company1 ,i don't know but ,i should have stayed there4 ,the negress now signified that supper was on the table1 the food having been brought in1 ready cooked1 from the nearest cabin2 and ,major ,bergan pointed to a chair opposite his own4 ,sit down1 ,harry1 and fall to4 ,your tramp must have given you a right sharp appetite4 ,thank you4 ,but1 uncle1 my name is ,bergan1 not ,harry4 ,not ,harry6 repeated the ,major1 sharply1--,i should like to know the reason why6 ,didn't your mother write that she had named you for me8 ,yes1 certainly4 ,but she regarded you as the head of the family1 and in giving me the family name-- ,she named you for the whole breed--my degenerate half-brother and all6 interrupted the ,major1 bringing his clenched fist down upon the table with a force that threatened to demolish it4 ,i tell you what it is1 sir1 ,i shall not stand any half-way work6 ,if you are named after me1 you've got to go the whole figure4 ,harry ,bergan ,arling you are1 and ,harry ,bergan ,arling you shall be1--at least as long as you stay in these parts4 ,the imperious tone of this speech was by no means agreeable to ,bergan's ear2 it was not without an effort that he replied1 pleasantly2-- ,call me what you like1 uncle4 ,i shall not refuse to answer to any name that you are pleased to give me4 ,major ,bergan was evidently much gratified4 ,that's right1 my boy6--we'll shake hands upon that6 he exclaimed1 heartily4 ,i'm glad to see that ,eleanor has raised her son in the good old fashion of submission to elders4 ,bless my soul6 ,i thought it was entirely obsolete4 ,young men round here know more at twenty than the fathers that begot them4 ,as for obedience1 they leave that to the negroes4 ,the meal was abundant and substantial4 ,it consisted of a single course1 of bacon1 vegetables1 and corn-bread1 very simply1 not to say rudely1 served4 ,it would seem that the master of the feast cared no more for refinements of table than of manner4 ,here1 as elsewhere1 were to be seen the pernicious effects of his solitary mode of life4 ,he ate greedily2 he forgot his duties as host1 or they came but tardily to his remembrance2 he fell into fits of abstraction1 and started as from a dream at the sound of his nephew's voice4 ,yet tokens were not wanting that he had once been well versed in the art of external manners4 ,at intervals1 answering involuntarily1 as it were1 to the touch of ,bergan's fine1 natural courtesy1 the gentlemanly instincts of earlier days revived1 and flung a momentary grace around his words and actions4 ,it was like the sunbeams that occasionally glimmer out over a cloudy landscape1 attracting the gaze even more surely than any full blaze of splendor1 yet causing a certain impatience1 as if they ought either to kindle into satisfactory brightness1 or be wholly extinguished4 ,the rudeness of his ordinary manner was only thrown into bolder relief by these flashes of a half-extinct good breeding4 ,to meet the demands of thirst1 a bottle of brandy1 and another of water1 stood by ,major ,bergan's plate2 which1 after filling his own glass1 he pushed over to his nephew4 ,there1 ,harry6 that is what will put new life into you1 after your journey4 ,thank you2 but ,i seldom use brandy4 ,a little too strong for you1 eh8 returned the ,major1 indulgently4 ,well1 there's a stock of wine in the cellar of the ,hall1--,i reckon some of it must be fifty or sixty years old1 it has been there ever since ,i can remember1--,i'll send for a bottle or two of that4 ,and he uplifted a stentorian call of ,jip1 which brought that urchin-of-all-work to the door1 in breathless haste4 ,uncle1--began ,bergan1 but the ,major was thundering out minute directions about cellars1 and keys1 and tiers1 and labels1 and either could not1 or would not1 hear4 ,i am sorry that you have given yourself the trouble1 said ,bergan1 when quiet was restored4 ,i do not care for wine4 ,major ,bergan set down his glass1 and looked at his nephew sternly and gloomily4 ,don't tell me that you are a mean-spirited teetotaller1 he growled4 ,i can't say how ,i might take it4 ,there never was a milksop in the family yet4 ,no1 ,i am hardly that4 ,but ,i am not accustomed to use spirituous liquors of any sort4 ,and ,i certainly do not need them4 ,i am in perfect health2 ,i hardly know what it is to feel tired4 ,i wish ,i didn't6 muttered his uncle1 a little less savagely4 ,i'm pretty hearty1 for my years1 to be sure4 ,but an ache gets into my bones now and then1 just to remind me that ,i am not so young as ,i was once4 ,and the best thing to rout it is a good glass of brandy4 ,better take one8 ,not if you will be so good as to excuse me1 replied ,bergan1 with a smile so frank1 and a gesture so courteous1 that the ,major was irresistibly mollified4 ,a guest's wish is a command1 said he1 with one of his rare glimmers of courtesy4 ,but here comes the wine6 ,i really cannot excuse you from that1--at least1 ,i should be very loath to do so4 ,i'll even join you in a glass4 ,here's to your mother's health and happiness6--you won't refuse to drink that1 not on the place where she was raised4 ,if ,bergan was annoyed by his uncle's persistency1 he forebore to show it4 ,but1 having duly honored the toast1 he pushed his glass aside1 and declined every invitation to have it refilled4 ,well1 well1 said his uncle1 at last1 in a tone of resignation1 we won't quarrel about it now4 ,but ,i see that your education is incomplete1 and ,i shall take it upon myself to finish it4 ,if ,i don't teach you to drink like a gentleman1 in a month1 ,i shall know that you are no true ,bergan1 in spite of your looks4 ,bergan only smiled4 ,your temperance is the one thing ,i don't like about you1 pursued his uncle1 filling his own glass to the brim4 ,ah1 yes1 there's one more2--your mother writes that you have studied law1 and mean to practise it4 ,yes2 ,i received my license just two months ago4 ,humph6 it's well named6 ',license1' indeed6 ,licensed to lie1 cheat1 steal1--or1 at least1 to help others to do so1 which amounts to the same thing4 ,no1 no1 ,harry2 it may be well to know law enough to keep from being imposed upon1 but a ,bergan can't stoop to practise it4 ,lawyers are1 without exception1 a set of miserable1 lying1 sneaking pettifoggers4 ,you could drop the souls of a dozen into a child's thimble1 and they'd rattle in the end of it after she had put it on her finger4 ,bergan's cheek flushed a little1 but he was more impressed by the comic than the provoking side of his uncle's dogged prejudice1 and he only answered1 good-humoredly2-- ,i am sorry that you should have had occasion to think so badly of the profession4 ,i shall feel that it is incumbent upon me to make you change your opinion4 ,never6 growled ,major ,bergan1 with an oath4 ,you would find it easier to lift the ,gibraltar rock on the point of a needle4 ,unless1 he added1 after a moment1 you can tell me how to make a suit lie against ,godfrey ,bergan4 ,i've been trying it for ten years1 and ,i've spent money enough to buy another plantation as large as this4 ,my uncle ,godfrey6 exclaimed ,bergan1 in much surprise4 ,why1 what has he done8 ,you had better not call him your 'uncle ,godfrey' in my hearing1 responded the ,major1 grimly4 ,in ceasing to be my half-brother1 he ceased to be your uncle4 ,done6 ,what hasn't he done8 ,first1 he got his head filled with cursed abolitionist notions1 and freed all his slaves4 ,next1 he offered the greater part of his land for sale at public auction2--just think of it6 some of the old lands of ,bergan ,hall put up to be knocked down to the highest bidder6 ,but ,i settled that business1 by proclaiming far and wide that whoever bid for them might expect to reckon with me for his impertinence2 and as ,i'm known to be a man of my word1 no one dared to lift his voice at the sale1 and ,i got them at my own price4 ,finally ,godfrey capped the climax of his degeneracy by opening a hardware store in ,berganton4 ,think of that1 ,hairy6--a ,bergan of ,bergan ,hall1 with a long pedigree of warriors and nobles at his back1 standing behind a counter1 selling hoes and tea-kettles to negroes and crackers6 ,bergan was silent4 ,though not without some touch of family pride1 derived from his mother1 he had nevertheless been taught to believe all upright labor honorable1 to hold that life was ennobled from within1 by its motive and aim1 rather than from without1 by its place and form4 ,he could not help suspecting1 therefore1 that his host1 deliberately leading the narrow life of an overseer of slaves1 on his ancestral estate1 was in reality a more degenerate son of his house than the relative whom he so bitterly contemned4 ,yet he foresaw that any attempt to defend ,godfrey ,bergan would but result in bringing down upon himself a torrent of fierce1 half-drunken vituperation4 ,seasoned vessel though he were1 the ,major's repeated draughts of brandy1 very little diluted1 had not been without effect1 in flushing his face1 and inflaming his habitually irritable temper4 ,his present mood would ill brook contradiction4 ,fortunately1 he neither expected nor waited for an answer4 ,hastily emptying his glass and filling it again1 he went on4 ,now1 ,harry1 if you can tell me any way by which ,i can ruin his business1 turn him out of his house1 and make him quit the country1 ,i'll own that ,i've done the law an injustice1 and give you a handsome fee besides4 ,can the thing be done8 ,bergan silently shook his head2 he would not trust himself to speak4 ,just as ,i told you6 exclaimed the ,major1 with great virulence of expression4 ,the law has plenty of quibbles and quirks for the help of rogues and scoundrels1 but it can't lend a hand to an honest cause1 at a pinch6 ,i'll none of it1 ,harry6 ,i'll none of it6 ,get what you know of it out of your head as soon as you can4 ,the ,major paused long enough to empty his glass1 and then resumed1 in a more amiable tone4 ,the best thing you can do1 ,harry1 is to stay here with me2 ,i'll make a rice-planter of you4 ,it doesn't take a ninny for that1 by any means2 your talents will not be thrown away4 ,and if we suit each other1--as ,i think we shall1--,i'll give you ,bergan ,hall when my title to it expires4 ,to be sure1 ,i'm strong and hearty yet2 but no one lasts forever4 ,and as you are named for me1 and ,i like your looks1 ,i would rather give it to you than anybody else4 ,in fact1 ,i've had it in my mind1 for some time1 to write to ,eleanor and ask her to do just what she has done1--send one of her boys to live with me1 and be my heir4 ,you mistake1 said ,bergan1 quickly1 neither my mother nor myself had any such idea4 ,she merely wished me to consult you about commencing my profession in-- ,tut6 tut6 ,harry1 interrupted his uncle1 ,i meant it1 if you and she did not4 ,and ,i mean it more than ever now2 that is1 if you'll yield to my wish about the law4 ,but if you persist in sticking to that1 ,i give you up1 once for all--mind1 ,i give you up6 ,i should deserve to be given up1 replied ,bergan1 smiling1 if ,i were lightly to forsake a vocation for which ,i am fitted both by taste and education1 to enter upon one of which ,i know absolutely nothing4 ,i may reasonably hope to succeed as a lawyer2 ,i fear ,i should make but a poor planter4 ,moreover1 it would not suit me to be dependent upon any one4 ,stuff6 nonsense6 exclaimed ,major ,bergan1 bluntly4 ,i defy you to make a poor planter under my tuition1--,i claim to understand that business4 ,as for dependence1 never you fear but that ,i shall get aid and comfort enough out of you to make our accounts square4 ,for1 after all1 ,harry1 it is a dreary kind of a life that ,i'm leading1 without chick or child1 kith or kin1 to speak to1 or to care for4 ,i cannot help asking myself1 sometimes1 what is the good of it all1 and how ,is it to end4 ,but with a fine young fellow like you here1 to enter into my plans now1 and carry them out after ,i'm gone1--why1 it would be like a fresh lease of life to me6 ,we'll rebuild the old house1 you shall drop the ',arling1' and behold the seventh ,harry ,bergan of ,bergan ,hall1 on this side the water6 ,and really1 ,i don't see how you can do better1 ,harry4 ,here are wealth1 position1 influence1 and a chance to oblige your old uncle1--ready to your hand4 ,stay1 my boy1 stay6 ,the ,major's bluff voice had sunken to a hoarse tone of sadness1 in his confession of loneliness1 and finally1 to one of entreaty1 that touched his nephew's heart4 ,nor was the prospect held up before him without its own peculiar and powerful attraction4 ,he looked thoughtfully into the fire1 debating with himself what and how he should reply4 ,his uncle watched him keenly for a moment1 and then said1 in his kindest tone and manner2-- ,well1 ,harry1 ,i won't press you for an answer1 now4 ,stay here a month or two1 and look around you2 and then1 we'll talk the matter over again1 and see if we cannot settle upon something that shall be mutually satisfactory4 ,for so long1 surely1 you can afford to be my guest4 ,,iii4 ,,pattern ,,of ,,old ,,fidelity4 ,before ,bergan could answer1 there came a low tap at the door4 ,a negro woman1 of unusual height1 and singularly venerable and dignified aspect1 stood1 courtesying slightly1 on the threshold4 ,she was plainly of great age1--her face was deeply furrowed1 and her hair1 where it could be seen under the dark blue kerchief that covered her head1 was white as snow1--yet her shoulders had not bent under the burden of years1 her tall frame1 though gaunt1 was little palsied by the touch of actual infirmity4 ,although she carried a cane1 it was not so much for its support1 as for its aid in feeling out her way along her accustomed paths2 she had been blind for many years4 ,master ,harry1 said she1 clasping her hands over the head of her cane1 and speaking in slow1 somewhat tremulous tones1 but with neither the slovenly utterance nor the vicious pronunciation of the ordinary slave1--,master ,harry1 excuse me if ,i interrupt you1 but ,i could not wait any longer1--,i wanted so much to see ,miss ,eleanor's son6 ,it is ,maumer ,rue1 said ,major ,bergan1 not only with unwonted kindness of tone1 but with something akin to respect in his manner2--your mother must have spoken to you of our old nurse1 ,harry8 ,indeed she has6 exclaimed ,bergan1 earnestly1 starting up to take the blind woman's hand4 ,your name has always been a household word with us4 ,the story of your devotion to my mother1 in saving her from the flames1 at the risk of your own life1 and with the ultimate loss of your sight1 was the one story of which we children never used to tire4 ,probably we felt1 in our vague1 childish way1 that it was the one which came from the profoundest depth in her own heart1--since she could never tell it to us without a little tremor in her voice1 and a soft dewiness in her eyes1--and that was the secret of its charm for us4 ,you may be sure that she has never forgotten how much she owes you6 ,the old woman's lips trembled1 and large tears gathered in her sightless eyes4 ,the ,lord bless my dear young lady6 she ejaculated fervently1--,i knew she would never forget her old maumer4 ,and it's like her to make much of my little service2 but ,i did nothing but what was my duty--nothing4 ,she thinks otherwise1 replied ,bergan1 kindly4 ,she regards it as one of those rare instances of courage and devotion1 for which the whole world is better and brighter4 ,she bade me give you her kindest love1 and tell you that you must not despair of meeting her once more1 even on this side the grave4 ,when the new railroad is finished1 as far as our place1--which it promises to be in a year or two1--she fully intends to revisit her childhood's home1 and look once more upon the faces of her childhood's friends4 ,she furthermore charged me to pay you an early visit1 in your own quarters1 and tell you everything about her western home and life that you might care to hear4 ,how kind of ,miss ,eleanor to think of that6 responded the blind woman1 delightedly4 ,it shows that she's just her own old self1 always trying to think what everybody would like1 and then doing her best to give it to them4 ,of course1 there's a hundred questions that ,i should like to ask about her2 and if you really don't mind answering them1 and will do me the honor to step into my little cabin1 some day when you're passing by1 ,i shall be more obliged to you than ,i can rightly tell4 ,but as to my ever seeing ,miss ,eleanor again1--,i beg your pardon1 sir2 you see ,i've not yet learned to say ,mrs4 ,arling1--though there's nothing on earth that would make me so glad as to meet her again1 and hear the sound of her sweet1 cheery voice1 yet ,i'm getting to be too old to dare to reckon much upon the future4 ,but the next best thing to meeting her1 is to meet her son1 here on the old place2 and ,i thank the ,lord that ,he has let me live long enough for that4 ,the old negress bent her head devoutly for a moment1 and then turned to ,major ,bergan4 ,does he favor ,miss ,eleanor much1 ,master ,harry8 she asked4 ,yes1 he is a good deal like her1 maumer2 he has her eyes exactly4 ,but he is even more like what ,i was forty years ago2 it really makes me feel young again to look at him4 ,he's a real ,bergan1 ,i can tell you that4 ,maumer ,rue smiled as if well pleased2 yet the smile seemed a little burdened with sadness1 too2 and ,bergan saw that it was followed by a look of extreme wistfulness4 ,can ,i do anything for you8 he asked1 kindly4 ,nothing1 master1--unless--if it is not asking too much1--and if you would not mind the touch of an old woman's fingers1 that have to serve her instead of eyes1 ,i could get so much clearer an idea of your looks1-- and she finished the sentence by raising her hand significantly toward his face4 ,bergan was much moved4 ,of course ,i should not mind1 said he1 drawing near to her2--examine me as closely as you like4 ,it would be strange indeed if there were anything unpleasant to me in the touch of hands that have done so much for my mother6 ,it's easy to see that you are ,miss ,eleanor's son1 you have just her kind1 pleasant ways1 responded the blind woman1 gratefully4 ,he is a little taller than you1 ,master ,harry1 she continued1 turning toward the ,major1 as she laid her hand on ,bergan's head1--yes1 just a little taller1 though not much4 ,all the better for that1 remarked the ,major1 parenthetically1 the ,bergans must not degenerate4 ,maumer ,rue went on1 without noticing the interruption2 passing her fingers lightly over ,bergan's features1 as she spoke4 ,his brow is square and full1 like yours1 and he has the same straight nose2 but his eyes are not so deep-set1 nor his eyebrows so heavy4 ,his jaw is like yours1 too1--the set1 square jaw of the ,bergans1--but his mouth is more like ,miss ,eleanor's3--a sweet1 pleasant mouth she had1 the mouth of the ,habershams1 her mother's family4 ,yet it could be firm enough1 too1 when there was need2 our ,miss ,eleanor had plenty of character4 ,and ,i'm right glad to see that you are so much like her2 you couldn't resemble any one better or handsomer4 ,she made a slight pause1 and then added1 in a half-humorous way1--,i reckon she couldn't give you any spice of the 'black ,bergan temper1' as she had none of it herself4 ,i am afraid she did1 answered ,bergan1 laughing1 yet coloring1 too2 and many a scrape it has gotten me into1 before now4 ,but ,i hope that ,i am learning to control it a little4 ,i don't see why you should1 broke in the ,major1 gruffly4 ,the ,bergan temper is an heir-loom to be proud of2 it identifies the breed4 ,it has run in the blood from time immemorial4 ,a ,bergan without it--that is1 a male1 of course a woman counts for nothing--would be no ,bergan at all4 ,you say true1 ,master ,harry1 rejoined ,rue1 composedly2 it's always run in the blood1 and heated it more than was good for it1 many a time4 ,yet1 now and then1 there has been a ,bergan who has learned how to keep it under1 and been all the better for doing it4 ,you surely must recollect what a mild1 kind gentleman your father was1 young as you were when he died2 and ,i've heard say that there never was a truer ,bergan1 or one more respected all the country through4 ,the ,major made a grimace1 and muttered something unintelligible1 in a tone half of acquiescence1 half of irritation4 ,rue turned again to ,bergan4 ,you have been very patient with an old woman's talk1 and an old woman's infirmity1 said she1 with a kind of natural dignity1--,i will not trouble you any longer4 ,good night1 and thank you1 ,master--what name shall ,i say8 ,bergan hesitated1 and looked doubtfully at his uncle4 ,he says his name is ,bergan1 explained the ,major1 shortly2 but ,i have given him to understand that he is to be known by my own name1 ,harry1 while he stays here4 ,rue shook her head4 ,there can be but one ,master ,harry for me1 she said quietly1--the one that ,i nursed as a babe and petted as a child1 the one that ,i have lived with so many years1 and who has always been so kind to me--kinder even than he has been to himself4 ,so please let me call him ,master ,bergan2 but1 of course1 the rest of the people will give him any name that you say4 ,of course they will1 returned the ,major1 haughtily1 or ,i'll know the reason why4 ,as for you1 maumer1 ,i shall let you do as you please2 you've had your own way too long to be balked of it now4 ,but take care that the others don't hear and imitate you1--or you know what they'll get44 ,thank you1 ,master ,harry1 replied ,rue1 as gratefully as if the assent had been more graciously given1--you are always good to your poor old maumer4 ,good night4 ,and she turned to go4 ,but on the threshold1 she paused1 and lifted her sightless face toward the dim night-sky1 across which dark clouds were swiftly scudding4 ,master ,harry1 said she1 suddenly1 do you remember how ,i told you1 six months ago1 that the ,bergan star was set1 and how angry you were8 ,yes1 yes1 ,i remember1 exclaimed the ,major1 hoarsely and eagerly1--what of it8 ,she slowly raised her right hand1 and pointed skyward1 with a strange1 intent1 watchful expression in her uplifted ,see6 it is rising6 said she2 it comes up through the clouds1--they try to hold it back1 but they cannot1--it grows brighter6 it rises higher6--ah6--drawing her breath hard and gaspingly1--it stops--it goes down again6--the clouds cover it6--it is--,no6 it is not gone6 it shines faintly behind the clouds--it breaks through--slowly1 slowly1 slowly1--it rises6 it rises6 ,yielding1 half-unconsciously1 to the powerful influence of the blind woman's rapt1 ecstatic manner1 ,bergan had drawn near to her1 and now saw1 with surprise1 a single star shining for a moment through the rifts of the clouds4 ,glancing at the ,major1 whom he had before seen to be hanging with breathless interest upon the words of the old negress1 he perceived that his eyes were fixed upon it also1 with a gaze that was half-awed1 half-triumphant4 ,he knew not what to think4 ,maumer ,rue still stood in the same commanding attitude1 with raised hand1 and intent1 uplooking face4 ,suddenly1 her arm fell by her side2 her head drooped on her breast2 the majesty that had informed her pose and gesture went out like an expiring flame2 she shivered1 tottered1 and would have fallen but for the ,major's prompt support4 ,without a word1 he guided her safely to the door of her cabin4 ,coming back1 he reseated himself at the table1 which had been cleared of everything but the bottles and glasses1 and hastily poured out and swallowed some raw brandy4 ,then he remarked1 in a half-explanatory and half-apologetic tone1-- ,she enjoys the reputation of a seer1 or prophetess1 among the negroes2 and ,i really think she has some faith in it herself4 ,certainly1 she seems to have strange visions now and then2 and some of her predictions have come true2 ,i confess she puzzles even me4 ,at all events1 she is the best and most faithful old creature that ever lived4 ,she was born on the estate1 brought up in the ,hall with my father and his sisters1 shared their education1 is thoroughly steeped in the family traditions1 duly infected with the family pride1 and entirely devoted to the family interests4 ,she is the only person that ,i allow to do pretty much as she pleases2 her long and faithful services to my father1 ,eleanor1 and myself1 deserve that much1 ,i think4 ,and really1 she is of great use to me2 ,i scarcely know what ,i should do without her4 ,the negroes all believe her to be a hundred years old--undoubtedly she is past ninety--and that1 together with her reputation as a prophetess1 gives her great power over them1 and saves me a heap of trouble in managing them4 ,she has very good judgment1 too1 in many things2 ,i frequently take her advice1 and never yet had occasion to regret doing so4 ,indeed1 it was chiefly at her instigation and entreaty that ,i had made up my mind1 as ,i told you1 to write to your mother about sending me one of her sons4 ,he paused for a moment1 and then asked1 in a careless tone1 but with a quick1 keen glance at his nephew1 from under his shaggy brows1--,did you see that star8 ,yes1 answered ,bergan4 ,it was a curious coincidence4 ,hum--very1 returned his uncle1 evidently not quite satisfied with this view of the matter4 ,but he said no more4 ,the conversation now turned into various other channels4 ,it touched for a brief space upon the indefatigable quoter of proverbs whom ,bergan had overtaken on his way to the ,hall2 and whom the ,major declared to be the only living representative of one of the oldest and most influential families in the county4 ,he had been reared in affluence1 had been educated in ,europe1 and had inherited a large fortune and a fine estate4 ,but he had early fallen into bad habits1--not so much from viciousness of temper and taste1 as from weakness of will and consequent inability to resist temptation1--had run a short1 rapid career of folly1 extravagance1 and dissipation1 in which he had frittered away his inheritance1 and so had gradually sunken into his present state of semi-vagabondage4 ,he lived1 by sufferance1 in a little cabin1 on one corner of the estate which he had formerly owned4 ,from his wholesale shipwreck of fortune1 position1 will1 energy1 and hope1 he had saved but one thing--his love of proverbs4 ,it had even grown stronger in proportion as other things wasted and failed1--like a plant striking deep root into soil enriched by the decay of many sister plants4 ,he had learned several languages solely for the sake of their proverbs2 he had even been seen to hesitate and waver long between the diverse1 but powerful1 attractions of a bottle of ardent spirits and a dingy1 old collection of saws1 when but one came within the compass of his purse2 and he was known far and wide by the sobriquet of ,proverb ,dick4 ,his real name was ,richard ,causton4 ,in listening to this history1 ,bergan could not but be struck by the curiously discriminating character of the ,major's animadversion4 ,he had little1 or nothing1 to say in disapproval of the depraved and ungovernable appetite for strong drink which1 it was easy to see1 had played so important part in ruining poor ,richard ,causton2 while he could find no words strong enough to express his bitter contempt for the flabby will1 the pitiable irresolution1 and the insane extravagance1 which had joined hands with that appetite for his complete destruction4 ,tender1 as a mother to her babe1 over the fault which he knew himself to possess 7if he secretly acknowledged it to be a fault71 ,major ,bergan was merciless to the weaknesses from which he was saved by a hardier will and a more energetic temperament4 ,but as the evening wore on1 and the brandy slowly worked its way up to the stronghold of his brain1 the ,major's talk grew discursive1 profane1 and incoherent2 until ,bergan1 shocked and pained1 and anxious to escape from the mortifying spectacle1 pleaded fatigue1 and begged permission to retire4 ,jip was accordingly summoned1 and he was conducted to a little1 low room under the cottage roof1 where his portmanteau had been bestowed1 and some little provision made for his comfort4 ,here ,bergan quickly threw himself on the bed1 to find1 for the first time in his life1 that it was one thing to woo the fair maiden ,sleep1 and another to win her4 ,recollections of his western home1 of his mother1 of the ancestral traditions on which his childish imagination had fed1 of his youthful studies and aspirations1 of his recent journey1 and the disappointment in which it had ended1 mingled with half-conceived plans and half-acknowledged hopes1--a vague1 changeable1 teasing1 tireless procession of thoughts and images1--filed slowly through his mind1 compelling his reluctant gaze1 and blocking up every avenue to ,slumberland4 ,and if1 for an instant1 the vexing march stopped1 and the importunate images began to waver and blend1 sounds of stamping feet1 of jingling glass1 of muttered oaths and sentences1 or two or three half-sung1 half-shouted lines of a drunken ditty1 coming up from below1 startled him once more into wakefulness1 and told him that his uncle's solitary debauch was not yet ended4 ,it was already gray dawn when1 worn out with restlessness1 he fell into a brief slumber1 and dreamed that old ,rue1 with the ,bergan star in her hand1 was beckoning him to follow her over a dreary1 desolate country1 full of briers and pitfalls1 wherein he was so constantly entangled that1 in spite of his best endeavors1 he could never get any nearer to her4 ,turning suddenly1 she flashed the star into his eyes1 and3--oh1 horror of horrors6--he was blind6 ,starting up1 all in a tremble1 he found that the risen sun was shining full in his face1 through the uncurtained window4 ,it was morning4 ,,iv4 ,a ,,goodly ,,heritage4 ,early as was the hour1 ,bergan found the table already laid for breakfast in the room below1 where he was soon joined by the ,major4 ,he brought with him 7besides a noticeable odor of brandy71 a cordial morning greeting1 and a temper which1 though by no means urbane1 had a certain1 flavor of bluff good nature1 in pleasing contrast with his extreme irritability of the preceding evening4 ,encouraged by these and similar signs of a clearer mental atmosphere1 ,bergan ventured to mention his uncle ,godfrey1 and to remark that he had been charged with a letter to him from his mother1 which he must take an early opportunity to deliver4 ,eh6 what8 asked the ,major1 laying down his knife and fork1 with the look and tone of a man who doubts the evidence of his own senses4 ,bergan quietly repeated his words4 ,the ,major's face grew dark1 and his eyebrows met in a heavy frown4 ,i shall take it mighty hard of you1 if you do1 said he1 sternly and gloomily4 ,i tell you1 ,harry1 he is no ,bergan at all1 and he ought not to be treated like one4 ,eleanor would never have written to him1 nor desired you to visit him1 if she had known the true state of affairs2--you can safely take that for granted1 and act accordingly4 ,besides1 he went on1 after a slight pause1 it is only fair to warn you that any one who goes from ,bergan ,hall over to ,oakstead 7that's what he calls his place71 doesn't come back again1--with my consent4 ,there's no relation1 nor commerce1 nor sympathy1 nor liking1 between the two places2 and there never can be any while ,i live1--nor after ,i am dead1 either1 if ,i can help it4 ,so just put that matter out of your head1 ,harry1 and say no more about it4 ,bergan looked down1 and the color rose to his brow4 ,without seeking to know the merits of the quarrel between his two uncles1 he nevertheless felt that the abject submission1 the complete surrender of principle and will1 expected of him by ,major ,bergan1 was simply impossible2 and he began to wonder if it were not his wisest course to place himself at once on tenable ground1 by saying that1 while he should always be glad of his uncle's advice1 and ready to give all due and respectful consideration to his wishes1 yet1 in matters involving questions of right and duty1 the final appeal must needs be to his own conscience4 ,something of this sort was upon his lips1 when the ,major spoke again1 and in a more amiable tone4 ,i am really sorry1 for your sake1 ,harry1 that things are just as they are1 said he4 ,of course1 it is not agreeable to you to run thus unexpectedly against a family feud2--,i really ought to have written ,eleanor about it1 but ,i thought to spare her the knowledge of her half-brother's disgrace4 ,besides1 as ,godfrey is our nearest neighbor1 it might be pleasant to be on visiting terms1 if he and his were only the right sort of company to keep4 ,i think he has children near my own age1 remarked ,bergan4 ,not now4 ,his two eldest died a few years ago4 ,ah1 yes2 ,i remember hearing of it when ,i was in college4 ,he has but one left--a daughter1 pursued the ,major4 ,a pretty1 bright little thing she was1 too1 as a child2 ,i was really quite fond of her1 and she used to spend half her time here1--that is1 in the old ,hall2--and ,maumer ,rue almost idolized her1 because she fancied that she was something like what ,eleanor was at her age4 ,she even used to run away and come over here1 after the trouble began2 but ,i reckon they must have found it out1 and put a stop to it4 ,and the ,major ground his teeth at the recollection1 as if he owed his brother an especial grudge on this very head4 ,however1 he went on1 it is better so2 for though ,i could never have found it in my heart to be unkind to the child1--so fond of me as she was1 too6--yet ,i want nothing to do with anybody1 or anything1 that belongs to ,godfrey2 and so ,i am glad1 on the whole1 that she stopped coming4 ,doubtless1 she will soon merge the name of ,bergan into ,smith1 or ,brown1 or something equally desirable2 and as ,godfrey has no son1 to bear his patronymic and carry on his business1 we may hope that there will be an end of them4 ,the last words were spoken with ineffable contempt4 ,then1 suddenly rising1 as if to dismiss the subject1 the ,major remarked1 with an entire change of tone and manner3-- ,but ,i must not sit here chatting any longer1 for ,i suspect that ,ben--that's my head driver--is waiting for instructions4 ,will you come with me1 or do you prefer to amuse yourself about home8 ,i will go with you1 uncle1 if you are willing4 ,both willing and glad4 ,come on4 ,bergan followed his uncle out into the quadrangle1--here called the street1--and found it to be1 for the most part1 silent and deserted4 ,the cabins1 many of which1 on the evening previous1 had been brightened by a little gleam of firelight within1 or vivified by moving figures1 were now closed and locked1 the occupants being away at work in the fields4 ,they were all neatly whitewashed2 and they stood well apart from each other1 leaving room for little gardens between1 where vegetables1 and1 occasionally1 flowers1 were growing4 ,here and there1 too1 a pig rooted and grunted in a rude sty2 or hens and chickens fluttered and cackled1 in their busy1 enlivening fashion1 around the door4 ,one of the buildings1 of considerable size1 and two stories high1 where several women and children1 with peculiar haggard1 heavy1 listless1 and withal resigned faces1 were lying or sitting around the porch1 ,bergan easily recognized as the infirmary4 ,another1 seemingly stuffed with babies and young children1 under the charge of several half-grown girls and one superannuated old woman1 he knew to be the day-nursery2 for the safe bestowal of the infant population of the quarter1 during their mothers' absence in the fields4 ,here1 ,maumer ,rue seemed to be making a visit of inspection2 though invisible herself1 the slow tones of her voice1 exhorting one of the young nurses to greater watchfulness1 sounded distinctly from within2 and becoming quickly aware of the approach of her master and his guest1 she came to the door1 and made them a stately courtesy1 as they passed4 ,quite apart from the quarter1 yet within sight1 stood a cabin of especially rude and forlorn aspect2 the open door of which disclosed a strong stake driven into the ground in its centre1 and divers rusty chains1 handcuffs1 padlocks1 et cetera1 hanging round its sides4 ,this was the prison4 ,human justice being thus provided with a fitting abode1 ,bergan involuntarily looked around in search of a corresponding dwelling for ,heaven's mercy1 in the shape of a little cross-tipped church or chapel1--but saw none4 ,major ,bergan first stopped at the threshing-mill1 where ,engine 7that is to say ,engineer7 ,jack1 a remarkably intelligent negro1--and an exceedingly black one as well1--was waiting to bring to his master's notice certain slight repairs necessary to the machinery4 ,while the needful discussion was going on1 ,bergan looked around him1 the better to understand the topography of the place4 ,he observed that ,bergan ,hall1 the roof of which he saw afar off1 rising among the trees1 was situated upon a considerable elevation1--a sort of bluff1 overlooking a small inlet1 or arm of the sea4 ,to this circumstance1 ,major ,bergan owed his ability to live upon his plantation throughout the year1 instead of fleeing therefrom1 like most of his class1 at the approach of summer4 ,for1 just when the home-scenery takes on its most tender and fascinating grace1--when the rice-fields are green as the meadows of paradise1--when the temple-like oak-glades are most beautiful with gentle gloom and glinting sunshine1--when every thicket has its garland of bloom1 and every tree has its clinging1 flowering vine1--when the sweet-smelling pine-woods are glittering with the gorgeous coloring1 and melodious with the multifarious voice1 of thousands of birds and insects2--,just then1 the rice-planter has to flee for his life from its final1 treacherous charm---the soft-shining mist1 the deadly malaria1 that creeps up at night from the marshes1 and covers the land like a sea4 ,if he lingers for but one ramble in the fair1 moon-lighted1 and moss-festooned avenues1 through that silver haze1 fever walks by his side under the grand arches1 and death waits for him at the end of the alluring vistas4 ,from this terror and this necessity1 the owner of ,bergan ,hall was free4 ,his vast plantation stretched across the border-line which divides the pestilential rice-swamps from the healthful sea-islands2 one extremity touching the river1 and the other the ocean4 ,at one time1 its chief revenue was derived from the far-famed sea-island cotton1 to the production of which its sea-board portion was well-adapted1 but as that crop declined1 and the rice-crop rose1 in value1 its neglected swamp-lands were gradually reclaimed and brought under cultivation2 and were now the most valuable portion of the estate4 ,too remote from ,bergan ,hall to poison it1 or its vicinity1 with their malaria1 they were yet quite near enough for necessary superintendence4 ,the negro quarter lay somewhat lower than the ,hall4 ,on its left1 the ground sloped gradually down to a little creek2 where lay several flat-boats loaded with rice1 to show what had been the goal of the negro procession of the previous evening4 ,along the opposite bank ran a dark fringe of pines4 ,horses were now brought4 ,the one assigned to ,bergan was a superb blooded filly1 full of life and fire4 ,while he stood taking delighted note of her many fine points1 she sniffed round him in half-wild1 half-curious fashion1--now starting quickly back1 now timidly drawing near1--and ended by frankly putting her nose in his hand1 as if in token of amity4 ,nor had he been long on her back1 ere he felt1 with an electric thrill of pleasure1 that perfect sympathy between horse and rider1 that singular blending of their identity1 which is the purest delight of horsemanship1 and best explains the fable of the ,centaur4 ,how do you like her8 asked his uncle1 at this juncture4 ,exceedingly1 replied ,bergan1 with enthusiastic emphasis4 ,i think that ,i never rode anything more admirable4 ,henceforth1 then1 she belongs to you4 ,and never mind the thanks1--,i am really glad to hand her over to a fitting master4 ,she is too much given to dancing and frolicking for my use1---my sober-paced stallion meets my wants a great deal better2--consequently1 ,vic--that's her name1 short for ,victoria1--,vic stands in the stable1 eating her head and kicking her heels off1 for the greater part of the time4 ,she will be much happier in the hands of a master young enough to sympathize with her4 ,bergan could not fail to be delighted with a gift so generous and so timely2 bestowed1 too1 with a delicacy of manner1 an appearance of asking a favor instead of conferring one1 in strong contrast with his uncle's wonted bluntness4 ,visions of long1 solitary rides of exploration rose fascinatingly before him4 ,nor would he suffer his pleasure to be alloyed by any insidious doubt lest the gift might some day take the form of an unpleasant obligation4 ,the road ran along the bank of the creek1 passing divers fields under cultivation1 and divers others long turned out1--that is1 exhausted1 and left to lapse back into their primitive pine-barrenness4 ,in the course of an hour1 the two gentlemen came upon a second negro quarter1 considerably larger than the first1 but with the same general characteristics1 even to the threshing-mill4 ,this one1 however1 ran by water power1 instead of steam4 ,the horses were here left in charge of a negro1 while the gentlemen walked over to the rice fields4 ,they soon came into view1 stretching1 almost as far as the eye could reach1 along the bank of a broad1 turbid river4 ,bergan speedily became much interested in their complicated system of dykes1 ditches1 canals1 and gates2 as well as in watching the dusky laborers1 both men and women1 that were busy therein4 ,leaving details for results1 however1 he could not but be impressed with the fact that a vast amount of hard work was annually done1 and a rich and remunerative crop annually reaped4 ,plainly1 ,major ,bergan was an energetic1 skilful manager4 ,on his part1 the ,major was greatly pleased with his nephew's intelligent interest1 and predicted1 more than once1 that he would make a rice-planter of him1 in due time1 who would show his neighbors what was what4 ,the sun was half way down the western slope1 when the uncle and nephew returned to the cottage4 ,dinner over1 the ,major civilly expressed his regret that he was unexpectedly called to another part of the plantation4 ,bergan could accompany him2 or--not to disappoint him of his promised visit to the old ,hall--he could get the keys of ,maumer ,rue1 and explore it by himself4 ,bergan eagerly caught at the latter alternative4 ,nor1 to do him justice1 was the ,major at all displeased thereby4 ,without troubling himself to analyze his own emotions1 he yet felt an unconquerable aversion to the task of showing his nephew through the deserted home of his forefathers4 ,though little accustomed to care for the opinions or the feelings of others1 he foresaw an inevitable mortification in looking with ,bergan upon the ruin and desolation for which he knew himself to be so largely responsible2 since1 if he had not invited the ravages of time1 he had put forth no hand to stay them4 ,perhaps this feeling was strong enough1 even1 to lend to the business that called him away1 an imperative aspect which it might otherwise have lacked4 ,bergan1 on his part1 was well content to dispense with his uncle's guidance4 ,not only would his presence be a constraint upon his own irrepressible emotions of sadness1 regret1 and1 possibly1 indignation2 but there would be a rare1 subtile charm in wandering alone through precincts at once so familiar and so strange1 in finding out for himself 7or led only by the shadowy image of his maiden mother71 spots hallowed by the tender touch of oldtime joys and sorrows1 and nooks and corners darkened not more by mould and cobwebs than by the clinging dust of immemorial family tradition4 ,first1 however1 ,major ,bergan requested his companionship as far as the stable4 ,there they found a bright looking boy1 somewhat older than ,jip1 who had just finished rubbing down the filly of which ,bergan had so lately become the master1 and now stood regarding the result with great apparent satisfaction4 ,well1 ,brick1 said the ,major1 sternly1 ,i hope you've done better than you did last time4 ,yes1 massa1 she done berry fine1 ,i'se sure1--spec' ,i put a right smart hour on her4 ,look a dar1 now1 don' she shine8 ,the ,major examined her carefully1 and finding nothing to fault1 silent4 ,it was not his way to waste words in commendation4 ,he merely turned from the horse to the negro1 and asked1 pointing to ,bergan1-- ,you see that young gentleman8 ,yis1 massa2 sartin1 massa4 ,and ,brick made an embarrassed bow1 uncertain whither this conversation might tend4 ,well1 that's ,vic's master1 and yours4 ,it's your business to take care of her1 and wait on him1--that is1 do everything he tells you4 ,hereafter1 you are to go to him for orders4 ,and quickly mounting his own horse1 the ,major rode off1 without waiting for thanks or comments4 ,bergan stood looking doubtfully at his new acquisition4 ,property of this kind gave him a novel sensation2 he could not tell1 on the instant1 whether he liked it or no4 ,nevertheless1 he recognized the inexpediency of discussing the matter with the dusky chattel himself2 who1 to represent him fairly1 seemed in nowise displeased with his change of owners4 ,he had opened his eyes a trifle wider at his sudden transfer1 and uttered a mechanical1 ,yis1 massa1--that was all4 ,he now stood1 tattered hat in hand1 waiting for orders4 ,bergan was somewhat disconcerted to find that he had none to give4 ,finally1 he asked1-- ,what is your name8 ,rubric1 sah4 ,but dey mos'ly calls me ,brick4 ,ah1 yes1 ,i see4 ,and your family name8 ,hain't got no family1 sah4 ,your father's name1 ,i mean4 ,nebber had any fader1 sah4 ,he sold down souf1 fore ,i's born4 ,your second name1 then4 ,same's yours1 massa1 ,i s'pose4 ,hum--,how old are you8 ,brick scratched his head reflectively4 ,don' jes' know1 massa1 'zactly4 ,spec' bout--bout--fifteen or--twenty1 sah2 jess 's massa likes4 ,bergan bit his lip4 ,never had he met with such a spirit of accommodation4 ,well1 ,brick1 he asked1 after a moment1 if you had a half-holiday1 now1 what would you do with it8 ,brick's face grew radiant through all its dusk4 ,go a-fishin'1 massa1 he burst out1 eagerly2 ,i jes' should6 ,well1 go fishing1 then1--if you think you can be back by supper-time4 ,yis1 massa4 ,tank you1 massa4 ,and ,brick was off like an arrow from the string4 ,bergan immediately sought out old ,rue's cabin4 ,outwardly1 it differed little from its neighbors2 but its interior was not without evidences of thoughtful provision for the faithful old nurse's comfort4 ,having kindly answered all the questions that she chose to ask1 in reference to ,miss ,eleanor and her western life1 he made known his errand4 ,she instantly took a key from her pocket1 and was about to put it in his hand1 when she suddenly drew back1 exclaiming3-- ,no1 no1 that will never do6 ,i forgot4 ,that is the key of the back door4 ,you see1 sir1 ,i sometimes look into the ,hall1 and that way is most convenient4 ,i assure you that it will serve me very well1 too1 replied ,bergan4 ,it does not matter how ,i make my entrance4 ,rue shook her head4 ,it is not fitting1 said she1 that the son and heir of the house should first enter at the back1 like a servant4 ,the son1 but not the heir1 replied ,bergan1 smiling4 ,rue turned quickly toward him4 ,not the heir6 she exclaimed1 as if greatly surprised4 ,and why not8 ,the question was not easy to answer4 ,bergan could not say frankly1 ,because such heirship must be bought at too high a price1--even the surrender of my profession1 will1 conscience1 individuality4 ,nor did the answer present itself to his own mind in this definite form4 ,he was conscious1 at the moment1 of nothing but a confused1 hazy throng of doubts1 fears1 possibilities1 and wishes4 ,rue seemed quite satisfied with his silence4 ,she turned to a bureau near by1 and1 after a little search1 drew forth a large1 rusty key1 which she handed him with a kind of solemnity4 ,it has waited long1 said she1 for the hand that should rightfully put it into the lock1 and let light and hope once more into the old house4 ,i thank the ,lord that ,i live to see the day4 ,bergan was too much touched to answer4 ,he walked quickly to the front of the deserted mansion1 cut the vines from the door1 and put the key in the lock4 ,at first1 it opposed a stubborn resistance to his efforts2 then1 suddenly1 the bolt yielded1 the door turned slowly on its long-unused hinges1 and he stood1 with a beating heart1 in his ancestral hall4 ,v4 ,,waste ,,places4 ,he was met by a swift gust of wind1 so chill and vault-like1 and hurrying past him with so woful a sigh1 that it seemed like the rush of innumerable imprisoned ghosts1 eagerly seizing upon the opportunity for escape4 ,involuntarily letting go the door1 it fell to behind him with a clangor that reverberated loudly1 for a moment1 through the house1 and then suddenly ceased1 as if smothered in some remote corner by a lurking hand4 ,the silence which followed was dreary and oppressive1--all the more1 because ,bergan1 coming so suddenly from the outward sunshine1 was altogether bedimmed by such density of gloom as brooded within1 most of the windows being either darkened by blinds1 or closed with heavy opaque shutters4 ,for a single instant1 he felt a thrill of unreasoning horror4 ,the impenetrable gloom1 the oppressive stillness1 the damp1 dead air 7which might have come straight from the open mouth of a tomb71 gave him a chill impression that he had committed sacrilege4 ,quickly recovering himself1 however1 he again flung wide open the door1 and fastened it back4 ,by the light thus admitted1 he easily found his way to a window at the other end of the hall1 which he also opened4 ,there was an immediate inward rush1 not only of the sunny daylight1 but of the sweet1 warm air of the autumn afternoon1 with its inevitable suggestions of tranquil sea1 and tender sky1 and slow-waving forest2 quickly penetrating1 he felt sure1 to the uppermost corner of the long-deserted dwelling1 and scattering everywhere some healthful1 purifying1 enlivening influence4 ,he could now see that he stood in a wide and lofty entrance-hall1 decorated with a profusion of carved woodwork2 panels1 cornices1 and casements1 being ornamented with garlands of oaken roses1 or quaint heads of animals1 stiff as petrifactions1 and almost ebon-black with time and rubbing4 ,the furniture consisted of a small table1 a cumbrous cabinet1 and ponderous1 high-backed chairs1 of the ,elizabethan age1 or perhaps earlier1 brought from ,england1 as heir-looms1 by the first emigrant ,bergan4 ,there was also a tall1 spectral clock1 which1 to ,bergan's intense astonishment1 suddenly began to fill the hall with a loud1 monotonous tick1 as if the march of time1 long ago arrested in the deserted mansion1 was now duly resumed3--doubtless the rusty wheels had been jarred into spasmodic motion by the violent closing of the door4 ,by way of decoration1 there were a few dingy pictures1 in dark1 carved frames2 and in two of the oaken panels hung complete suits of armor1--helmets1 cuirasses1 gorgets1 greaves1 and gauntlets1--memorials1 not only of long-buried ,bergans1 but of long-vanished days4 ,hesitating1 for a moment1 between two half-open doors1 ,bergan finally chose to enter the main parlor1 a room full of a dusky1 old-time grandeur4 ,a piano stood between the windows1 over the keys of which he ran his fingers1 but found that its music had been imprisoned so long as to have grown hoarse and melancholy4 ,so1 doubtless1 had that of the harp1 which showed skeleton-like through its torn baize cover1 and was flanked by a pile of music-books1 the leaves of which were yellow with age4 ,odd1 unwieldy chairs1 covered with faded silk damask and a rich coat of dust1 kept solemn state in the dim corners2 ottomans and footstools1 elaborately embroidered by forgotten fingers with birds1 flowers1 and other once cheerful devices1 stood under the windows1 or were scattered around the floor4 ,on the walls1 in frames of tarnished magnificence1 hung two or three pictures in worsted1 the designs of which1 like the hands that had wrought them1 were now faded beyond recognition4 ,just in proportion as these things had once helped to brighten the room1 they helped to make it more sombre now4 ,like the images of vanished joys1 they were all the gloomier because once so glad4 ,looking upon them1 ,bergan was painfully impressed with the latent identity of gayety and grief4 ,only give them time enough1 and they merge into the same dull neutral tint6 ,bergan next glanced into a second parlor1 a dusky ante-room1 and a dining-room1 but leaving these places undisturbed in their dim and dusty sanctity1 as not of pressing interest1 he made his way to the library1 on the other side of the hall4 ,it was a large and lofty room1 set round with ancient book-cases1 above and between which hung rows of portraits1 in frames of oak and gilt4 ,these represented the early forefathers and later worthies of the ,bergan lineage1--some in knightly armor1 with mailed hands clasping a gleaming sword-hilt2 some in the rich array of the ,tudor or the ,stuart court1 with laced and plumed hats under their arms2 some in the red coats and top-boots of ,english squires1 with a favorite horse or hound looking out from one corner of the picture2 some in the huge horsehair wigs and ermined robes of the judge's bench2 and others in the cocked hats and knee-breeches of the ,revolution1 or in the modern black coat and pantaloons1 seated in arm-chairs1 with their backs to a crimson curtain4 ,there were also dames to match1 with towers of lace and curls upon their heads1 ruffs1 farthingales1 and all manner of obsolete finery4 ,most of the faces had the austerity of aspect common to old portraits1 as if time had delighted to bring into clearer view the hard1 stern traits of character which the painter had dared but faintly to delineate1 and had even then done his best to cover up with pleasant coloring1 and a final coat of lustrous varnish4 ,nowhere was this effect more striking than in the portrait of ,sir ,harry ,bergan1 earliest emigrant of the name1 and father of the ,american line4 ,the younger son of a noble ,english house1 he had early fallen under the displeasure of a stern father1 by reason of careless and spendthrift habits2 and had finally been banished1 in disgrace1 to a small continental town1 upon an allowance barely sufficient to keep body and soul together4 ,under this severe discipline1--smarting1 too1 with a rankling sense of injustice in the treatment that he had received1--his character underwent a complete transformation4 ,his carelessness and extravagance1 as well as the generosity and frankness of which they had been the rank1 ill-trained outgrowth1 fell from him like worn-out garments2 he became bitter1 morose1 and dogged4 ,at this crisis1 the sudden death of his mother placed him in possession of her own large fortune and family estate4 ,life once more opened before him2 but no gentle affection called him back to the paternal neighborhood4 ,on the contrary1 he emigrated to ,georgia1 just then luminous with the career and the fame of ,general ,oglethorpe2 with the ambitious design of founding a ,bergan lineage in the new world1 which should equal1 if not surpass1 that of the old one4 ,he bought a vast tract of land1 and vigorously commenced the work of bringing it under cultivation2 he distinguished himself both as soldier and citizen in the ,spanish war and the colonial trials1 and was knighted for his services2 finally1 he imported men and materials1 and built ,bergan ,hall as nearly as was possible in the style of his early ,english home1 and called it by the same name4 ,the bricks1 the tiles1 the elaborate oak carvings1 the door and window-frames1 the furniture and decorations1 the copies of ancestral portraits1 were all brought from ,england1 and put in their places by ,english artisans4 ,scarcely was the work finished ere he died1 bequeathing to his descendants1 not only a vast estate1 a splendid home1 and an illustrious name1 but1 by a still stronger law of heirship1 certain marked traits of character hereditary in himself1--indomitable energy1 dogged independence1 strong family pride1 and an occasional lunacy of rage1 familiarly known as the ,black ,bergan temper1 to which the race had been subject from time immemorial4 ,these characteristics were to be traced1 more or less distinctly through all the portraits of his successors2 but in none did they seem to be so perfectly reproduced as in his present representative4 ,in truth1 ,major ,bergan might be regarded as the original ,sir ,harry over again2 his harsh features and stern expression being shown in the old1 time-darkened picture with a degree of prophetical accuracy little short of actual portraiture4 ,other pictured faces there were1 however1 which time1 still faithful to its work of bringing out the essential truth1 had only touched into softer beauty4 ,such was the face of ,eleanor1 wife of ,sir ,harry2 a woman of fair and noble presence1 in the rich prime of her life1 with a wise1 strong1 beautiful soul1 shining out through her deep1 soft eyes4 ,before this picture ,bergan lingered long4 ,even in babyhood1 his mother had resembled it strongly enough to make it seem most fitting that she should receive its name2 and the likeness had so strengthened with years1 that now1 it might easily have passed for her portrait1 painted from life4 ,seeing how perfectly these twain of their ancestors were reflected in his mother and uncle1 not only in features1 but also in character1 ,bergan was suddenly seized with a nightmare of doubt and questioning4 ,was a man's good or evil1 then1 a mere matter of inheritance1 an inevitable heirloom1 handed down to him from a remote ancestry1 by a more effectual law of transmission than has ever been established1 in respect to more tangible property8 ,if so1--if the defects and weaknesses1 the depraved tastes and ungovernable passions1 which characterized the father were inevitably passed on to the son1 and the son's son1--if the moral disease under which this man groaned1 as well as the sweet temper which made that woman a household sunbeam1 were to be surely traced back to their ancestor of a hundred years ago2 what became of individual worth1 individual shame1 and individual accountability8 ,bergan shrank from the apparently inevitable conclusion4 ,he felt1 with an unutterable horror1 its snaky coils tightening around him1 squeezing the breath out of every noble aim and aspiration4 ,he could only escape from it by an appeal from his reason to his consciousness4 ,if1 he asked himself1 ,i should now take that grim picture from the wall1 and thrust it into the fire1 in revenge for the pain which it has given me1 should ,i not know1 despite all reasoning to the contrary1 that ,i--,i alone1 and not that bearded ,sir ,harry1 was responsible for the foolish act8 ,certainly1 ,i should2 for whatever else he may have sent down to me1 he did not give me either my will or my conscience4 ,these are my own1 and never ,bergan of them all had them before me6 ,and he drew a long breath of relief4 ,his attention was now directed to the portrait of a young girl1 at the end of the second row1 nearest the window4 ,it had an odd1 illusive resemblance to some one that he had known1--a singular likeness in unlikeness1 which puzzled while it attracted him4 ,all at once1 capturing the fleeting1 familiar expression1 as it were1 by a swift side-glance1 he recognized it as that portrait of his mother in her youth1 of which ,major ,bergan had spoken4 ,he stood gazing upon it long and earnestly1 yet with a strange1 undefinable feeling of sadness1 too4 ,for this bright1 young being1 with the smooth brow1 the arch1 dimpled face1 and the unwakened soul dreaming at the depths of the soft eyes1 was1 after all1 a stranger to him1--a being that he had never known1 and never could know1 any more than if she had been laid years ago under the sod1 and her sweet substance gradually transformed into violets and daisies4 ,he went back to the picture of ,lady ,eleanor1 and felt1 with a thrill of gladness1 that he had found again the mother that he seemed1 for a brief space1 to have lost4 ,he now turned from the pictures to the book-cases1 and found them to contain a heterogeneous collection of ancient and modern volumes1 carelessly ranged upon the shelves1 without reference either to age or theme4 ,latin and ,english classics stood shoulder to shoulder2 law and poetry were harmoniously cheek by jowl2 divinity and science amiably helped each other to stand upright2 history1 philosophy1 morality1 and controversy1 met on the same plane1 and sunk their differences under one uniform coat of dust4 ,geography that read like fiction1 geology that had no interest except to the antiquarian1 and infidelity that had not a peg left to stand upon1 were huddled together in one corner1 and 7no doubt to their utter amazement7 helped1 in these latter days1 to point the same moral4 ,growing oppressed1 at last1 with the sight of so much hopelessly shelved thought1 so many pages bearing the prints of a long succession of fingers now crumbled into dust1 ,bergan turned back to the hall1 mounted the staircase1 and glanced into two or three of the chambers4 ,he found in all faded carpets1 ancient bureaus1 high-post bedsteads1 shadow-haunted hangings1 a thick coating of dust1 and a heavy1 breathless scent which1 it seemed to him1 death must needs have left there1 in his oldtime visits4 ,indeed1 he could almost have believed that the last occupant of each dusky cavern of a bed had stiffened into clay therein1 and been left to choke the air1 and coat the furniture1 with his own mouldering substance4 ,no lighter dust1 he thought1 could have made the atmosphere so thick1 or caused him to draw his breath so heavily4 ,opening the last door in the gallery1 ,bergan was startled to find a room with every appearance of recent occupancy4 ,not a speck of dust dimmed the carpet or the furniture2 the curtains and the bed-drapery stirred lightly with the breeze from a half-open window2 the soft pillows seemed waiting for the head that had dreamed upon them last night2 a chair1 with a shawl thrown carelessly over the back1 stood where it must needs have been left a moment ago2 an open workbox showed a suggestive confusion of spools of silk and bits of ribbon and worsted2 a vase of flowers adorned the mantel2 and a little white glove lay on the toilet-table1 among brushes and scent-bottles1 and was reflected in a small1 bright mirror4 ,bergan hastily drew back1 feeling intuitively that he had intruded upon a maiden's bed-chamber1 keeping still the perfume of her sweet breath and happy thoughts4 ,yet--the bed-linen1 how strangely yellow6--the shawl1 how dim and faded6--the flowers1 how withered6 ,he advanced again2 he began to understand that the maiden who had dreamed on that pillow1 whose hand had left its dainty mould in that glove1 the sweetness of whose virgin breath still lingered in the room with the scent of the withered rosebuds1 went out from it years ago1--a bride1--to be known thenceforth as wife and mother1--his mother6 ,his eyes grew moist2 one by one he touched the little possessions left behind with her girlhood1 striving thus to come a little closer to the fair1 shy image1 that moved him with such unutterable tenderness1 yet seemed so far beyond his ken4 ,reverently1 at last1 he closed the door1 as upon a still1 white1 smiling corpse1 at once ineffably beautiful and ineffably sad4 ,but who had cared for this one room so tenderly1 while all the rest of the house had been left to go to ruin8 ,the answer was plain4 ,old ,rue1 whose love for her young mistress was half a worship1 had taken a sorrowful pleasure in keeping the room 7with such help as she could easily command7 in the exact state in which it had been left4 ,bergan was in no mood for further exploration4 ,he made his way back to the entrance-hall1 and sat down in one of the antique chairs4 ,he was not quite ready for the instant transition into the outward sunshine4 ,his heart was too heavy4 ,the ancestral home was only an ancestral tomb4 ,surrounded by memorials of the old state and splendor of ,bergan ,hall1 he felt all the more keenly its present desolation and decay4 ,remembering the noble ,bergan lineage1 he was humiliated to the dust by the thought of its present representative4 ,and here1 first1 his uncle's offer rose before him in the dazzling garments of temptation4 ,was it1 after all1 an ignoble ambition to lift the family name out of the dust1 to restore the family home1 fill it again with social life and warmth1 and make it the centre of purer1 more refining1 and more elevating influences than ever before8 ,was it not better than any mere personal ambition8 ,might it not be just the place which he was meant to fill1 and which1 if he declined to take it1 would be left empty8 ,from questions he went on to answers2 and his thoughts shaped out a tempting vision of ,bergan ,hall restored1 revivified4 ,light steps and rustling garments went up and down the broad staircase1--his mother sat smiling in her old room1--voices of children echoed through the large1 sunshiny parlors1--guests came and went1--he himself sat in the library1 crowned with honors as with years1 and-- ,he was recalled to the present and the actual by a low rumble of thunder4 ,the sunshine had faded from the sky2 clouds were rolling up from the west2 he hastened back to the cottage through the first drops of the rain4 ,the evening passed much like its predecessor4 ,when1 at last1 he went up to his room1 leaving his uncle to the dear companionship of his bottle and glass1 he found it half-flooded with water from a newly sprung leak in the roof4 ,hastily declining the ,major's hesitating offer of a share in his own apartment1 he begged permission to quarter himself in the old ,hall4 ,major ,bergan set down his glass1 and looked at him with a mixture of wonder and admiration4 ,certainly1 ,harry1 if you are in earnest about it1 said he4 ,but ,i must say that you are a brave fellow to choose to sleep alone in an old ruin like that1--haunted1 too1 the negroes say4 ,but are you sure that you can find a room there any less leaky than your present one8 ,quite sure4 ,i noticed two or three1 on the south side1 which seemed to be in excellent condition4 ,very well2 take your choice1 and make yourself as comfortable as you can4 ,brick is under your orders1 of course2 and ,maumer ,rue will send you out one of the women1 with what linen is needed4 ,good night4 ,the ,major remained standing at the door1 till he saw1 first1 a wandering gleam of light through the crevices of the old house1 and then the steady beam of a candle1 shining from an upper window4 ,a light in ,eleanor's room6--,i never expected to see that again6 he murmured1 and went back to his bottle1 to drink all the deeper for some unwontedly sad and remorseful thoughts4 ,meanwhile1 ,bergan had not once dreamed of appropriating that maiden sanctuary4 ,he had merely chosen the room next to it2 and the door between being transiently opened for better ventilation1 ,major ,bergan had seen his light through the designated window4 ,it was not an easy task to make his dusty1 mouldy room even tolerably habitable1 but it was finally achieved2 and1 dismissing ,brick1 ,bergan laid his head on his pillow1 with a real satisfaction in being1 at last1 domiciled under his ancestral roof4 ,,vi4 ,,the ,,day ,,of ,,temptation4 ,two days of drizzling rain followed1 and did their best to make the black roof and mouldy walls of ,bergan ,hall look more cheerless than ever4 ,but a counteracting influence was busy within4 ,an energetic young spirit was rapidly organizing a home for itself in one corner2 turning the shadows out of nooks where they had lain so long as almost to have established a pre-emption right1 and making short work with dust1 mould1 and dead air4 ,and1 in some inexplicable way1 the whole house seemed to catch the pleasant infection1 and to be faintly astir with life4 ,a passer-by of delicate instincts would have seen at once that the long lease of silence and emptiness had expired4 ,and in truth1 it would have been strange if a dwelling1 so old--so long familiar with human affairs and interests1 the very timbers of which must have been oozy with the exhalations of a long succession of joys and sorrows--had not shown itself ready to sympathize with every passing phase of life1 and especially to welcome back to its empty old bosom a fresh1 young1 beating heart4 ,that it did so1 ,bergan felt intuitively4 ,in return1 he did what he could to vivify with his single personality its whole wide indoor world4 ,having received unlimited discretionary powers from his uncle1 in regard to choice of rooms and furniture1 as well as the most unrestrained privilege of exploration1 he went from room to room1 ransacking and arranging1 here picking up a quaintly carved chair1 and there an absurdly contorted little table1 and setting wide open doors and windows wherever he could find a reasonable excuse for doing so4 ,he even mounted to the garret1 a great twilight-hall1 stored with the lumber of many vanished generations1 and dived into nooks of dingiest obscurity1 with the eager zeal of a discoverer2 coming forth covered with dust and cobwebs1 and laden with spoils4 ,file upon file of yellow papers1 having a possible interest as family annals1 a curiously gnarled and twisted genealogical tree1 a dust-choked flute1 several ,spanish songs in manuscript1 a discolored sketch-book1 and a quaint old secretary1 from the innumerable pigeon-holes of which sprang a whole colony of alarmed mice1--these were among the treasures that he unearthed1 and transferred to his own room for examination or use4 ,every hour1 the home-feeling grew upon him4 ,despite the gray and dripping sky1 and the disconsolate1 water-soaked earth1 these days had their own peculiar illumination and charm4 ,oldness and newness combined to produce one rich--albeit1 a little heavy--atmosphere of enjoyment4 ,occasionally1 his uncle came to watch his progress1 and favor him with half-serious1 half-jocular commentary4 ,he was both interested and amused to observe how readily the new inmate fitted himself into his surroundings1 and what talent he displayed in organizing various crude and chaotic elements into one harmonious whole4 ,by turns he adapted1 invented1 or altered1 until his room presented an aspect of pleasantness1 as well as an array of conveniences1 in striking contrast with the rude accommodations of the cottage1 and even with the oldtime appliances that had served former occupants4 ,his uncle wondered and admired even while he shook his head over the un-,bergan-like trait1 and questioned if1 after all1 it were not a sign of degeneracy4 ,this doubt wellnigh culminated in conviction when1 on the afternoon of the second day1 in a lull of the storm1 he discovered his nephew calmly seated astride the high ridge-pole1 with a bundle of shingles and a pocketful of nails1 stopping the leaks with which the long rain and his visits to the garret had made him acquainted2 and accompanying his work with a very sweet and deftly executed whistle4 ,that settles the question1 ,harry1 he shouted to the amateur carpenter1 a smile and a frown struggling for supremacy on his upturned face4 ,there never was a ,bergan1 from first to last1 who could have done that6 ,do not speak so disrespectfully of our common ancestors1 uncle6 ,as if they had not the use of their hands6 ,humph6 ,it's plain that you have the use of yours1 and of your head1 too6 ,how in the world did you reach that dizzy altitude8 ,bergan laughed4 ',where there's a will there's a way4' ,what should you say to the chimney8 ,nonsense6 ,how did you get up there8 ,i really cannot answer that question as it stands4 ,there is a mistake in the terms4 ,you rascal6 what do you mean8' ,i did not 'get up2' ,i came down4 ,and ,bergan glanced at a great oak-bough1 swinging full ten feet above his head4 ,the ,major uttered a cry of admiration4 ,you are a ,bergan1 and no mistake6 he cried1 emphasizing the statement with an oath4 ,you've got the real1 old1 brave ,bergan stuff in you1 ,harry1 and ,i'm proud of you1 in spite of your tinkering4 ,but that bough is now out of your reach2 you cannot come down by that route4 ,a new one will be more interesting4 ,and the chimney has a most capacious throat2 the builders must have contemplated the passage of other things than smoke4 ,harry6 you'll break your neck6 ,don't you dare to come down till ,i send you a ladder6 ,at the same time1 ,i'll order the carpenter to finish up that job1 if it must be done4 ,he will be too late1 uncle2 ,i am just laying the last shingle4 ,speak lower1 you scamp6 lest the old portraits under your feet should hear you and blush4 ,their thanks would be much more to the point--especially ,sir ,harry's1 coolly replied ,bergan4 ,two hours ago1 the water from this very leak was pouring in a stream down his long ancestral nose2 you would have said the picture had an influenza4 ,the ,major emitted a sound between a laugh and a growl1 and vanished4 ,poor ,brick was even more scandalized by his young master's plebeian readiness with his hands4 ,the very ease with which ,bergan performed his self-imposed1 and1 for the most part1 unaccustomed tasks1 misled the dusky spectator4 ,to be sure1 ,brick was a little comforted to observe that those agile hands knew the trick of the ivory piano-keys full well1 and could evolve soulful melody from the flute1 that they were not ignorant of the mysteries of sketching1 and betrayed a scholarly familiarity with books and papers1 pen and ink2 yet he doubted if even these gracious accomplishments could wash from them the stain of that dreadful manual labor in which they were erewhile engaged1--the only redeeming feature of which was that it was not done for bread4 ,nevertheless1 ,brick loved his young master with all his heart4 ,he had succumbed at once to the rare charm of ,bergan's manner1--so grave and thoughtful for his years1 yet so richly illuminated1 at times1 with soft gleams of humor1 and always so genuinely kind4 ,he followed him like his shadow2 he could scarcely be happy out of his presence2 and notwithstanding his own inward struggles with doubt and mortification1 he continually held him up to the admiration of the quarter in the strongest language of encomium that he could command1 as a bery high-tone gemman1 and jes' de bes' massa dat ebber stepped foot on de old place4 ,the appearance of this high-toned gentleman on the roof1 in the humble rle of carpenter1 was1 therefore1 a rude shock to ,brick's finer sensibilities4 ,he watched him from the ground below1 groaning simultaneously over probable fractures to his limbs1 and certain damage to his reputation4 ,it gave him some consolation to find that the ,major was inclined to treat the matter in a jocular rather than a serious light2 and he was profoundly impressed with his hearty admiration of the gymnastic feat with which the questionable performance had opened4 ,that1 at least1 his own dusky friends of the quarter could understand and approve4 ,brick was still further reassured by ,maumer ,rue1 to whom he stood in the relation of grandson4 ,on being consulted1 she had replied1 loftily1-- ,a ,bergan can do what he pleases1 child4 ,he is not obliged to walk by rule and measure1 like people whose pedigree stops with their grandfathers4 ,if a king chooses to make a box1 a barrel1 or a piece of furniture1 for his own use1 it is not a meanness1 but an eccentricity4 ,and the long word not only floored ,brick's last remaining doubt1 but furnished him with the means of silencing other critics4 ,in view of carpentry and tinkering1 dignified with the sonorous title of exkingtricities1 nothing was left to the quarter but to roll its eyes and shut its mouth in mute amazement4 ,on the morning of the third day1 the sky pushed aside its gray veil of clouds1 and smiled once more upon the wet and melancholy earth4 ,thereupon the latter quickly dried up some of its tears1 and made what shift for joy it could with the remainder4 ,every pool reflected a bit of the sky's wide smile1 or the pleasant stir of overhanging foliage4 ,the grand old evergreen oaks around ,bergan ,hall shook from their far-reaching boughs broken sunlight and dancing shadows1 fresh breeze and shining raindrops1 in nearly equal measure4 ,the whisper of the pine-woods became a song rather than a sigh2--or1 if it were a sigh1 it was of that pleasant kind which struggles up unconsciously from a heart a little overfull of pleasure4 ,even the long streamers of gray moss decked themselves with prismatic jewels1 and forgot to be mournful4 ,if you do not mind a little mud1 said the ,major1 at the dinner-table1 we will order our horses1 and ride over to ,berganton this afternoon4 ,you must be tired of being cooped up in the house1 by this time1 in spite of your ready knack at finding occupation and amusement where most people would gape their heads off with ennui4 ,besides1 it is high time that you should see something of the neighborhood1 outside our own plantation1--as well as the village which your ancestors founded4 ,to be sure1 there is precious little to see1--,berganton is not what it was once1--but ,i shall be glad to show you that little1 and also1 to introduce you to some of my old acquaintances4 ,as the two gentlemen were riding through the mutilated avenue1 ,bergan could not help asking if the trees which had formerly arched and shaded it had been felled on account of decay4 ,no1 replied the ,major1 a little gruffly1 as if he suspected a latent rebuke in the question2 but they spoiled twenty or thirty acres of the best corn-land on the plantation1 and were very valuable for timber1 besides4 ,and1 about that time1 ,i was bent on lifting a certain old mortgage off from the place1 and getting generally forehanded with the world1 at any sacrifice1 short of selling land4 ,however1 he continued1 his face clearing again1 if you will stay here1 ,harry1 you shall replant the avenue1 just as soon as you like1 if that is your pleasure4 ,the trees will not grow large enough to do much damage1 in my time2--besides1 ,i can afford the land now1--and almost anything else that you may happen to fancy4 ,i have not saved and slaved all these years for nothing2--you may be certain of that4 ,and1 as ,i've said before1 ,i don't believe in half-way work4 ,if you stay here1 it will be as my adopted son2 and ,i mean to show myself an indulgent father4 ,a kindlier smile than was often seen on the ,major's rugged features1 lit up his face as he concluded4 ,then1 suddenly turning to ,bergan1 and holding out his hand1 he asked1 in the husky tone of emotion1 and with a look of entreaty1-- ,shall we shake hands upon it8 ,bergan was taken by surprise4 ,in grateful recognition of his uncle's manifest kindness of intention1 as well as of his unwonted softness of manner1 he impulsively clasped the outstretched hand4 ,at once he became aware that1 in so doing1 he had appeared to yield an unqualified assent to his uncle's wishes4 ,hurriedly casting about for inoffensive phraseology wherein to disavow any such intent1 it was singularly hard to find4 ,to increase the difficulty1 ,major ,bergan was pouring forth his gratification that the matter was finally settled1 in terms of unusual warmth and animation4 ,it was evident1 not only that the plan lay nearer to his heart than had hitherto appeared1 but that he himself had taken stronger hold of his uncle's affections than he had imagined4 ,in fact1 ,bergan had come to the ,major just at the auspicious moment when1 having measurably accomplished the object which had absorbed all his thoughts and energies for many years1 he was looking around him for something to fill its place in his life1 and beginning vaguely to discern that his heart was empty1 and his future aimless4 ,the old family home was not the only thing that he had left to go drearily to ruin1 while pursuing his own selfish ends in his own unscrupulous way4 ,beholding1 at this moment1 a frank1 brave1 handsome youth by his side1 full of talent and of promise1 and singularly attractive in manner1--in whose veins1 too1 ran some of the same blood that filled his own1 and whose features were moulded after the best ancestral type1--his dormant affections quickly awakened to fasten themselves pertinaciously around the timely object4 ,his thoughts began industriously to shape out for himself a new future1 which should embrace1 as a setting its appropriate jewel1 a brilliant and prosperous career for this young hope of his house4 ,the unsuspected strength of these feelings now made itself clearly visible1 both in the hearty grasp which he gave his nephew's hand1 and in a sudden affectionateness of eyes1 mouth1 voice1 gesture1 and every indescribable manifestation1 that ,bergan had never seen in him before4 ,naturally enough1 the young man shrank from the utterance of words certain to drive back on itself this outgush of the inestimable tenderness of a stern nature1 to bring back the old sharpness and severity to eyes that now lay so soft and deep under their shaggy brows4 ,moreover1 he felt that his own resolution was wavering4 ,bergan ,hall had grown strangely dear to him during his solitary occupation of its silent1 but suggestive precincts4 ,he might have been proof against every temptation that it could have offered in its grandeur and its prosperity2 but in its loneliness and decay there was a pathetic appeal to much that was best and noblest in his nature4 ,to this influence1 a stronger one1 even1 was now added4 ,seeing the strength of his uncle's new-born affection1 and its softening effect upon his face and manner1 ,bergan began to question within himself whether a still better and nobler work than the restoration of the ancestral home1 might not here call for his hand--even the restoration of a human life4 ,those woful habits of intoxication and profanity1 far worse than the dry-rot that gnawed at the timbers of the old ,hall2 that roughness and sordidness which had gathered over the once promising character1 far sadder to behold than the mould and the dust that dimmed the ancestral grandeur2--were there not moral instruments available for the cure of the one1 as there were artisan's tools able to remove all traces of the other4 ,to young minds there is always a strong fascination in the prospect of exerting a good influence upon others4 ,older heads--seeing how little is often effected by the best and most persistent endeavors1 and sadly cognizant of the fact that influences are received as well as exerted 7a long deterioration in one's self being sometimes the price of a little1 brief improvement in another7--are not so ready to take upon themselves the responsibility of acting upon any human soul1 nor so sanguine of success4 ,but ,bergan had none of this late wisdom1--if wisdom it be4 ,through his quiet character there ran the golden vein of a noble enthusiasm4 ,he believed that it was his part and duty to make the world better for having lived therein4 ,still susceptible to influences himself1 he had no conception of the iron bands1 the indestructible tendencies1 of evil habits indulged for years4 ,he stood ready1 at any time1 and anywhere1 to throw himself into the long conflict between ,right and ,wrong1 and doubted not that the issue of the fray would turn upon his single sword4 ,half-buried in thought1 half-listening to his uncle's talk1 he rode mechanically onward4 ,on one side of his path1 flowed the smooth1 shining waters of the creek2 on the other ran the ,bergan estate1 with its odd aspect of mingled thrift and neglect4 ,he had often wondered at the singular blending1 in his uncle's character1 of the sturdy ,english energy inherited from that indefatigable ,briton1 ,sir ,harry1 with the indifference and impromptitude induced by the climate4 ,it was especially curious to note how these diverse qualities displayed themselves in different directions4 ,with human beings1 his laborers and dependents1 and even with his animals1 he was prompt1 energetic1 and exacting1 accepting no excuses1 and showing no indulgence2 with inanimate things1 he was often careless1 negligent1 and unobservant4 ,on this portion of the estate1 which seemed but little cultivated1 fences were down or dilapidated1 gates swung unwillingly on their hinges1 and outbuildings seemed ready to fall with their own weight4 ,soon1 too1 these things were made more noticeable by contrast1 as a long line of neatly-kept grounds and well ordered fences came into view4 ,shortly after1 a pleasant cottage1 amply provided with broad1 cool1 vine-draped piazzas1 appeared on the right2 standing a little apart from the road1 in the midst of a group of live-oak trees scarcely less grand and venerable than those which flung their heavy shadow over ,bergan ,hall4 ,at sight of it1 the ,major's face grew dark again2 especially as ,bergan1 pleased with its neat and cheerful aspect1 turned to give it a second look4 ,yes1 he burst forth bitterly1 with a fearful oath1 that is where my brother1 the hardware merchant1 lives6 ,i tell you what1 ,harry1 the very first thing that you are to do1 as soon as you get a chance 7if ,i don't live to do it myself71 is to buy out his heirs1 and raze that impertinent shanty to the ground4 ,just recollect that1 will you8 if ,i should happen to forget to put it into my will4 ,bergan forebore to reply4 ,he was learning that it was his wisest course--at least1 so he thought--to take no notice of his uncle's bitter wrath and prejudice1 since he could not sympathize with them4 ,if his growing wish to possess ,bergan ,hall lay at the bottom of this silence1 he was as yet unconscious of it4 ,his uncle1--accepting his forbearance as a sign of acquiescence to his wishes1--now1 for the first time1 really exerted himself for his entertainment4 ,he talked with vivacity1 humor1 intelligence1 and much of the tone and manner of his earlier days4 ,his better self revived1 for a time2 and ,bergan recognized something of the refined1 cultured1 accomplished gentleman1 of his mother's descriptions1 whose lightsome flow of spirits1 gay sparkle of wit1 and frank1 cordial address1 had made him the life and soul of the circle wherein he moved4 ,it was mournful to see him under this pleasant transformation1 and think of him in his usual aspect4 ,bergan could not but wonder how he had ever fallen to that lower level4 ,he had not seen the easy descent from gayety to dissipation of his younger days2 nor could he understand how naturally1 with years1 drinking in frivolous companionship had been exchanged for drinking alone1 lavishness for parsimony1 the gay1 aimless life of a man of the world for the steady1 energetic pursuit of one selfish1 isolated1 exclusive object4 ,they now reached the village4 ,as they rode through its principal street1 which was wide and handsomely shaded1 the ,major pointed to one and another of the houses along its sides1 and quietly named men and women that had occupied them in years agone2 either forgetting1 or unaware1 that most of them were now tenanting that one earthly house1 of whose narrow accommodations every mortal must needs have some experience1--namely1 the grave4 ,bergan1 meanwhile1 felt himself quite at home among names so often heard from his mother's lips2 and momentarily expected that his uncle would stop at some one of these friendly dwellings1 for the renewal of his own acquaintance1 and the introduction of his nephew4 ,but to his extreme surprise1 the ,major rode straight through the village1 and dismounted1 before a tavern1 at its extreme end4 ,,vii4 ,a ,,bitter ,,draught4 ,it needed but a glance to show ,bergan that the tavern was of the lower sort4 ,it was dingy and dilapidated without1 and from its open windows were wafted sounds of hoarse voices1 shouts of laughter1 the jingling of glasses1 and a strong odor of tobacco1 betokening a corresponding amount of moral dinginess and dilapidation within4 ,bergan turned to his uncle with a disgust that he hardly attempted to conceal1--the natural disgust of a healthy body and mind for things coarse1 foul1 noisy1 and vulgar1--and inquired2-- ,do you intend to stop here long8 ,quite long enough for you to get off and stretch yourself1 replied the ,major1 carelessly4 ,this is an old halting-place of mine1 and looks as natural as possible1 though it is a year or more since ,i have set eyes on it4 ,no doubt ,i shall find some old acquaintances here4 ,come6 don't sit there gaping at the outside1 like a man trying to guess at the purport of a letter from the looks of the envelope1 when the inside would tell him what he wants to know1 in a jiffy2 get off your horse1 and come in4 ,bergan obeyed1 but with a manifest reluctance that brought a cloud to the ,major's brow4 ,muttering something between his teeth1 which had the tone and bitterness of a curse1 but was unintelligible1 the latter led the way to the bar-room4 ,several varieties of the genus loafer1 both of the genteel and vulgar species1 were leaning over the counter1 or seated in tilted-up chairs1 puffing out tobacco smoke1 and discussing matters of local interest4 ,the appearance of the ,major was greeted with enthusiasm1--all the more1 that his first words1 after a ,how d'y of very general application1 were an order to the landlord to make a stiff bowl of punch1 on a scale commensurate with the numbers of the party4 ,this is my nephew1 gentlemen1 he went on1 addressing the delighted audience1--,harry ,bergan ,arling1 as he now calls himself1 or ,harry ,bergan1 of ,bergan ,hall1 as he is to be1 in good time1--a real chip of the old family block1 as you can see at a glance4 ,i expect that you will all do me the honor of drinking his health in a bowl of the best punch that ,gregg can concoct4 ,hurry up1 ,gregg6 you know how ,i like it1--not too strongly flavored with our two days' drizzle2--was there ever a nastier spell of weather8 ,never knew the sky so leaky in all my life1 responded a languid loafer of the genteeler sort1 too lazy to furnish his sentences with nominatives4 ,begun to think1 with ,father ,miller1 'twas getting worn out4 ,it will last our time1 ,i reckon1 returned the ,major4 ,and 'after us the deluge1' of course4 ,i would not mind taking a swim in it myself1 if it were of punch such as ,gregg1 there1 is mixing4 ,it looks like the real thing6 ,now1 gentlemen1 step forward and take your glasses4 ,here's to the health of my nephew1--,harry ,bergan1--and may he unite in his single person all the virtues of all the ,harrys of the line1 from ,sir ,harry down2--yes1 and all the vices1 too1 they are good ,bergan stock1 every one of them6 ,a toast so perfectly in harmony with the corrupt atmosphere of the bar-room could but be received and drunk with acclamation4 ,bergan1 perforce1 lifted his glass to his lips1 but the fiery draught1 prepared with a single eye to the requirements of his uncle's sophisticated palate1 was so little suited to his own purer taste1 that he set it down with its contents very little diminished4 ,observing this1 ,major ,bergan's face grew dark4 ,that will never do1 ,harry1 he growled1 aside4 ,don't disgrace me here1 whatever you may do at home6 ,i insist upon your emptying your glass like a man1 and doing your part towards making things pleasant4 ,now1 then1 gentlemen1 he continued1 aloud1 be pleased to make ready for toast the second4 ,we will drink success to my nephew's future proprietorship of ,bergan ,hall2--may it come late1 and last long6 ,the cords of conventionalism--even the conventionalism of a bar-room--are strong2 and ,bergan was somewhat young for complete independence of character4 ,nevertheless1 he was quite capable of turning his back on the whole company of tipplers1 both genteel and vulgar1 indifferent alike to their wonder1 censure1 or scorn1 had it not been for his uncle2 whose wishes1 in his double character of host and relative1 seemed entitled to some degree of respect4 ,yet both instinct and principle revolted from the certain intoxication of the distasteful glass in his hand4 ,by a quick and dexterous motion1 he sent half its contents flying out of the window near which he stood1 and supplied their place with water from a convenient pitcher4 ,flattering himself that he had done this unobserved1 he tried to swallow his disgust at the place and the companionship in which he found himself with the diluted draught4 ,that's pretty fair stuff1 said the ,major1 setting down his empty glass2 it has just about the right snap in it4 ,is there enough for another round1 ,gregg8 ,plenty1 sir1 and another one on the end of that4 ,i knew you didn't like to see the bottom of the bowl1 in a hurry1 ,major4 ,you are another ,solon1 ,gregg4 ,your wisdom is only to be equalled by your disinterestedness4 ,come1 gentlemen1 fill your glasses again6 ,harry1 is your glass filled8 ,as he spoke1 the ,major drew near1 and fixed a keen eye on ,bergan's glass1 in a way which led the latter to suspect that his late manoeuvre had not been so successful as he had imagined4 ,at any rate1 it would not be easy to repeat it4 ,well1 what matter8 ,he had submitted to his uncle's tyranny long enough2 he might as well free himself first as last4 ,he would try to do so in the way least likely to give offence4 ,uncle1 he pleaded1 with a graceful frankness and courtesy that could scarcely have failed to reach the ,major's better self1 if it had been less under the vitiating influence of strong drink1--uncle1 ,i really must beg your kind indulgence4 ,i am not accustomed to potations so many nor so strong2 and whatever ,i may be able to do1 in time1 under your skilful guidance1 ,i must now use a little discretion4 ,pray excuse me from taking any more at present4 ,i'll be hanged if ,i do6 said the ,major1 bluntly4 ,if you don't know how to drink like a gentleman and a ,bergan1 it is high time you should learn4 ,fill up his glass1 ,gregg2 he shall drink6 ,scarcely were the insulting words spoken ere ,bergan felt1 with a thrill of dismay1 a hot tingling sensation in all his veins1 as if the blood in them had suddenly been turned to fire4 ,too well he knew what it meant4 ,the black ,bergan temper1 which had been the one1 great sorrow and struggle of his life1 thus far1 and which he had believed to be completely tamed1 was stirring within him in a way to show that1 if it were not instantly controlled1 it would carry him1 in its headlong fury1 he knew not whither4 ,every other feeling1 every other thought1 were1 for the moment1 swallowed up in the instinct of self-preservation4 ,he would submit to his uncle's imperious dictation1 not that he either prized his love or feared his anger1 but because that treacherous demon within must at once feel a firm foot upon its neck1 and be shown that it could expect no indulgence1 and no quarter4 ,at this moment1 there was a slight bustle at the door1 occasioned by an arrival2 under cover of which he again turned to the friendly water pitcher1 to make sure that1 while fleeing from one fatal influence he was not running blindly into the leashes of another4 ,dimidium plus toto1 ,i see1 observed a well-remembered voice at his elbow1 in a tone of good-natured sarcasm4 ,but you make a slight mistake in your practical translation2 it is a 'half1' not a quarter 7or ,i might say1 an eighth7 which is 'better than the whole4' ,and anyway1 ,i doubt if old ,hesiod meant his maxim to apply to punch4 ,glad of anything that promised to create a diversion1 ,bergan turned and gave the hand of ,richard ,causton a much more cordial grasp than he would have been likely to do1 under other circumstances4 ,the old man1 better accustomed to the cold shoulder from all reputable acquaintance1 returned it with tears in his blear eyes1 and for once1 had no proverb at command wherein to do justice to his feelings4 ,before he could find one1 ,major ,bergan came up1 with a sly gleam of humor or of mischief1 on his face4 ,what6 you know ,harry6 he exclaimed4 ,oh6 yes1 ,i remember1--you helped him on his way to ,bergan ,hall4 ,so much the better4 ,you will be glad to know that it was my nephew to whom you showed that courtesy1 and to drink to your better acquaintance4 ,all ready8 ,bergan turned round for his glass1 which he had left standing on the window-sill1 and1 the sooner to be done with the distasteful business1 swallowed at a gulp what1 it seemed to him1 the next moment1 must have been liquid fire4 ,a loud laugh from his uncle told him to whom he was indebted for the substitution of raw spirit for weak punch4 ,the passion which he had so promptly smothered1 doubly inflamed by the consciousness of being betrayed and the instantaneous action of the potent draught1 blazed up with sudden1 ungovernable fury4 ,feeling that he was losing control of temper and reason together1 he rushed toward the door4 ,at a sign from the ,major1 two or three of the bystanders threw themselves in his way4 ,they were instantly sent reeling right and left by two powerful blows4 ,dick ,causton1 catching hold of him with the friendly design of preventing him from doing more mischief and provoking more enmity1 was shaken off with a violence that threw him in a disordered heap on the floor2 over which ,bergan strode wrathfully towards his uncle1 who had planted himself in the doorway4 ,the spectators held their breath to witness the expected encounter between uncle and nephew1--,bergan against ,bergan1 the blood of both up1 the hereditary frenzy blazing in each pair of dark eyes4 ,but ,bergan was not quite so mad as that4 ,seeing who it was that impeded his way1 he turned and darted through a window close at hand1 jumped over the piazza railing1 sprang upon his horse1 and was off before the bystanders had well recovered their breath1 or ,dick had picked himself up1 with the caustic observation1-- ,perit quod facis ingrato1--',save a thief from hanging1 and he will cut your throat4' ,poor ,vic6--never in all her life had she been urged to such mad and merciless speed as on that ill-starred day4 ,protesting1 at first1 by various plunges and rearings1 she finally fell in with her master's wild humor1 and sped through the village at a pace that sent the foot-passengers to the fences in terror1 and crowded the doors and windows with wondering gazers4 ,whether he were fleeing from destruction1 or riding straight to it1 was no affair of hers2 in either case1 she would do her best to meet his wishes4 ,the village was quickly left behind2 house after house1 and field after field1 slid by in a swift panorama2 already they were turning the corner1 toward the ,hall1 when ,bergan's scattered senses were suddenly recalled by a stern ,halloo6 what are you about8 mingled with a faint cry of alarm4 ,to his horror1 he saw himself to be on the point of riding down a young lady equestrian1 who was on her way to the village1 accompanied by her father4 ,there was not an instant to lose1 not a moment for reflection2 the heads of the two horses were almost in contact4 ,putting his whole strength into one sudden1 ill-considered jerk1 ,vic was thrown back on her haunches1 and he and she rolled over in the mud together4 ,fortunately1 neither was much hurt1 and both sprang to their feet considerably sobered by the shock4 ,bergan was deeply humiliated1 also2 he would gladly have compounded with his mortification for almost any amount of physical pain4 ,no bodily injury could have made him writhe with so sharp a pang1 as the conviction that he had flawed his claim to the title of gentleman4 ,to have nearly ridden over a lady1 in a blind frenzy of rage and semi-intoxication1 was a disgrace that he could never forget4 ,he would gladly have buried himself in the mud with which he was already tolerably well coated4 ,since he could not do that1 he took off his hat to the horseman1--he dared neither address nor look at the lady1--and said1 in a tone that trembled with shame and regret1-- ,i beg your pardon1 sir4 ,you would have done better to look where you were going1 replied the gentleman1 with the unreasoning anger that often follows upon the reaction from fear and anxiety4 ,no thanks to you that my daughter is not maimed or killed6 ,i think you mistake1 father1 quickly interposed the young lady1 in a low1 sweet voice1 tremulous from the recent shock to her nerves2--did you not see how promptly the gentleman sacrificed himself to save me1 as soon as he saw the danger8 ,i hope you are not hurt1 sir1 she added1 courteously1 turning to ,bergan4 ,thank you2 not half so much as ,i deserve to be1 replied he1 only the more remorseful on account of the delicate consideration that she showed for him1 while her cheek was still blanched1 and her lips trembling1 at her own narrow escape from danger caused by his rashness4 ,and1 feeling wholly unworthy to say another word to anything so pure and sweet1 so utterly incompatible with the vile place and scene which he had just quitted1 he stood aside1 with uncovered head1 to let her pass4 ,apparently1 she would have lingered long enough to make sure that he was really uninjured2 but her father1 who had been eyeing him keenly1 hurried her away4 ,do you not see1 he inquired1 sharply1 as they rode on1 that the fellow is drunk8 ,impossible1 father6 ,he had such a fine1 noble countenance6 ,it will not be noble long1 replied the father4 ,neither will it be the first noble countenance that has been spoiled by drunkenness1 he added1 with a sigh4 ,left alone1 ,bergan remounted ,vic1 though not without difficulty4 ,the bewildering effect of his potent draught1 which had momentarily been overcome by the excitement of his late adventure1 now made itself felt again4 ,as he rode along1 his head began to swim2 a deadly nausea seized him2 his limbs seemed paralyzed4 ,arrived within the gates of his uncle's domain1 he suffered himself to slide slowly from the saddle to the ground2 and almost immediately1 consciousness forsook him4 ,,viii4 ,,as ,a ,,dream ,,when ,,one ,,awaketh4 ,when1 in due course of time1 ,bergan came partially to himself1 he found that he was lying on his own bed1 with the twilight shadows gathering duskily in its hangings4 ,but his mind was too dull and confused to trouble itself with the question how he came there1 notwithstanding that his ears seemed still to retain the sound of low voices1 and his limbs the pressure of careful hands4 ,scarcely had he unclosed his heavy eyes1 ere he was glad to shut them again1 and to sink anew into slumber4 ,but this time1 it was not1 as before1 a profound stupor1 a deaf1 blind1 torpid1 state of nothingness4 ,though it lasted some hours1 he never quite lost an oppressive sense of overhanging trouble1 imperfectly as its nature was apprehended4 ,moreover1 he was harassed by dreams of that most trying character1 wherein varying images revolve around one fixed idea2 combining the misery of continual change with that of ceaseless iteration into one intolerable horror4 ,breaking1 at length1 from the teasing spell of these phantasms1 he saw that it was past midnight4 ,through the opposite window1 he beheld a pale1 waning moon1 and1 by its light1 a gray1 dimly-outlined landscape1--a faint and lifeless sketch1 as it were1 of a once bright1 breathing world4 ,while he looked1 over it came the black shadow of a wind-driven cloud1 blurring the lines1 here and there1 into still grayer indistinctness1 sweeping across the lawn1 mounting the steps of ,bergan ,hall1 and laying1 at last1 its thin1 light hand over his own brow and eyes4 ,with it1 as if by right of near kinship1 a deep gloom fell upon his heart4 ,till now1 it had not occurred to him why his head ached so heavily1 nor what weary weight it was that burdened his mind4 ,yet he did not--as too many would have done1 after a brief flush of shame1 and a momentary feeling of regret--seek to throw off this burden by telling himself that his late aberration was1 after all1 a matter of small moment1 since it was only what hundreds like him had done before1 were now doing1 and would continue to do till the end of time4 ,not of any such weak stuff1 incapable of looking his own acts squarely in the face1 and judging them according to their merits1 was ,bergan made4 ,on the contrary1 he felt as much humiliated as if he had been the first1 last1 only intoxicated young man in the universe4 ,and this1 be it understood1 was not so much because he had violated the higher law1 as because he had broken his own law unto himself4 ,with the ,bergan temper1 he had also inherited a fair share of the ,bergan pride1 and the ,bergan strength of will4 ,but1 softened and guided by home influences at once wise and genial1 the one had hitherto shown itself mainly in a lofty1 almost an ideal1 purity of character1 and the other had expended its force chiefly upon himself4 ,the two1 therefore1 had served him little less effectually1 in keeping him free from current vices1 than higher motives might have done4 ,he had taken a stern1 proud pleasure in knowing that he wore no yoke but such as it pleased him deliberately to assume4 ,he would have scorned to say1 what he often heard from the lips of his fellows1--,i cannot quit drinking1 ,i cannot live without smoking1 ,i cannot resist the fascinations of gambling1 et ctera2--he would have felt it a woful slur upon his manhood to avow himself so abject a slave to his animal nature4 ,so strong was this pride of character1 that no sooner did he feel any habit1 any appetite1 any pleasure1 however innocent in itself1 taking firm hold of him1 than he was immediately impelled to give it up1 to refuse it indulgence1--for a time1 at least1--just to satisfy one part of himself that its control over the other and baser part was still perfect4 ,at whatever price1 he was determined to be his own master4 ,it may be imagined1 then1 with what sharp sting of pride1 what miserable sense of weakness and failure1 he writhed1 as ,memory now flung open the doors of her silent gallery1 and showed him sombre picture after picture1 representing his own figure in divers humiliating positions4 ,it shrank from the utterance of its strong convictions of right2 it gave way to the assaults of a poor ambition2 it drifted with circumstance2 it was driven to and fro like a shuttlecock between outward temptation and inward passion2 it was successively a fighting rowdy1 a blind lunatic1 an insensate drunkard4 ,not that these representations were all true in tone1 unexaggerated in color1 and correct in sentiment4 ,often1 there is nothing more difficult than to fix upon the exact point where the plain boundary line between right and wrong was crossed2 and neither pride nor remorse is apt to do it correctly4 ,some steps may have been taken upon a kind of debatable ground2 had the march been arrested at any one of these1 its tendency would have been different4 ,in reviewing his conduct1 ,bergan failed to do justice either to his uncle's undeniable claims to his respectful consideration1 up to the point where he had been required to follow him into a low bar-room1 or to the real beauty and worth of some of his own feelings and motives4 ,looking back1 he saw--or seemed to see--only a pitiable career of irresolution and moral cowardice1 ending in disgrace4 ,covering his face with his hands1 as if to shut out the unwelcome sight1 he groaned aloud4 ,to his surprise1 the groan was distinctly prolonged and repeated4 ,was it the responsive wail of the ancestral spirits1 mourning over their degenerate scion1 or only the sympathizing echo of the ancestral walls8 ,springing to his feet1 he beheld a tall1 erect figure standing on the hearth1 showing strangely weird and unearthly by the flickering blaze of a few dying embers4 ,not till it turned and came toward him did he recognize the dusky features and age-whitened hair of ,maumer ,rue4 ,i hope that it is not on my account that you are up at this time of night1 said he1 gravely4 ,you forget that night and day are both alike to me1 she quietly answered4 ,are you better8 ,much better1 thank you4 ,and he added after a moment1--,how came ,i here8 ,brick found you in the avenue4 ,by my direction1 you were brought in4 ,at first1 it was thought that you had been thrown from your horse1 but-- ,rue paused4 ,i understand1 said ,bergan1 bitterly4 ,i was drunk4 ,rue did not immediately answer4 ,it was only after some moments that she said1 earnestly2-- ,master ,bergan1 ,i am an old woman4 ,i have seen four generations of your house1--,i have nursed two1--and ,i have spent my life in its service4 ,if it had been my own1 ,i could not have loved it better1 nor felt its welfare nearer my heart4 ,if these things give me any right to say a word of warning to you1 let me say it now6 ,say whatever seems good to you1 replied ,bergan1 gloomily1 as he flung himself into a chair4 ,i doubt if you can say anything so hard to bear as what ,i have already said to myself4 ,is that so8 asked ,rue1 in a tone of relief--is that really so8 ,then ,i need not say anything4 ,it is a higher voice than mine that speaks within you2 and my poor words would only weaken its effect4 ,only listen to it1 ,master ,bergan1 pray listen to it6 she went on1 with tears streaming from her blind eyes4 ,if you stifle it now1 it may never speak so clearly again6 ,make yourself easy1 maumer1 answered ,bergan1 much affected1 yet doing his best to speak cheerfully1--,i have not the least intention of stifling it4 ,moreover1 ,i assure you that ,i am in no danger of repeating last night's miserable experience2 drunkenness is not my besetting sin4 ,i only wish ,i were as certain that ,i should never again give way to my temper4 ,it has run in the blood a great while1 remarked ,rue1 not without a certain respect for its length of pedigree2 it will be hard to get it out4 ,it shall be gotten out1 though1 responded ,bergan1 knitting his brows and setting his teeth with true hereditary doggedness4 ,very likely it may1 replied ,rue1 quietly1 if you take that tone4 ,no doubt the ,lord meant the ,bergan will to conquer the ,bergan temper--with ,his help4 ,but ,i will not trouble you any longer1 sir2--thank you for setting my mind at rest4 ,and don't be offended if ,i recommend you not to come in your uncle's way this morning2 give him a little time to get into a better mood4 ,i will send your breakfast out to you4 ,bergan's brow darkened4 ,i do not intend to come in his way1 he answered a little shortly1 neither this morning1 nor at any other time4 ,my visit here is at an end4 ,i leave this house directly4 ,oh1 ,master ,bergan1 ,i beg you will not do that6 exclaimed ,rue4 ,your uncle really loves you in his heart2 he will soon forget all about his anger4 ,it is not because ,i dread his anger that ,i go1 replied ,bergan1 gravely2 it is because he has lowered me in my own eyes1 and disgraced me in the eyes of others1 in a way that ,i cannot forget4 ,at least1 not until ,i have proved to myself that ,i am neither a moral coward nor a miserable parasite1 and to the world that drinking and fighting are not the essential conditions of my existence4 ,i cannot well do either without leaving ,bergan ,hall4 ,and ,i certainly shall not put myself in my uncle's way again1 until he sees fit to apologize for what he did yesterday4 ,is the world turned upside down1 then1 asked ,rue1 with a kind of slow wonder1 that an old uncle must apologize to a young nephew8 ,bergan colored1 and the unwonted bitterness and irritation of his manner gave way before the force of the implied rebuke4 ,thank you1 said he1 almost in his natural tone1 ,i see that ,i am--or1 at least1 that ,i was1--a little beside myself4 ,still1 ,i must leave ,bergan ,hall4 ,i cannot think it right or expedient to remain here longer4 ,but when ,i have put myself in the way of living independently1 and cleared up my reputation1 ,i will do what ,i can1 without loss of self-respect1 to establish friendly relations with my uncle4 ,indeed1 ,i do not mean to be foolishly resentful1 nor unbecomingly exacting4 ,may ,i ask what you are going to do8 inquired ,rue1 after a few moments of thought4 ,certainly4 ,i am going to carry out my original plan1 and my mother's express wish1 by opening a law-office in ,berganton1 and doing my best to win fame and fortune in the place which my ancestors founded2 and in which1 he added1 with a smile1 their shades may reasonably be expected to watch my career with especial interest1 and also to do me a good turn1 whenever they have it in their power4 ,well1 said ,rue1 after a long pause1 perhaps you are right4 ,i think ,i begin to see that it may be quite as well for you to go away1 for a time4 ,you shall not lose anything by it2 ,i will take care of that4 ,i have more influence with your uncle than you would think4 ,and ,i promise you1--remember1 ,i promise you1 she repeated1 with marked emphasis1--whatever comes1 you shall have ,bergan ,hall4 ,the young man shook his head4 ,i think not1 said he4 ,indeed1 ,i have ceased to wish for it2 ,i do not see any place for it in the life which ,i now contemplate4 ,it was but a pleasant day-dream1 at best2 and it is over4 ,it may be over for you1 rejoined ,rue1 quietly1 but it is not over for me4 ,and my dreams are apt to come true4 ,i may not live to see it1--indeed1 it is borne in upon me that ,i shall not1--but the ,hall will surely be yours1 one day4 ,bergan again shook his head4 ,without making any pretensions to the prophetic gift1 he thought he could foretell1 better than old ,rue1 the effect of the course which he had marked out for himself1 upon his uncle4 ,but the blind woman could not see the gesture2 and he forebore to put his doubt into words1--unless its subtle prompting was to be detected in his next apparently irrelevant sentence3-- ,i shall think it one of my first duties to go and see my uncle ,godfrey4 ,i am glad to hear it1 replied ,rue1 placidly4 ,he is a wise1 just man2 and no doubt he will give you good advice about setting up your profession4 ,i have been hoping that1 through you1 this long family breach would be healed4 ,and here the conversation strayed off amid thick-growing family topics1 where it is unnecessary to follow it4 ,gray dawn was in the east when1 after a long1 lingering look at the ancestral portraits1 ,bergan went out from the old ,hall4 ,he could scarcely believe that it was less than a week since he first entered it4 ,he had passed there one of those crises of life which do the work of years4 ,his short occupancy had left its indelible impress upon his character1 for good or evil4 ,rue attended him to the door1 and detained him for a moment on the threshold4 ,if ever you are in need of a quiet place where you can feel perfectly at home1 said she1 come here4 ,your room shall always be ready for you2 and you might stay here for weeks together1 and no one be the wiser1--rarely does any one but me come inside the door4 ,and if ever you should be in any trouble1 or in any want1 come and see what the old1 blind woman can do for you2 she may be better able to help you than you think4 ,and now1 good-bye1 and ,god bless you1 my dear young master--the future master of ,bergan ,hall6 ,she raised her withered hands and sightless eyes to heaven1 as she ended2 and when ,bergan looked back from the farther verge of the lawn1 she was standing there still1 in the dim dawn-light1 a gray1 venerable1 ghostly figure1 framed in his ancestral doorway1 calling down blessings on his head4 ,,ix4 ,,the ,,blot ,,cleaves4 ,youthful spirits have a natural buoyancy that floats them easily over the first wave of trouble1 however severe4 ,it is the long succession of wearing disappointments and corroding griefs1 of anxious days and restless nights1 of abortive aims and hopes deferred1 which finally overcomes their lightsomeness1 and sinks them fathoms deep under a smooth-flowing surface of gentle cheerfulness1 a teasing ebb and flow of worriment1 or an icy plane of despair4 ,but of this grievous iteration1 and its depressing effect1 ,bergan1 as yet1 had no experience4 ,his heart involuntarily grew lighter as he went down the long avenue4 ,the old ,hall1 with its dust-clogged and tradition-darkened atmosphere1 its dusky delights and duskier temptations1 seemed to fade back again into the unsubstantiality of his childhood's visions4 ,his sojourn there was1 at best1 but a brief1 casual episode in an otherwise coherent life4 ,he now recurred to the main argument4 ,not that he could foresee precisely how it was to be wrought out4 ,but the very uncertainty before him was not without its own special and potent charm4 ,it gave such unlimited scope to hope and imagination2 there was in it so much room for sturdy endeavor and noble achievement1 for an iron age of progress1 and a golden era of fame6 ,it was still early when he reached the ,berganton ,hotel4 ,the landlord was in the office2 he was also in the midst of a prolonged matutinal stretch and yawn1 when ,bergan surprised him with a pleasant2-- ,good morning4 ,have you a vacant room for me8 ,yes1 sir1--that is1 ,i will see1 was the somewhat inconclusive reply2 its first clause being due to the favorable impression made by ,bergan's face and manner1 and its last to prudential considerations arising from the quickly recognized facts that this prepossessing young man was on foot1 and without baggage4 ,do you want it long8 ,i can hardly tell1--some days1 perhaps2 possibly longer4 ,i wish to see if it be worth my while to locate myself permanently here4 ,my name is ,bergan ,arling4 ,my baggage is to be sent over from ,bergan ,hall4 ,ah1 ,i see1 said the landlord1 in a tone which implied that he had suddenly been lifted to a point of observation at once wide and unpromising4 ,and almost immediately he added1--,on the whole1 ,i believe ,i haven't got an eligible room to offer you4 ,the one that ,i thought of at first is partially engaged2 ,i cannot let it go till ,i know the gentleman's decision4 ,bergan was gifted with perceptions too quick and fine not to notice the unfavorable effect produced by his frank explanation of himself4 ,nor was he slow to divine the cause4 ,no doubt his name had been bruited abroad in connection with the disgraceful scenes of yesterday2 and1 as a natural consequence1 in the very place where it would otherwise have been an advantage to him1 it would now stand in his way4 ,his heart sank a little to find that he had not left yesterday's acts so completely behind him as he had allowed himself to believe4 ,he had still to endure his inevitable term of bondage to their evil consequences4 ,yet herein1 he remembered1 was his strongest motive for perseverance in the path upon which he had entered4 ,he could not leave a tarnished reputation behind him in the place founded by his ancestors1--the very dust of which1 blowing about the streets1 doubtless held many particles closely akin to his own earthly substance1 and dimly capable of pride or shame on his account4 ,at whatever cost of present pain or ulterior loss1 he must stay in ,berganton long enough to set himself right in the public eyes4 ,and loss1 it was plain1 there might be4 ,berganton was no longer the busy and prosperous town of his mother's reminiscences4 ,all these years1 it had been going backwards4 ,looking up and down its long1 tame1 principal street1 with its scant and sluggish flow of human life1 he could discover little field for energy1 little scope for ambition4 ,were it not for the cords of obligation woven around him by yesterday's events1 he would scarcely have stayed for a second look4 ,but those cords held him firmly to his purpose4 ,do you know of any respectable family where ,i should be likely to obtain board1 or1 at least1 lodgings8 was his next inquiry4 ,i do not4 ,i think they might take you in at the ,gregg ,house1 down at the lower end of the street4 ,the words were spoken carelessly enough1 yet ,bergan could scarcely fail to detect in them a covert insinuation1 or to imagine one4 ,his cheek crimsoned1 and his eye flashed4 ,ere he could speak1 however1 a gentleman whom he had observed sitting near him1 with a newspaper before his face1 dropped the printed screen1 and came forward4 ,mr4 ,arling can breakfast here1 at any rate1 said he1 in the tone of a man accustomed to overcome all obstacles2 it will give me pleasure to have him for my vis--vis at the early breakfast that ,i have bespoken this morning1 in order to gain time for a visit to a far-away patient4 ,and you can at least give him the room of which you speak until it is called for2 by that time1 we will hope1 he may be provided with one even more to his mind4 ,certainly1 doctor1 returned the landlord1 looking a little crestfallen4 ,if ,i had known the gentleman was a friend of yours-- ,hardly that yet1 interposed the doctor1 smiling1 though ,i trust he may be1 in good time4 ,i know your uncle very well1 he continued1 addressing ,bergan1 as the landlord moved away1--indeed1 ,i may say1 your two uncles1--if that be any ground of acquaintance4 ,but ,i have the advantage of you1 in that ,i heard your name just now2--mine is ,remy--,felix ,remy--very much at your service4 ,not that this announcement places us on an equal footing2 for1 while your name puts me at once in possession of your antecedents1 to a certain extent1 mine tells you nothing about me except that ,i am of ,french descent4 ,are you willing to take the rest on trust1 until a fitting time for a fuller explanation8 ,and the doctor held out his hand4 ,until the end of time1 replied ,bergan1 grasping it warmly4 ,it would be strange if kindness were not its own sufficient explanation4 ,doctor ,remy shrugged his shoulders with a frank cynicism4 ,perhaps so1 said he4 ,yet ,i make bold to confess that my own practice is to look kindness a little more closely in the face than its opposite4 ,the latter generally wears its reasons openly on its forehead2 but for the complicated motives at the bottom of the former1 one needs to look long and deep4 ,do they pay for the trouble8 asked ,bergan1 smiling4 ,not unless you love knowledge for its own sake4 ,as society is constituted1 you cannot well act upon it4 ,to apparent kindness1 one has to return apparent gratitude4 ,i trust ,i succeed in making mine 'apparent1' said ,bergan1 falling into the doctor's humor4 ,perfectly4 ,it could not be told from the genuine article4 ,the same thing might be said of your kindness4 ,doubtless4 ,but here comes ,cato1 to show you to your room4 ,i think breakfast will be ready as soon as you are4 ,a very few moments sufficed for ,bergan to remove the traces of his early morning walk1 and rejoin his new acquaintance in the breakfast-room4 ,the two gentlemen at once seated themselves on opposite sides of the table4 ,an opportunity was thus afforded them to observe each other at their leisure1 of which ,bergan was first to avail himself4 ,his interest had been awakened by the doctor's peculiar style of conversation4 ,he saw before him a man of medium height and compactly built figure4 ,his locks had been touched by thought or care to a premature grayness1 for he had scarcely yet entered upon middle age4 ,his features were regular1 and would have been handsome had they been less keenly and coldly intellectual1--the physical mould was forgotten in the mental one that made itself so much more manifest4 ,their expression was one of active intelligence and calm force1 embittered1 at the mouth1 by a touch of scorn4 ,yet the face did not absolutely repel2 for many minds1 it would possess an inscrutable fascination4 ,it provoked study2 it challenged the imagination and the understanding4 ,the doctor's conversation was marked by a curious frankness1 and an equally curious reserve4 ,he made no scruple whatever of opening to the light of day shadowy recesses of motive and aim that most men would studiously close1 nor of putting himself at odds with the world on various points of social or moral ethics1 nor of boldly questioning and criticising much that mankind consents to hold in reverence4 ,yet1 at the end of an hour's conversation1 though he had talked readily and fluently on many subjects1 and said something true1 or profound1 or brilliant1 or suggestive1 about each1 his interested1 amused1 startled1 and bewildered hearer could find almost no residuum of his real opinions about any of them4 ,it was impossible to decide where he had been in jest1 and where in earnest2 through his most serious argument had run a vein of mockery1 from under his profoundest thought had peeped forth a hidden sarcasm4 ,his creed1 social1 moral1 and political1 continually slipped through the seeker's fingers in subtle1 witty1 or scornful negations and controversions4 ,not that ,bergan was conscious of this1 at the moment1--nor1 indeed1 until after many days of familiar intercourse4 ,he recognized in the doctor an intellectual cultivation of no ordinary depth and scope2 he was interested and well-nigh dazzled by his originality of thought1 the boldness of his attacks1 and the freedom of his speculations2 but the dubious aspect of his own affairs continually rose before him to harass his mind and distract his attention2--he was himself incapable of close observation or continuous thought4 ,after a time1 his glance sank upon his plate1 or wandered aimlessly out of the window3 though he forgot no requirement of courtesy1 he was often in a state of semi-abstraction4 ,then1 in his turn1 ,doctor ,remy fixed his eyes upon his companion4 ,it was evident that to subjected him to a far more careful and penetrating scrutiny than he had sustained himself4 ,he noted his looks1 he weighed his words1 he analyzed his turns of thought1 in a way to indicate that exceeding love of knowledge for its own sake1 of which he had spoken1 or some deeper motive than even his hardy frankness would care to divulge4 ,whether or no he liked what he saw1 no mortal could have told4 ,the doctor's face was a sort of mechanical mask1 absolutely under his control2 it expressed anything or nothing1 according to his will4 ,one thing only would have been plain to the observer1 that he was puzzled by something which he found1 or did not find4 ,after one of his deeply penetrating glances1 he suddenly called for a bottle of wine1 and1 first filling his own glass1 passed it across the table4 ,i am fortifying myself for a harder day's work than usual1 said he1 as if by way of apology1 if apology were needed4 ,will you try it8 ,i think ,i can assure you that it is tolerably good4 ,thank you2 ,i never take wine at breakfast4 ,anything else that you would prefer-- began the doctor1 courteously4 ,nothing whatever1 thank you1 replied ,bergan1 with a most conclusive wave of the hand4 ,then you do not hold the theory that a little good wine1 or other spirits1 after a meal1 clears the brain1 and aids the digestion8 ,do ,i look as if ,i stood in need of either good office8 asked ,bergan1 smiling4 ,the doctor gave him a quick1 critical glance4 ,no1 ,i cannot see that you do1 he answered4 ,i should say that1 in your case1 ,nature might safely be left to perform her own functions2--,i do not think ,i ever saw human mechanism in a sounder condition1 or animated by a richer vitality4 ,still1 there can be no great harm in drinking in moderation4 ,of course1 if one cannot do that1 it is best to avoid it altogether4 ,bergan looked up quickly1--almost angrily1--but there was nothing in the doctor's face or manner to indicate that his general remark was weighted with any ulterior meaning4 ,he was holding his wine up to the light with the air of a connoisseur1 and having sufficiently enjoyed its color and bouquet1 he tossed it off with apparent relish4 ,yet ,bergan could scarcely have failed to notice1 had he been less preoccupied1 that he then quietly pushed both glass and bottle aside1 and seemed to forget their existence4 ,can ,i do anything for you1 before ,i set off on my daily treadmill8 he asked1 when the meal was ended4 ,nothing1 thank you1--unless you can tell me where ,i shall be most likely to find lodgings and an office4 ,an office1 did you say8 ,do ,i behold in you a brother of the order of the ,asclepiad8 ,no1 ,i have not that honor4 ,i am enrolled in the ranks of the ,law4 ,how many pegs shall ,i take myself down1 in your estimation1 if ,i proclaim myself a deserter therefrom8 ,bergan could not help looking the astonishment that he did not express4 ,it is true1 said the doctor1 answering the look4 ,i studied law1 and practised it for about two years4 ,but it did not suit me4 ,would it be impertinent to ask why8 ,not at all4 ,it gave too much scope1 or too little1 to my natural antagonism of mind2--too little for mental satisfaction1 too much for material advantage4 ,for instance1 ,i was always possessed with an insane desire to clear the guilty man1 whether he were my client1 or no4 ,yet you deny to yourself the credit of generous impulses6 ,stay a little4 ,i was often assailed with an equally insane desire to convict the innocent one--when he was not my client4 ,do not look so horrified1 for the same motive was at the bottom of both4 ,it was because ,i saw so clearly that1 with an exchange of circumstances1--inherited traits1 education1 temptation1 and so forth1--there would also be an exchange of persons4 ,in that case1 it would seem that neither should be convicted4 ,exactly4 ,but it was ,society that needed to be convicted and punished4 ,there was a real satisfaction in reversing its unrighteous judgments4 ,bergan felt that he was sinking in a kind of mental quicksand4 ,but1 he objected1 catching hold of the first twig of support that offered itself1 you count the man's will for nothing4 ,with most men1 it does count for nothing4 ,where one man performs either a good or a bad action deliberately1 looking behind and before him1 nine hundred and ninety-nine do it because of the pressure of outward circumstance4 ,you think1 then1 said ,bergan1 after a moment's consideration1 that when a man wilfully embarks on the current which tends toward the ,niagara cataract1 it is his misfortune1 and not his fault1 if he finally finds himself at a point where the pressure of outward circumstance must needs carry him over the fall4 ,in that case1 said the doctor1 the responsibility shifts back to the power that made the current and the fall1 and put them in his way4 ,bergan saw the wide labyrinth of controversy opening before him1 and tacitly declined to set foot in it4 ,he was in no mood for polemics4 ,he merely asked1-- ,and in what way--if the question is admissible--do you find medicine more to your taste than the law8 ,in medicine1 there is always a distinct and a legitimate foe to combat--disease4 ,when one engages in a hand-to-hand fight with a fever1 there are no side issues4 ,nor does it matter in the least1 whether battle is to be done over the body of an incarnate demon or an angel unfledged1--in both cases1 the treatment is identical1 the physician's duty the same4 ,i think ,i understand you1 said ,bergan1 after a pause1 during which he had been trying to reconcile these curious and half conflicting statements with some underlying principles1 and finding it1 at last1 in his own heart1 rather than in the doctor's words2--a physician's professional and abstract duty are never at variance1 while a lawyer must often be puzzled to decide if he is justified in using his legal skill to save a criminal from merited punishment4 ,it is a question that puzzles few of them1 remarked the doctor1 dryly4 ,but in regard to this office1 in posse1 of yours2--,i rent my own from a very respectable widow lady1 whose house is much too large for the narrow income to which she found herself restricted1 at her husband's death4 ,i think she has another room1 that she would be glad to let to an eligible tenant4 ,shall we go and see8 ,it is quite in my way2 ,i must visit my office before ,i set out on my rounds4 ,the house won ,bergan's liking1 at a glance4 ,it stood on a corner2 it was large and airy2 double piazzas surrounded it on three sides2 over it a hale old live-oak and half-a-dozen gray1 decrepit china-trees flung their pleasant shade4 ,in the rear1 was a tempting thicket of a garden1 which ,art had first planted1 and then handed over to ,nature1 to be taken care of at her leisure1--the result being an altogether admirable and ,eden-like wilderness of boughs and vines1 and1 in their season1 flowers and fruits1 such as can be seen nowhere but at the ,south4 ,the interior of the dwelling wore a most attractive look of neatness1 comfort1 and refinement1 notwithstanding its extreme plainness of finish and furniture4 ,crossing its threshold1 he felt that a true home had received him into its beneficent shadow4 ,nothing could be better for him1 he thought1 than to find an abiding place therein4 ,nor was there any difficulty in the way4 ,the doctor's magical touch arranged the preliminaries4 ,then1 ,mrs4 ,lyte1--a pale1 sweet1 fragile-looking woman1 with the gentle gravity of manner that comes of sorrow at once incurable and resigned--yielded at once to the magnetism of ,bergan's address1--the involuntary softening of tone wherewith he recognized the claim of her black garments upon his sympathies1 the manifest deference which he paid to her loneliness1 her bereavement1 her sorrow4 ,since it was needful to sacrifice something of the home seclusion and sacredness to the necessity of daily bread1 she could not hope for a more desirable tenant4 ,the negotiations were quickly concluded4 ,not only was an office secured1 but a lodging-room in its rear was also placed at his disposal2 and he was to take his meals at the hotel4 ,returning thither1 and finding that his baggage had duly arrived from the ,hall1 ,bergan's active temperament would not let him rest until he had transported it to his new quarters1 and gotten them in tolerable order4 ,in this business he consumed the greater part of the day4 ,the sun was low in the horizon1 when1 by way of a finishing touch1 he nailed a tin plate1 bearing in gilt letters the words1--,,bergan ,,arling1 ,,attorney ,,at ,,law1 to his office window4 ,with the act1 came a thrill of strange enjoyment4 ,it was like the first breath of a new and invigorating atmosphere4 ,that little sign imparted an element of solidity to his plans and aims1 hitherto lacking4 ,it marked an epoch in his life4 ,now1 first1 he flung himself1 with all his strength and energy1 into the great struggle of mankind4 ,to this pleasantly excited mood1 motion was still desirable1 weariness unfelt4 ,he decided to pay a visit to his second1 and yet unknown1 uncle1--,godfrey ,bergan4 ,he quitted the village with the last1 red sunbeams4 ,,part ,,second4 ,,the ,,fruit ,,of ,,the ,,way4 ,i4 ,,through ,a ,,mist4 ,oakstead1 the estate of ,godfrey ,bergan1 was separated from the lands of the ,hall by the small river--or creek1 in local parlance--which has before been mentioned4 ,the pleasant dwelling of the owner stood not far from a picturesque bend of the stream1 commanding a view of its tawny1 slumberous current for a considerable distance up and down1--a view made up of gentlest curves and softest coloring only1 yet with enough of quiet beauty to arrest ,bergan's feet1 for some moments1 on the oak-shadowed lawn4 ,the river's tide stole almost imperceptibly past1 mirroring in its still bosom the sunset-painted sky1 and the graver tinted objects of earth1 with equal felicity1--like a gentle spirit1 in whose well-ordered life the things of either world find their appropriate place and exquisite harmony4 ,just at that point of the upper stream where an artist would have placed it for the best pictorial effect1 was the bridge of the main road1 with rough abutments half-buried in wild foliage1 and railings overrun with vines2 and at a remoter point down its shining course1 the slenderer span of a narrow footbridge1 with a single rustic railing1 was also seen1 idealized by distance into an aerial passway fit for fairy feet4 ,in the earlier days of ,godfrey's proprietorship1 while the half-brothers were yet on friendly terms1 this latter structure had furnished the means of easy and frequent communication between the two households4 ,on the cessation of intercourse1 however1 ,major ,bergan had threatened its destruction1 and had even begun an attack upon his own abutment2 but his operations being suddenly suspended1 and no convenient opportunity occurring for their resumption1 he had finally left the work of demolition to be finished by the wear and tear of the elements1 and the slow tooth of time4 ,though in a somewhat ruinous condition1 and but insecurely poised on the damaged abutment1 the bridge was still passable1 with due caution2 and1 doubtless1 it served for the nocturnal visits of such negroes of the two estates as were not set at odds by the bitterness of their masters' feud4 ,at a little distance below the footbridge1 the river made another graceful bend1 and soon disappeared in the shadow of the pine forest1--behind and above the dark1 swaying fringe of which1 the posthumous glory of the sun was fading from the western sky4 ,against this flitting splendor1 the turret-like summits of the chimneys of ,bergan ,hall were distinctly visible4 ,a little saddened by the sight1 as forcing back on his mind thoughts and images which he had partially succeeded in flinging off1 ,bergan turned and walked quickly up the path to the house4 ,voices met him as he drew near4 ,in one end of the broad piazza1 so shut in by interlacing vines as to constitute a kind of leaf-tapestried parlor1 two gentlemen were talking4 ,i am afraid the identity is only too certain1 said the smooth1 sarcastic voice of ,doctor ,remy4 ,but ,i doubt if the habit be a confirmed one1--certainly1 the physical indications are lacking4 ,at any rate1 as ,i said before1 he is evidently making an effort to overcome it4 ,i wish that no such effort were necessary1--began a different voice2 but with the instinct of delicacy1 ,bergan set his foot upon the lower step of the piazza in a way to be distinctly heard1 and would have done the same had he supposed that the conversation concerned him1 which he did not4 ,the voice ceased abruptly1 and a gentleman1 whom he instantly recognized as his uncle1 advanced to meet him4 ,though he had enough of the ,bergan cast of feature to identify him at the first1 casual glance1 as belonging to the race1 it was lost1 almost as soon as seen1 amid traits widely differing from the ancestral pattern4 ,he was a much more genuine outcome of ,american soil than the rest of ,sir ,harry's descendants1--in whom a childhood fed upon old-world family traditions1 and a youth spent at ,oxford or ,cambridge1 had availed to preserve the ,english mould from all but the more unavoidable modifications4 ,the race had always been marked by a greater volume of muscle1 a ruddier complexion1 and a sturdier texture of character1 than was exactly native to the soil4 ,but1 in ,godfrey ,bergan1 these characteristics were lacking4 ,though tall and well-formed1 he was spare in figure and thin in face4 ,his complexion had the true ,american sallowness of tint4 ,in matters of bulk1 weight1 and coloring1--all the purely animal characteristics1--he fell far below the standard of his half-brother4 ,by way of indemnity1 his figure had more litheness and grace2 and his features were more clearly cut1 and endowed with a keener vivacity of expression1--apparently1 they were informed by a quicker and finer intellect1 as well as a gentler spirit4 ,altogether1 it was a thoughtful1 a refined1 and a benevolent countenance1 that confronted ,bergan2 yet not without certain firm lines about the mouth to indicate that its owner could be decided1 if he chose1 and perhaps severe4 ,while it invited liking1 it commanded respect4 ,it was with real pleasure that ,bergan made his self-introduction to a relative with so many apparent claims to affection and esteem4 ,yet1 even while he mentioned his name and relationship1 and held out his hand1 as to a stranger1--albeit a friend1--he was beset by an uneasy consciousness that he had met ,mr4 ,bergan1 or somebody very like him1 before4 ,but where8 ,sending a swift1 retrospective glance through his life1 he could find no clue to the perplexing feeling2 and1 having scant time for investigation1 he quickly dismissed it as the offspring of some indefinite and elusive resemblance1 perhaps to one of the ancestral portraits1 perhaps to a half-forgotten acquaintance4 ,it was the more easily disposed of1 that its place was soon filled by another shadowy vexation4 ,his uncle's reception was both courteous and kind2 yet he could not help feeling intuitively that it was lacking in some indefinable element of cordiality1 even while he repudiated the intuition as a baseless figment of his own imagination4 ,certainly1 there was no tangible coolness1 not so much as a thin film of indifference1 upon which to lay a plausible finger-tip2 nothing that did not slip away from every attempt at analysis1 and seem to resolve itself into a sickly humor of his own4 ,at worst1 he told himself1 there was only some less definite expression of consanguineous sympathy1 in the pressure of his uncle's hand1 and in the modulations of his voice1 than he had allowed himself to look for2 and this was a mere matter of mood and temperament1 the absence of which formed no good ground of complaint1 whatever warmth and grace might have been contributed by its presence4 ,no doubt1 it would come in good time4 ,meanwhile ,doctor ,remy1 sending forth his keen glance from the shadowy end of the piazza1 had recognized the new comer2 and he now presented himself1 hat in hand4 ,the first meeting of near relatives1 said he1 with his indescribable mixture of seriousness and sarcasm1 is a scene upon which a third person is bound to pronounce his blessing1 and--turn his back6 ,nay1 no disclaimers2 he is equally bound not to listen to them4 ,good evening1 ,mr4 ,bergan1--allow me to remark that good influences may avail much in the matter that we were talking of4 ,good evening1 ,mr4 ,arling1--it gives me pleasure to leave you in such agreeable quarters2 ,oakstead has manifold attractions1 as you are in the way to discover4 ,and the doctor bowed1 and descended the steps4 ,mr4 ,bergan turned to his nephew4 ,i hope you left my sister well1 said he4 ,quite well4 ,i have a letter from her for you4 ,i am ashamed that it has not been delivered before1 but-- ,bergan hesitated2 a further explanation would take him upon delicate ground4 ,never mind the sequence of the 'but1' said his uncle1 smiling1 albeit a little gravely2--,i am aware that the road from ,bergan ,hall to ,oakstead is not so smooth as could be wished4 ,i--there was a slight hesitation1 as if a colder phrase had been sought1 and not found1--,i am glad that you were able to surmount its difficulties so soon4 ,a letter from ,eleanor6 he went on1 with a sudden change of subject1--that will be a treat indeed6 ,i take shame to myself that our correspondence has fallen into such desuetude4 ,but what one ever did survive the lapse of forty-two years1 without the reviving impulse of an occasional meeting8 ,i hardly dare venture a question about my sister's family1 lest ,i make some terrific blunder4 ,i am not even sure about the present number of her children4 ,there are six of us left4 ',left' implies 'taken1' said ,mr4 ,bergan1 with a sigh4 ,we have lost two of our number4 ,so have we1 replied ,mr4 ,bergan4 ,but we have not six left--we have only one4 ,however1 she is a host in herself1--at least1 we think so1--he added1 with a smile at his own enthusiasm4 ,but1 will you come in and see your aunt and cousin8 ,he led the way to a small room1 pleasantly furnished as a library2 and ,bergan followed him1 though not without a vague sense of a lurking reluctance and lukewarmness in the invitation1--which he sternly smothered1 nevertheless1 as unworthy of himself and unjust to his uncle4 ,stepping to an open ,french window1 ,mr4 ,bergan slightly raised his voice and called1-- ,carice6 ,yes1 father6 was the instant answer1 in a voice of peculiar richness and melody2 and the next moment a young girl stood in the window1 with a light shawl wrapped round her slender figure1 and her hands filled with autumn flowers1 just gathered4 ,the light was too dim to show her features clearly2 but a certain indefinable freshness and sweetness seemed to enter the room with her and diffuse itself through the atmosphere not less perceptibly than the scent of the flowers4 ,at sight of a stranger1 imperfectly seen in the twilight obscurity of the room1 she stopped abruptly4 ,it is your cousin1 ,bergan ,arling1 the son of my sister ,eleanor1 briefly explained her father4 ,there was a little start of surprise and of pleasure2 then ,carice dropped her flowers on the nearest table1 and gave ,bergan two cordial hands4 ,not only was there a charming grace in the unstudied action1 but also the pleasant heart-warmth1 the frank recognition of kinship and its appropriate sympathies1 which ,bergan had so unaccountably missed from his uncle's manner1 even while trying to persuade himself1 either that it was there1 or that its absence was no matter of surprise4 ,have ,i really a cousin1 then6 said she1 brightly4 ,i never believed it till now4 ,that story of cousins at the ,west always sounded like a pleasant fiction to me1--,i am glad to know that it is founded on fact4 ,on six facts1 said ,bergan1 smiling4 ,i am the fortunate representative of five other claimants to your cousinly regard4 ,carice laughingly shook her head4 ,i believe what ,i see1 said she1--or rather what ,i should see1 if it were not so dim here4 ,by and bye1--after ,i have ordered lights1--,i may be able to reason from the seen to the unseen4 ,and she glided from the room1 which seemed to grow suddenly dark and chill behind her4 ,very shortly she returned1 preceded by a servant bearing lights1 and accompanied by her mother4 ,looking toward ,bergan with a smile1 she gave a slight start2 the coming words were arrested on her parted lips2 the color mounted to her brow2 across her face went a swift ripple of disappointment and pain4 ,quickly recovering herself1 she presented him to her mother2 but the bright cordiality1 the warm heart-glow1 of her earlier manner1 had faded1 and came no more4 ,it was as if a gray screen had suddenly been drawn before a cheery household fire4 ,happily for ,bergan1 his aunt claimed his attention1 before he had time to feel the full dreariness of the change4 ,she was a woman of rare tact1 and much kindliness of heart1 despite a somewhat stately manner1 and a considerable degree of aristocratic chill for people not exactly in her set4 ,she gave ,bergan a warm welcome1--almost a motherly one2 there was something about him that brought a softening remembrance of the two sons that slept in the family burial ground1 and quietly opened the way for him into her heart4 ,finding his entertainment left very much in her hands1 she cared for it kindly2 though not without a secret wonder at the inexplicable indifference of her husband and daughter4 ,but she did her best to make amends for it by her own friendliness1 and in part1 succeeded4 ,meanwhile1 ,bergan was beset by another tantalizing resemblance4 ,never1 he thought1 had he seen anything quite so lovely as his cousin ,carice1--with her soft1 brown hair1 her clear rose-complexion1 her large1 limpid1 blue eyes1 the lily-like droop of her exquisitely formed head1 the inexhaustible grace of her attitudes and movements1--but he had certainly seen somebody a little like her4 ,so strong1 yet so puzzling was this conviction1 and so frequent the glances consequently sent in her direction1 that he felt a word of explanation might not be amiss4 ,excuse me1 said he1 if ,i seem to be looking at you almost constantly2 but there is something about you curiously familiar1 though it is impossible that we should have met before4 ,i suppose ,i must have seen somebody that resembled you2 but ,i cannot tell when or where4 ,carice looked down1 and colored slightly4 ,her father came to her relief4 ,there is often no accounting for resemblances1 said he4 ,when there is any tie of blood1 however remote1 we understand them1 of course2 but when the face of an utter stranger startles me in the street with the very smile of my sister ,eleanor1 or the grave look of my dead father1 what am ,i to think8 ,one would like to know1 remarked ,bergan1 if there is a mental and moral likeness1 to match the physical one4 ,when ,i fix the resemblance that eludes me so persistently in you1 he added1 turning to ,carice1 ,i hope it will help me to answer the question4 ,i doubt if it does1 replied ,carice1 quietly1 yet not without a certain something in her tone that sounded almost like sarcasm4 ,he looked at her in considerable surprise1 but her eyes were turned away1 and she said no more4 ,feeling as if he were walking in a mist1 which everywhere eluded his grasp1 while it blinded his eyes1 and chilled his heart1 he rose to go4 ,let me see1 said his aunt1 kindly1 as she gave him her hand1 to-morrow will be ,sunday1 will it not8 ,pray let us find you in our pew at church in the morning2 and come home with us to an early dinner1 before the evening service4 ,bergan hesitated4 ,he had no reasonable excuse2 yet his uncle had not seconded the invitation4 ,as if suddenly cognizant of the omission1 ,mr4 ,bergan now spoke4 ,come1 by all means1 said he1 with more kindness than he had yet shown1--for he could not bring himself to give a half-hearted invitation to his sister's son1--,i have still a great deal to ask about your mother4 ,and ,i1 said his aunt1 laughing1 have still a great deal to ask about yourself4 ,good night4 ,they stood on the piazza watching him1 until he was out of sight4 ,then ,carice turned to her father4 ,did he say anything about--yesterday8 she asked1 gravely4 ,not a word4 ,i should have liked him better if he had offered some explanation4 ,perhaps he did not recognize us1 suggested ,carice4 ,how could he help it8 ,i don't know1--only--you were angry and ,i was frightened2 probably our faces did not wear their natural expression4 ,besides1 he was doubtless a little bewildered by his fall1 and-- ,what or whom are you talking about8 here broke in the amazed ,mrs4 ,bergan4 ,about my nephew1 the mad cavalier who so nearly came into collision with ,carice yesterday1 replied her husband4 ,mrs4 ,bergan threw up her hands4 ,and you let me invite him to dinner6 she exclaimed1 in a tone of deep injury4 ,how could ,i help it1 my dear8 ,besides1 he is my sister's son4 ,meanwhile1 ,bergan found his way back to the village through the darkness1 wondering what had become of the lightness of heart and cheerfulness of hope with which he had set out--he looked at his watch--only two hours before6 ,,ii4 ,,strengthened ,,out ,,of ,,zion4 ,st4 ,paul's ,church1 ,berganton1 was a small1 plain structure of brick and stone1 rather prettily situated on the bank of the aforesaid creek1 which flowed through the midst of the town4 ,its sole claim to exterior beauty must have rested on the thick vines which covered its walls1 framed its windows1 and climbed to the roof of its low1 square tower2 doing their best to atone for its many architectural deficiencies1 its failure to present to the eye a certain material beauty of holiness1 in harmony with the spiritual loveliness of the unseen temple1 of which it was the faint type4 ,toward this church1 on the morning after his visit to ,oakstead1 ,bergan directed his steps4 ,meeting his uncle in the vestibule1 he was soon seated in the square family pew1 and had a few moments to look about him1 before service4 ,in its small way1 the church was almost as much a memorial of the ,house of ,bergan as the old ,hall itself4 ,sir ,harry had been a fair sample of the average ,english ,churchman of his day1 with whom a certain amount of religious observance was deemed necessary and becoming1 both by way of seemly garmenting for one's self1 and good example for one's neighbors4 ,if it did not reach very deep into the heart1 it at least imparted a certain completeness and dignity to the outward life4 ,moreover1 family tradition was strongly in religion's favor4 ,there had always been relations of a highly friendly and decorous sort between the house and the church2 and to have turned his back disrespectfully upon the one1 would have been to show himself a degenerate scion of the other4 ,as a natural consequence1 ,sir ,harry did not feel that he had done his whole duty to himself1 or his posterity1 until he had provided a fitting stage for the necessary family ceremonials of christening1 marriage1 and burial2 as well as an appropriate spot for his own enjoyment of a respectable ,sunday doze1 under the soothing influence of an orthodox sermon1 after having duly taken his share in the responses of the morning service4 ,if this school of ,churchmen had its faults1 it also had its virtues4 ,if its standard of religion was a low one1 with a strong leaning toward human pride and selfish indulgence2 it was better than the open irreverence and infidelity1 the unblushing disregard of religious restraints and sanctions1 of later generations4 ,under ,sir ,harry's auspices1 therefore1 the foundations of ,st4 ,paul's were laid1 and its walls arose1 as a kind of necessary adjunct to ,bergan ,hall4 ,and his successors1 with rare exceptions1 had felt it a duty to add to its interior attractions1 as well as to make it a continuous family record1 by memorial windows of stained glass1 mural tablets of bronze or marble1 and thank-offerings of font1 communion plate1 and other appliances and adornments4 ,some of these1 no doubt1 were merely self-laudatory1 the fitful outgrowth of family pride2 others might have sprung from a sense of what was beautiful and fitting1--which was a very good thing1 as far as it went1 though it went not much below the surface2 but a few there were1 doubtless1 which had been consecrated to their use by heartfelt tears of sorrow1 of penitence1 or of gratitude4 ,be this as it may1 they all helped 7at least1 in human eyes7 to give the interior of ,st4 ,paul's a certain completeness1 and even a degree of beauty and harmony4 ,still1 both in its size and its decorations1 the church was far inferior to the ,hall4 ,there was a vast disproportion1 both in amount and quality1 between the space and the furniture set apart for the service and pleasure of a single household1 and that consecrated to the worship of ,god1 and the spiritual nurture of ,his people4 ,but1 in the matter of preservation1 as well as in answering a definite end1 the advantage was greatly on the side of the church and its appointments4 ,wherever the ,bergan hands had grown slack1 or had been withdrawn1 in that work1 others had taken it up1 for the love of ,christ1 and carried it forward to completion1 or kept it from lapsing back into chaos4 ,and so1 ,bergan--remembering how surely the merely secular memorials of ,sir ,harry and his successors had been overtaken by the slow feet of decay1 while these others had been saved by their connection with an institution having a deeper and broader principle of life--was led into a natural enough1 though for him a most unusual1 train of thought4 ,he asked himself if ,sir ,harry would not have done better1 even for his own selfish end1 to have given the larger share 7or1 at least1 an equal one7 of his time1 care1 and money1 to the edifice which had the surest hold upon permanency1 and was most likely to be sacredly kept for its original purpose4 ,in our country1 more than almost anywhere else1 people build houses for other people to dwell in1 and ,time delights to blot family names from his roll1 at least on the page where they were first written4 ,all family mansions1 however fair and proud1 are surely destined to fall into stranger hands1 or to be given over to the ,vandal occupation of decay4 ,all families1 of however lofty position1 are certain to sojourn1 at times1 in the valley of humiliation1 if they do not lose themselves in the deeper valley of extinction4 ,would it not have been better1 then1 to have foregone somewhat of the frail and faithless magnificence of ,bergan ,hall1 and linked the dear family name and memory more closely with the indestructible institution which belongs to the ages8 ,and1 as he thus questioned1 the narrow walls1 the low roof1 and the insignificant adornments of the little church seemed slowly to widen and lift themselves to the grand proportions of a vast1 pillared temple2 and the small chancel window--doing so little1 nor doing that little well1 to keep alive the fair memory of ,elizabeth1 wife of ,sir ,harry--became a great glory of pictured saints and angels1 through whose diaphanous bodies the rainbow-light fell softly among a crowd of kneeling worshippers2--unto whom the sculptured mural tablets1 the jewel-tinted glass1 the stately walls1 the soaring arch1 told over and over again the lovely story1 and held up to view the noble example1 of a race whose labor and delight it had been to build strong and beautiful the walls of ,zion2 and which1 in so doing1 had raised up to itself the most enduring1 as well as the most precious of earthly monuments4 ,how much better this than the crumbling splendors of ,bergan ,hall1 and the fading glory of an almost extinct name6 ,the ,lord is in ,his holy temple1 was here breathed through ,bergan's visioned fane1 in appropriately awed and solemn tones4 ,nevertheless1 they broke the slender thread of its being4 ,as ,bergan rose to his feet1 with the rest of the congregation1 its majestic vista1 its pictured windows1 and all its rich array1 vanished like the filmy imagery of a dream1 at the moment of awakening4 ,but it was not without a keen sense of the contrast that he brought his mind back to the real ,st4 ,paul's1 and the service going on under its lowlier roof4 ,nothing remained but the harmonious voice1 which had at once perfected and broken the spell4 ,glancing toward the chancel1 ,bergan saw a clergyman1 with a face that would have been simply benignant1 but for the vivid illumination of a pair of deep-set1 dark-blue eyes1--a light never seen save where a great heart sends its warm glow through all the chambers of a grand intellect4 ,there is something marvellous in the inexhaustible adaptation of the ,church service to the wants of the soul4 ,at the same time that it is a miracle of fitness for the ends of public worship1 it has its adequate word for every secret1 individual need4 ,though ,bergan had heard it hundreds of times before1 and always with a hearty admiration of its beauty and comprehensiveness1 never had its rhythmic sentences fallen upon his heart with such gracious and grateful effect4 ,doubtless1 this was owing1 in great measure1 to the subdued frame of mind induced by the events of the last week2 but it was also due1 in some degree1 to the perfection with which the service was rendered4 ,it was neither hurried nor drawled1 neither grumbled nor whined1 neither a rasping see-saw nor a dull monotone4 ,it was not overlaid with the arts of elocution2 nor was it robbed of all life and warmth by the formal emphasis and intonation of the merely correct reader4 ,but1 in ,mr4 ,islay's mouth1 it became the living voice of living hearts4 ,the dear old words1 without losing one whit of the accumulated power1 and the sacred associations1 of long years of reverent use1 came as freshly and as fervently from the speaker's lips1 as if they were the heart-warm coinage of the moment4 ,as an inevitable consequence1 ,bergan's responses were uttered with answering fervor4 ,and how perfectly they met his wants6 ,how wonderfully they expressed his sense of weakness and failure1 his depression and humiliation1 his new-born self-distrust1 his earnest desire and determination to be stronger against future temptations4 ,in some sentences1 there was a depth of meaning and of fitness1 that seemed to have been waiting all these years for this moment of complete interpretation4 ,continually was he startled by subtile references to his peculiar circumstances1 by the calm precision with which his sores were probed1 and the tender skill which applied to them healing balm4 ,especially was he struck by the ,collect for the day1--so clearly did it express thoughts and feelings too vague in his own mind to have shaped themselves into words3-- ,o ,lord1 we beseech ,thee1 absolve ,thy people from their offences2 that through ,thy bountiful goodness1 they may all be delivered from the bands of those sins which by their frailty they have committed4 ,never before could he have so clearly understood what was meant by the bands of sins1 committed1 not of deliberate intent1 but through frailty4 ,how painfully he felt the pressure of those bands6 how certainly they would cramp his efforts and hinder his progress6 ,and how singularly distinct they had become to his sight1 both in their nature and their effects1 by means of that old1 oft-repeated1 yet ever new1 ,collect6 ,with a half-unconscious attempt at divination1 ,bergan turned over the leaves of his ,prayer ,book1 during the short pause before the psalm1 wondering what other mystic meanings were waiting under familiar words1 for his future needs4 ,it was not without a little chill at his heart that his eye caught the opening sentences of the burial anthem4 ,there could be no question about that4 ,whatever else might or might not be waiting for him1 that was certain1 some day1 to be said over his dead body1 and vainly to try to find entrance into his deaf ears4 ,but when8 ,at the end of a long life2 in the midst of his days2 or ere his work was scarce begun8 ,his work4 ,what was it8 ,to walk in a vain shadow8 ,to disquiet himself in vain8 ,to heap up riches for an unknown gatherer8 ,to write his name high on the temple of ,fame8 ,to become a philanthropist1 or a reformer8 ,no2 but to apply his heart unto wisdom4 ,it was both a deep and a hard saying4 ,bergan felt that he could not fathom it1 even while he saw how ruthlessly it struck at the roots of human pride1 and lopped the boughs of personal ambition4 ,meanwhile1 the psalm had been sung1 and with a rustling of leaves and garments1 the congregation had settled themselves into their seats4 ,through the succeeding hush1 ,mr4 ,islay quietly sent the words of his text3 ,whatsoever thy hand findeth to do1 do it with thy might1 for there is no work1 nor device1 nor knowledge1 nor wisdom1 in the grave whither thou goest4 ,it was the word in season6 ,bergan left the church that day1 not only with a deeper sense of his own mortality1 and consequent weakness1 than ever before2 but also with a modified view of life's work and duty4 ,in one sense1 it was a narrower view1--with that narrowness which feels the need of some true1 fixed centre1 from which to work outward1 with any degree of safety and system1 and1 consequently1 of success4 ,he began to see that he who would influence others for good1 and through them the world1 must first be certain of the point where his influence begins1 and that toward which it tends4 ,not that ,bergan understood1 or would ever be likely to understand1 the full measure and real character of the change that had been wrought in him under that lowly church-roof4 ,up to this point1 his life had been from without1 inward2 henceforth1 it was to be from within outward4 ,the inner life of the soul was really begun in him1--feebly1 half-unconsciously1 it is true1--yet possessing a hidden power of assimilation and growth1 that would soon bend all things to itself4 ,storm and sunshine1 darkness and light1 success and failure1 would alike minister to its wants1 and help it to grow fair and strong4 ,things most inimical to it1 at first sight1 would but give it tougher fibre and lovelier grain2 in the drought1 it would but send its roots down deeper in pursuit of hidden wells2 under the pruning-knife1 it would but burst forth into fairer blossoms and richer fruit4 ,yet it was no sudden change1 for all his life had been a preparation for it4 ,oftenest the kingdom of ,god cometh without observation4 ,the stones of the spiritual temple may be fashioned amid clamor and discord1 but they are laid in their places with a silence that is full of meaning4 ,,iii4 ,,seeing1 ,,but ,,understanding ,,not4 ,the service being ended1 ,bergan naturally turned to his kinsfolk for an ampler and friendlier greeting than had been possible at their hurried meeting in the crowded vestibule4 ,especially--with a grateful remembrance of her yesterday's cordiality--did he look to his aunt for a word of familiar kindness1 that should make him feel less alone1 less of a stranger1 amid the friendly chorus of salutations and leave-takings coming to his ears from the departing congregation4 ,but1 to his surprise and pain1 the same indefinable chill which had made him so vaguely uncomfortable with her husband and daughter1 had now taken possession of her also1 and woven a thin film of ice over the manner that yesterday was so kind4 ,the change was so unaccountable that he could not believe in it4 ,he told himself that the real thing at fault was his own sickly imagination1 that he was morbidly sensitive1 as well as foolishly exacting4 ,he convinced his understanding1 but could not silence his heart4 ,that ,cassandra of the depths continually smote his unwilling ear with her lugubrious voice1 calling upon him to observe how strangely ,mrs4 ,bergan had been transformed overnight1 from the interested1 cordial1 even affectionate aunt1 into the polite and practised woman of the world1 doing merely what courtesy required for the entertainment of the guest that circumstances had flung upon her hands4 ,in this state of affairs1 ,bergan would gladly have exchanged the dinner at ,oakstead for a quiet afternoon in his room and a sober talk with his thoughts4 ,but the invitation being already accepted1 he must needs abide by the event4 ,accordingly1 he took the vacant seat in his uncle's carriage1 and was soon set down at the cottage steps4 ,before dinner1 the two gentlemen were left to a quiet chat by themselves on the cool1 shady piazza4 ,bergan embraced this opportunity to explain1 more fully than he had yet done1 his motives and aims4 ,he told his uncle1--a little proudly1 it might be1 for he wished it to be understood that he had come hither with a self-respecting purpose of independence1 and not with any idea of leaning upon his friends1--he told his uncle that his choice of ,berganton as the starting-point of his professional career1 was due to the influence of his mother4 ,her childhood's home1 and its vicinity1 had always kept a tenacious hold on her affections1 despite the fact that more than two-thirds of her womanhood had been spent elsewhere1 and all the deeper joys and sorrows of her life had blossomed and fruited in different soil4 ,when1 therefore1 it became necessary for one of her sons to go out into the world1 in search of a better field of labor than was afforded in his native village1 her thoughts naturally turned to the spot so haloed in her memory1 and where her ancestry had sent such deep1 old roots into the soil1 as to create a kind of kinship for evermore between their descendants and the locality4 ,it would be a pleasant thing for ,bergan1 she thought1 to make a home and a name for himself in a place where he possessed so strong a claim to residence2 it would be equally pleasant for the old town to recognize the familiar mould of features and character in its streets2 and it would be pleasantest of all for herself to know that her son was with her kinsfolk1 amid well-known scenes1 rather than among strangers1 on ground where her thoughts could find no foothold4 ,some day1 she hoped to visit him there1 and feed her mother's pride upon his success1 at the same time that she renewed her girlhood amid old associations4 ,bergan then touched lightly upon his disappointment in the dull old town--finding it so much duller and older1 even to decrepitude1 than he had expected1 and consequently1 so little eligible to his purpose4 ,and here1 if he had been met by a more interested glance1 and a fuller sympathy1 he would have gone on to speak of the disgraceful scene into which he had been betrayed by his uncle--the ,major--and the obligation under which he felt himself placed thereby to remain in ,berganton1 at least long enough to efface any unfavorable impression which it might have caused4 ,but1 though his uncle ,godfrey heard him patiently and courteously enough1 there was so little of the hearty interest of kinship in his manner1 that ,bergan could not bring himself to open the subject4 ,not only was it unpleasant in itself1 but it touched at many points on deep things of his nature1 which instinctively refused to pour themselves into any but a friendly1 sympathetic ear4 ,if he had known whence came the cloud between his relatives and himself1 he would have spoken1 as a matter of course1 at whatever cost of feeling4 ,but this explanation of the matter suggested itself to him1 only to be inevitably rejected4 ,although it might serve to account for the coolness that had characterized his uncle's manner from the first1 it seemed to throw no light whatever upon the difficult problem of the sudden change from cordiality to reserve1 in ,mrs4 ,bergan and ,carice4 ,a much more natural supposition appeared to be1 that something in his own manner or conversation had unfortunately awakened prejudice or created dislike4 ,for that1 there was no remedy save in time4 ,he could hope that1 when his kinsfolk should come to know him better1 they might be fain to reverse their hasty judgment1 and account him worthy of a place in their liking4 ,but1 until that time should arrive1--though he would do anything in reason to help it on1--there was nothing to encourage or to warrant any overflow of personal confidences4 ,it was scarcely possible1 under the circumstances1 that ,bergan should have reached a different conclusion4 ,of his meeting with ,mr4 ,bergan and ,carice1 during his frenzy of rage and intoxication1 he retained but the vaguest recollection2 and he had totally failed to recognize either his uncle or cousin as his co-actors in the dim and misty adventure4 ,nor was this the only missing link in the chain of events4 ,dr4 ,remy's casual talk1 in the visit immediately preceding his own1 which had first made ,mr4 ,bergan acquainted with the fact of his nephew's presence in the neighborhood1 and gradually led to his identification with the intoxicated cavalier of whom he entertained so disagreeable an impression2 ,carice's subsequent recognition of him1 as soon as his features were distinctly revealed to her2 and his aunt's later discovery of the same lamentable identity2--all these facts were necessary to a clear understanding of the situation1 and its requirements4 ,without them1 no wonder that ,bergan was led astray both in his conclusions and his acts2 the former being the inevitable result of the false logic of the few facts of which he knew1 and the latter going to help the equally false logic of the facts known to others1 of which he knew nothing4 ,so1 after ,mr4 ,bergan had politely assented to his observations upon the dulness of ,berganton1 and somewhat pointedly remarked that perseverance and energy1 when conjoined with upright habits1 were pretty sure to command a reasonable measure of success anywhere1 the conversation turned aside into other channels4 ,the opportunity for a frank explanation--which could alone have placed him upon his proper footing with his new-found relatives--was lost4 ,it would not return until it was too late to be of any considerable service4 ,nevertheless1 at the dinner-table1 the moral atmosphere cleared a little4 ,mr4 ,bergan could not1 in justice to himself1 allow any guest at his board--much less his sister's son--to shiver long in an impalpable mist of coolness and reserve4 ,his wife gladly seconded his efforts toward geniality and cheerfulness4 ,under this opportune sunshine1 ,bergan's manner soon lost its reflected touch of constraint1 and sparkled with pleasant humor1 or was warmed through and through with a rich glow of enthusiasm4 ,despite their prejudices1 his relatives could not but feel its potent charm4 ,under protest1 as it were1 they yielded him a portion of their liking1 even while they refused him their confidence4 ,what a pity1 they thought1 that he is so dissipated1 when he can be so captivating6 ,what a fine character his might be1 but for its one miserable1 ruinous flaw6 ,especially was this thought prominent in the mind of ,carice1 as she listened delightedly to the pleasant flow of his talk1 and her youthful enthusiasm involuntarily sprang forward to meet his4 ,two or three times1 he caught her eyes fixed upon him with an expression that not only puzzled1 but pained him4 ,but for the absurdity of the supposition1 he would have said that it was pity6 ,in the hope of finding a clue to the mystery1 he took a position near her1 when they rose from the table1--leaning with an easy grace against the mantel1 while she occupied the low window-seat1--and the two were soon deep in a conversation of absorbing interest4 ,beginning with books1 if slowly led1 by the way of the morning's service and sermon1 up to vital questions of duty and morals4 ,in its course1 it developed so many points of sympathy between the colloquists1--such happy correspondence of opinion1 without lifeless unanimity1--so many dove-tailed segments of thought1 glad to meet in close and completing union1--that ,mr4 and ,mrs4 ,bergan1 listening1 at first1 with indulgent interest1 finally began to exchange uneasy glances1 and1 at length1 withdrew to the piazza for a hurried consultation4 ,for this fair daughter of theirs--this blue-eyed ,carice1 with the lily-like pose1 and the rose-like face--was their idol4 ,not specially congenial on other points1 they were yet made one by their engrossing devotion to her4 ,she was at once their exceeding joy and their exquisite pain4 ,although she had scarcely been ill a day in her life1 she had a seeming delicacy of constitution that kept them in a constant quake of terror4 ,she had also a sensitiveness of temperament1 as well as a singular purity and simplicity of character1 that filled them with nameless forebodings for her happiness4 ,all their days were spent in keeping safe watch and ward between her and the first threatenings of evil1 of whatever nature4 ,every coming shadow1 every adverse influence1 was foreseen or forefelt1 and turned aside1 before it could reach her4 ,especially1 of late1--seeing her continual growth in loveliness1 of a character at once so rare and so attractive1--they had charged themselves with the duty of watching against any unwise bestowal of her affections1 and consequent misery4 ,and1 up to this time1 there had been no cause for alarm4 ,but now1 as ,mrs4 ,bergan glanced back through the window at the rapt talker and listener1 noting the earnestness and heightened color of the one1 and the unwonted brightness half-hidden under the drooping lashes of the other1 she turned to her husband with an anxiety that needed no further explanation4 ,they are cousins1 remember1 said ,mr4 ,bergan1 snatching at the first thread of hope1 though not without a sufficient sense of its fragility4 ,only half-cousins1 at best1--or rather1 at worst1 replied his wife4 ,and so utterly different in type and temperament1 that the relationship could never be set up as an insurmountable barrier4 ,besides1 having never met before1 they now meet as strangers4 ,then it will not do to encourage him in coming here1 said ,mr4 ,bergan1 after a pause4 ,i could never give ,carice to a drunkard1 though he were fifty times as handsome and talented4 ,at this moment1 ,carice1 awaking as from a dream1 looked round for her parents4 ,seeing them on the piazza1 she quickly rose1 and came toward them1 followed by ,bergan4 ,there was something in the action inexpressibly reassuring to the troubled spectators4 ,the engrossing spell of the young man's conversation was so suddenly broken1 when she missed her father and mother from her side6 ,they looked at each other with a smile1 and ,mrs4 ,bergan playfully whispered1-- ,i suspect that we are two fools6 ,nevertheless1 enough of the effect of these few moments of parental anxiety remained1 to fling a slight shadow over the party4 ,carice felt it first1 in her quick sympathy with all her parents' moods2 and ,bergan caught it from her as speedily as if there were already some invisible bond between the two4 ,without knowing why1 he very soon became aware that the atmosphere was again growing chill around him4 ,he had been basking1 not in a broad glory of summer1 but only in a flicker of winter sunshine4 ,under these circumstances1 ,mr4 ,bergan's announcement that it was time to set forth for the five o'clock service1 was heard as a relief4 ,almost immediately1 however1 it was followed by an unreasoning pang of regret4 ,it needed no soothsayer to tell him that moments like those just passed1 were to be rare in his immediate experience of life4 ,dusk was fast gathering in the corners and under the arches of the little church1 when the service was over4 ,parting with his relatives at the door1 ,bergan went his solitary way to his lodgings1 through the deepening twilight4 ,he walked slowly1 not that the road was so pleasant1 but because the end had so little attraction4 ,the walls and furniture of his room were still strangers to him2--no one corner would allure him with a more familiar charm than another1 no particular chair would draw him irresistibly to its accustomed arms1 no sweet1 tangled crop of associations would fling their mingled light and shadow across the floor4 ,it would all be dim1 blank1 lonely4 ,and the foot falls but heavily on the path1 the termination of which neither habit nor excites imagination6 ,nevertheless1 the slowest progress brings one quickly to the end1 if the journey be short2 and ,bergan's lingering steps brought him to ,mrs4 ,lyte's gate ere the dusk had deepened into total obscurity4 ,entering the wide hall1 which extended through the whole depth of the house1 he saw ,mrs4 ,lyte seated at the farther end1 in a doorway opening on the garden4 ,her little daughter ,cathie was sobbing at her side1 in what seemed an uncontrollable passion of grief and indignation4 ,the child's protector and playmate1 a half-superannuated old mastiff1 named ,nix1 sat on his haunches at a little distance1 watching the scene with sympathetic1 intelligent eyes4 ,cathie was already ,bergan's fast friend4 ,during yesterday's work of arrangement1 she had at first hovered around him at a distance2 then1 yielding to the unconscious fascination of the young man's look and smile1 as well as the irresistible attraction of the litter of books and papers1 she had drawn nearer2 later on1 she had eagerly favored him with the somewhat questionable help of her small fingers1 and the amusing chatter of her tireless tongue2 and she had ended by giving him all her childish confidence1 and a large share of her freakish affections4 ,freakish--because ,cathie was a sort of elf-child2--or it might be truer to say that1 in her small compass1 there were many elf-children2 manifesting their several individualities through her changeable moods1 and sending their various gleam through the almost weird splendor of her dark eyes4 ,she could be wild and tender1 playful and passionate1 wise and simple1 by turns2 or in such quick and capricious succession that she seemed to be all at once4 ,she took as many shapes1 in her flittings about the house1 as there were hours in the day2--now a teasing sprite1 now a dancing fairy1--at this moment1 a tender human child1 melting into your arms with dewey kisses1--the next1 a mocking elf1 slipping from your grasp like quicksilver1 and leaving you with a doubt if there could be anything human about her1--and anon1 a fiery little demon1 with enough of concentrated rage in her small frame to suffice for a giant4 ,it was in this latter phase that she was now exhibiting herself4 ,i won't believe it6 she screamed1 clenching her small fists1 and jumping up and down in a fury of excitement4 ,i won't believe it6 ,it isn't true6 ,miss ,ferrars is a-- ,hush6 said the mother1 softly1 hearing the sound of ,bergan's step4 --,a mean1 lying old maid6 went on ,cathie1 without an instant's hesitation4 ,i wish ,i had told her so6 ,i will1 when ,i see her again6 ,hush6 said the mother again1 more decidedly2 laying her hand over the rebellious month1 by way of enforcing the mandate4 ,but ,cathie broke from her1 and ran towards ,bergan4 ,at a few paces distant1 she stopped and underwent one of her sudden metamorphoses2 the convulsive fury left her features1 and in its stead1 there came a grave sorrow and wistfulness1 piteous to behold4 ,fixing her dark1 bright eyes full on ,bergan's face1 she solemnly asked1-- ,are you bad1 ,mr4 ,arling8 ,tell me1 are you really a bad man8 ,whatever mistakes ,bergan may have made1 in his life1 or may make hereafter1--whatever sins he may commit1 through ignorance1 or in sudden passion1--let it be remembered1 to his credit1 that he could meet those clear1 innocent1 child-eyes1 without a blush1 and answer the question as gravely and simply as it had been asked1-- ,no1 ,cathie1 ,i do not think that ,i am4 ,the truthful accents found their instant way to the child's heart4 ,her confidence--which1 in truth1 had really never been lost--was restored fourfold4 ,she threw herself into his arms1 and laid her young cheek against his1 in a loving attempt to atone for the wrong that had been done him4 ,nix came also1 and rubbed his great head against the young man's knee1 with an apparent understanding of the whole matter4 ,nor was the child's mind the only one to which ,bergan's words had brought quick conviction4 ,hearing his low1 grave tones of denial1 ,mrs4 ,lyte felt a weight lifted from her spirits4 ,she had just been listening to the story of ,bergan's intoxication1 with adornments1 brought by a gossiping neighbor1 and her heart had sunk with fear lest trouble and discomfort had found their way under her roof1 with the new inmate4 ,but seeing him thus acquitted by the child and the dog1--two most unprejudiced judges1 she thought1--she quietly dismissed her fears4 ,for1 though so gentle and shrinking in manner as to give the impression of having no character at all1 ,mrs4 ,lyte was yet quite capable of forming an independent opinion1 and of abiding by it4 ,so1 when ,bergan came toward her1 leading ,cathie by the hand1 she did not hesitate to point him to a seat4 ,your room must be lonely1 said she1 kindly4 ,will you sit with us for awhile8 ,but ,bergan did not heed1 if he heard1 the invitation4 ,he merely looked his hostess in the eyes1 and said2-- ,mrs4 ,lyte1 will you be so kind as to tell me what made ,cathie ask me that question just now8 ,certainly1 if you wish it4 ,but1 ,mr4 ,arling1 the subject was closed1 for me1 with her question and your answer4 ,would it not be as well for you to let it rest there1 also8 ,bergan only shook his head4 ,and after a moment's study of his grave face1 ,mrs4 ,lyte1 very quietly1 as if it were a matter in which she had no concern1 mentioned the report that had been brought her4 ,as quietly1 ,bergan told her the whole story of his stay at the ,hall3--doing so the more readily1 it needs not to be said to those anywise skilled in the intricacies of the human mind1 because he felt that it was not required of him4 ,for1 though ,mrs4 ,lyte listened with the kindest interest and sympathy1 she took care to show by her manner that she did so more to satisfy him than herself4 ,in matters like this1 she was accustomed to trust her instincts more implicitly than her reason2 and she was wise enough to know that trust is the short road to truth1 in all characters not radically bad4 ,and thus1 with the singular inconsequence of human life1 the explanation was made where it was not needed1 and left unspoken where it would have availed much against future misunderstanding1 trouble1 wrong1 and sorrow6 ,,iv4 ,,patient ,,waiting4 ,five or six weeks now glided slowly by1 without working any change in either the circumstances or the relations of the characters with whom this history has to do4 ,bergan still shivered in the chill remoteness of position into which he had been flung1 partly by his fault and partly by his misfortune4 ,not only between him and his relatives1 but dividing him from the whole reputable outside world1 there seemed to be a gulf fixed1 impassable save to formal courtesies and commonplace usages4 ,anything warmer1 more personal1 more exacting1 sought in vain for an eligible crossing place2 and1 if it leaped the gray chasm1 it was only to lose itself among chill1 elusive shapes of mist1 on the opposite side4 ,thus excluded from the only society for which he cared1 ,bergan did not1 as a weaker character might have done1 betake himself for consolation to the lower circles of vice and dissipation that would have welcomed him rapturously4 ,he could better afford to stand alone1 he thought1 than to throw himself into arms whose embrace would soil1 and whose seeming support was an insidious undermining4 ,besides1 it was much more in accordance with his character to regard the exclusion from which he suffered as a challenge to be answered1 an adversary to be overcome1 rather than a verdict to be acquiesced in4 ,he would prove to the world that it had been mistaken4 ,day after day1 therefore1 he spent in his office1--as many a new-fledged lawyer has done before him1--waiting with what patience he might for the clients that never came1 and reading hard1 by way of preparation for the cases that never presented themselves4 ,it was dull and lonely work2 yet it did him good service1 in giving him time for thought and reflection1 and in making him acquainted with his own resources of will1 courage1 patience1 and energy4 ,the only persons who came within the circle of loneliness that surrounded him1 were ,mrs4 ,lyte1 ,cathie1 and ,dr4 ,remy4 ,the first showed him much gentle1 unobtrusive kindness1 chiefly manifesting itself in a motherly oversight of his rooms and prevision of his wants4 ,the second fluttered in and out of his office1 like a bird or a butterfly1 affording him much amusing1 and often opportune1 distraction from hard study or sober-hued thought4 ,but neither of these two1 for obvious reasons1 could give him just the close1 helpful friendship1 of which he stood in need4 ,neither did he find it in ,dr4 ,remy4 ,though he met the physician daily1 and often engaged with him in hour-long colloquies upon all sorts of topics1 he never felt that he really knew him any better than on the first day of their acquaintance4 ,the doctor's peculiar frankness1 which had seemed1 at first sight1 to promise such facility of intimacy1 proved to be really more of the nature of an elastic barrier1 yielding everywhere to the slightest pressure1 but nowhere completely giving way4 ,or1 it might be still more fitly characterized as a deceitful quagmire1 wherein the curious explorer sank indefinitely1 but never touched solid bottom4 ,not that the doctor was at all reticent in regard to the main facts of his outward life4 ,in a desultory way he had furnished ,bergan with a sufficiently distinct outline sketch of his somewhat eventful career1 up to the present moment1--a career which1 for shifts and turns1 outdid that of ,gil ,blas4 ,according to this1 he was born in ,new ,orleans1 the posthumous son of a ,french refugee1 by an ,american wife4 ,when he was twelve years old1 his mother had presented him with a stepfather4 ,the gift proved so little to his taste that1 two years later1 he ran away from the pair1 and flung himself into that ,el ,dorado of boyish imagination--life at sea4 ,in one capacity or another1 during the next twelve years1 he not only contrived to visit most of the countries of ,europe1 but also by dint of natural aptitude for study1 to pick up a language or two1 and to acquaint himself with the essential part of a college curriculum4 ,it now occurred to him to return to ,new ,orleans1 and claim the modest patrimony awaiting him there1 in the hands of his father's executors4 ,he found that his stepfather had been dead for three or four years1 and his mother1 after having exhausted her own scanty resources1 was sinking1 with her two children1 into the dreary depths of poverty4 ,it cost her some effort to recognize the slender stripling of her memory in the brown1 bearded1 broad-shouldered man1 who now presented himself before her as her son4 ,however1 his identity was satisfactorily established1 both by certain indisputable personal marks1 and by the presumptive evidence of his willingness to assume the burden of her support4 ,his next step had been to place himself in a lawyer's office1 where1 in virtue of close application1 he made months do the work of years4 ,admitted by-and-by to the ,bar1 he had practised his profession for a brief space1 but finding the legal life not wholly to his taste1 he had flung it aside2 and with the ready facility which had characterized his whole career1 had betaken himself to the study and the practice of medicine4 ,here1 he averred1 he had found his true vocation1 the rightful mistress of his intellect1 and should undergo no more transformations1 and indulge in no more wanderings4 ,so far1 ,dr4 ,remy gave quite as frank an account of himself as could be expected or desired4 ,but when it came to his inner life of thought1 opinion1 principle1 his frankness was of the sort that obscures1 rather than explains4 ,it put forth jest and earnest1 reason and sophistry1 airy spirituality and dead materialism1 with equal readiness1 and with as much show of interest in one as the other4 ,if ,bergan caught at what seemed to be substance1 it turned to shadow in his grasp4 ,if he grappled with apparent earnest1 it quickly resolved itself into a hollow helmet of sudden championship1 or a thin mask of irony4 ,he was often startled with a doubt whether the doctor had any settled opinions or principles4 ,he pulled down1 but he built not up2 he attacked1 but he rarely defended1--or1 if he defended a thing to-day1 more likely than not1 he would assault it to-morrow4 ,all ,bergan's own opinions and beliefs seemed to lose their consistency in the universal solvent of the doctor's talk1 and only took shape again after a protracted process of precipitation1 in his own mind and heart4 ,if the latter organ made any part of ,doctor ,remy's bodily system1 it never manifested itself to ,bergan by any noticeable throb or sensible warmth4 ,the young man was often puzzled by the question whence came the doctor's evident interest in himself1 since it seemed so plain that it did not spring from any warm personal liking4 ,he felt himself to be the object of his careful study1 frequently2 of his spontaneous affection and sympathy1 never4 ,he could not but wonder at such an amount and duration of a purely intellectual interest1--for such he decided it to be1--when it promised so little result4 ,however1 the doctor's was the only society1 worthy of the name1 that was offered to him2 his1 too1 the only friendship1 or semblance thereof1 that came within his reach4 ,he gratefully availed himself of both1 even while conscious that neither fully met his wants1 or would have been the object of his deliberate choice4 ,without this resource1 the flow of ,bergan's life would have been characterized by a drearier monotony1 even1 than at present4 ,the first slight break in its placid current1 occurred one morning1 on his return from breakfasting at the hotel4 ,to his surprise1 ,vic was tied before ,mrs4 ,lyte's gate1 arching her neck1 and twisting her ears about1 in her usual wild and nervous fashion4 ,in most confiding proximity to her restless heels1 ,brick lay fast asleep on the sunshiny sward4 ,roused by the sound of approaching footsteps1 the latter sprang to his feet1 and donned the palm-leaf debris that he termed his hat1 in time to doff it in deferential acknowledgment of ,bergan's surprised greeting4 ,why1 ,brick6 how do you do8 ,is anything the matter at the ,hall8 ,no1 massa ,harry1 nothing 't all4 ,only1 ole massa1 he say we's gittin lazy1--,vic an' me2--an' he tought you'd better be gettin' some good out ob us1 dan to leab us in de stable--no1 ,i mean1 in the cabin1 no1 one in de stable and turrer in de cabin--a-eatin' our heads off2--dat's jes' what he said1 massa4 ,so he clared us off in a hurry1 an' tole us to gib you his lub1 and tell you dat he 'sposed you'd kinder forgotten 'bout us4 ,there could be no question but that the overture was kindly meant1 on the ,major's part1 but it was one that ,bergan could not possibly accept4 ,judging from present indications1 it would be long before his professional income would suffice for his own support1 to say nothing of the additional expense of a servant and horse4 ,besides1 he had never regarded either ,brick or the filly as actual gifts1 but only convenient loans1 for his use while at the ,hall4 ,any other view of the matter would1 by no means1 have suited his independent character4 ,and1 if this had been the case before the rupture with his uncle1 it was doubly so1 now4 ,major ,bergan must not be suffered to think that his resentment had given way1 or that his good will had been restored1 by the aid of any gifts1 however valuable1 or kindly bestowed4 ,yet he would be glad to send his uncle a friendly message1 to show that he was really grateful for his kindness1 and ready to accept any overture which would not burden him with too heavy a sense of obligation4 ,to ensure its safe delivery1 without the risk of hopeless travesty1 at ,brick's hands1 he went to his desk1 and wrote3 ,,dear ,,uncle3 ,thank you for sending me your love2 that is a thing which ,i am glad to get and keep4 ,but ,i cannot keep either ,brick or ,vic1--,i have no present use for them1 and no means of providing for them1 if ,i had4 ,besides1 ,i never regarded either as mine1 except while ,i remained at the ,hall4 ,many thanks1 all the same1 for your kind intentions4 ,your affectionate nephew1 ',,harry4' ,the signature was written only after considerable hesitation4 ,his note would be sure to fail of the desired conciliatory effect1 if it wholly ignored the name upon which his uncle had so strenuously insisted4 ,yet he could not bring himself to incorporate it with his lawful sign-manual4 ,he was forced to compromise matters by thus using it as a sort of sobriquet4 ,giving the note to ,brick1 he bade him take it straightway to his master4 ,the negro's face instantly fell2 then1 it brightened again with the light of a plausible explanation4 ,i 'spec ,i'se to come back1 arter ,i'se 'livered it8 he asked1 anxiously4 ,no1 ,brick1 ,bergan gravely answered4 ,i cannot afford to keep you2 it is as much as ,i can do1 just now1 to keep myself4 ,but1 massa ,harry1 remonstrated ,brick1 don't you know ,i 'longs to you8 ,i'se your nigger1 sure as deff2 ole massa gib me to you1 an' tole me to wait on you1 don' you 'member8 ,an' how's ,i a goin' to wait on you1 ,i'd jes' like to know1 wid tree good miles atween us8 ',sides1 ,i'd feel so mortify to go right back dar1 like a dog dat don' own no massa1 arter ,i done tole 'em all ,i's coming to lib wid you4 ,it was not without difficulty that ,brick was convinced of the inevitableness of his return to ,major ,bergan4 ,not only did his heart yearn to be in the service of his young master1 but he was fully persuaded that he could help1 rather than hinder1 his fortunes4 ,he forcibly expressed his willingness to work his fingers off in the cause1 and gravely proposed to put himself on a course of semi-starvation1 in the matter of keep4 ,all this being of no avail1 he was finally forced to mount ,vic1 and turn homeward1 a picture of the blackest despair4 ,on the way1 his mind was illumined with a gleam of hope4 ,like all the negroes of the plantation1 he had large faith in the occult power of old ,rue4 ,his present journey1 he well knew1 was mainly owing to her influence4 ,if she could be made to see the propriety of his immediate return to ,bergan's service1 as he did1 no doubt she could find a way to bring it to pass4 ,and her conversion to his views could be effected1 he shrewdly thought1 by a skilful use of ,bergan's confession of straitened circumstances1 as well as a certain suggestive increase of gravity that he had observed in the young man's manner4 ,his smile had not come quite so readily and brightly to his lips as in the old days at ,bergan ,hall4 ,no doubt he was poor1 lonely1 and troubled4 ,he needed some one to take care of him1 and watch over him4 ,and who so eligible to this position as himself8 ,for ,brick had inherited his grandmother's devotion to the ,bergan blood1 and believed that the chief end of his being was to live and die loyally in its service4 ,moreover1 his young master had not only taken tenacious hold of his affections1 but also of that still stronger faculty of the negro mind--his imagination4 ,though he might be a distressed knight1 just at present1 ,brick's faith was firm that his time of triumph was not far off2 and then1 he wanted to be there to see6 ,he lost no time1 therefore1 in presenting himself before ,rue1 on his arrival at ,bergan ,hall4 ,and so dexterously did he work upon her love and pride1 by the deplorable picture that he drew of ,bergan's sadness and poverty1 that the faithful old nurse straightway betook herself to her master1 and never left him till she had persuaded him to mount his horse1 and set forth1 at a brisk trot1 toward ,berganton4 ,in truth1 the ,major was only too glad to be so persuaded4 ,his anger towards his nephew had quickly burned out1 by reason of its own fury2 and in thinking the matter over1 he had come to be more tickled by the young man's prowess than he had1 at first1 been displeased by his flight4 ,you should have seen him knocking those fellows around1 like so many ninepins6 he exclaimed1 exultingly1 to ,rue4 ,i couldn't have done it more neatly myself1 in my best days4 ,i tell you1 he is a true ,bergan at bottom1 if he has got a few crinks and cranks at top4 ,what a pity he could not make up his mind to stay quietly on the old place1 where he belongs2 and which he might have done what he pleased with1 if he had only taken me on the right tack6 ,but he'll come back--he'll come back6 ,estates like ,bergan ,hall don't grow on every bush4 ,it won't take him long to find out that he can't raise one from the law4 ,and then1 he'll be glad to come back to me2 and ,i'll receive him as the father did the prodigal son6 ,but1 as time rolled on1 and ,bergan did not appear to claim this welcome1 the ,major began to feel a chagrin that would quickly have been intensified into anger1 but for the happy suggestion that the young man delayed merely because he was dubious as to his reception4 ,this view of the matter was an excellent salve to whatever of bitter or wounded feeling the ,major still retained4 ,bergan longing1 yet fearing1 to return to him1 was a vision that gently soothed his pride1 while it appealed powerfully to his sympathies4 ,matters having reached this point1 he yielded easily to ,rue's suggestion that ,bergan's horse and servant should be sent to him1 as a hint that hostilities had ceased4 ,and though their prompt return was1 at first1 new matter of wrath1 ,bergan's note1 ,brick's report1 and ,rue's representations and entreaties1 availed to smother the half-kindled flame1 and send him forth toward ,berganton in a most forgiving and patronizing frame of mind4 ,he was ready to make any concessions to his nephew's principles and habits4 ,if ,bergan would but return to the ,hall1 he might dictate his own terms1 and order his life in his own way4 ,the ,major had missed him more than he would have been willing to allow4 ,the old place had not seemed the same without him4 ,its present had lost a strong element of cheer and energy1 and its future had faded into dimness4 ,arriving1 in due time1 at ,mrs4 ,lyte's gate1 the ,major dismounted1 and was about to enter1 when his eyes fell on the little tin plate1 in ,bergan's office window1 which has before been mentioned4 ,if it had been the head of ,medusa1 with all its supernatural powers intact1 it could scarcely have wrought a more complete change in the expression of his face4 ,first1 he glared at it in incredulous wonder2 then1 he nearly choked with inarticulate rage2 finally1 words came to his relief4 ,to the consternation of ,mrs4 ,lyte1 and the intense gratification of the crowd of boys and negroes which quickly gathered at a safe distance1 he proceeded to pour forth a volley of the bitterest curses that he could frame upon the author of what he chose to consider an insult to himself1 and a disgrace to his lineage4 ,that ,i should live to see the name of ,bergan on a snip of a tin sign1 like that6 he growled1 shaking his fist at the offending plate1 and trembling with rage2--what right had the scoundrel to put it there1 ,i should like to know8 ',attorney at ,law1' indeed6--he shall have law enough1 since he likes it so well6 ,i'll sue him for trespass1 libel1 forgery1--,i'll horsewhip him1 and then have him indicted for assault and battery1--,i'll--4 ,but here his indignation choked him1 for a moment4 ,recovering his voice1 his anger took a new direction4 ',bergan ,arling1' indeed6 he muttered1--,i suppose he was ashamed of the ',harry1' though he could put it at the end of his note1--smooth-faced hypocrite that he is6 ,where is he8 he went on1 lifting his voice4 ,why don't he come out1 and face me1 like a man8 ,must ,i go in and drag him out1 by the nape of the neck1--the mean1 sneaking1 insulting puppy6 ,mr4 ,arling is out1 ,i regret to say1 said ,dr4 ,remy1 appearing in the doorway1 and confronting the furious ,major with his cool1 cynical smile4 ,he went out for a walk some fifteen or twenty minutes ago4 ,if he were here1 no doubt it would give him great pleasure to meet you4 ,major ,bergan scowled in a way to show how willingly he would transfer his wrath to this timely object1 if he could only find a reasonable excuse4 ,but1 discovering not the shadow of one in the doctor's polite1 careless manner1 he contented himself with growling1-- ,out1 is he8 ,i wish he were out of the county--and a good riddance6 ,when will he be in8 ,not under an hour or two1 answered the doctor1 wisely postponing the era of ,bergan's return to the utmost limit4 ,umph6 that's the way he spends his time1 is it8 loafing about the country when he should be in his office6 ,well1 ,i've got something to do1 besides wait for him4 ,just tell him1 will you8 that ,i owe him a good1 sound horse-whipping1 and ,i'll pay it to him the first time ,i meet him4 ,i will take charge of your kind message with pleasure1 returned the doctor1 blandly4 ,any further commands8 ,no6 roared the ,major1 with a dim suspicion that he was being made to appear ridiculous1--not unless you like to come out and take the horsewhipping yourself4 ,on the whole1 ,i'd just as soon give it to you4 ,many thanks1 replied the doctor1 with imperturbable coolness4 ,but ,i could not consent to appropriate anything designed for ,mr4 ,arling4 ,if it hurts your conscience1 you can pass it over to him1 rejoined ,major ,bergan1 with grim humor4 ,it would lose its flavor at second-hand1 said the doctor1 smiling4 ,it would be your own fault1 if it did1 responded the ,major4 ,at any rate1 take care that my message don't lose anything1 on the way4 ,and while you're about it1 just tell him that he shall never have ,bergan ,hall1 nor an inch of ground that belongs to it1 never6 ,i'll give it to--,astra ,lyte1 first6 ,the doctor slightly shrugged his shoulders1 as an intimation that the ,major's disposition of his property was a matter that did not interest him2 but the latter mistook it for a sign of incredulity4 ,i will6 ,i swear ,i will6 he repeated1 with an oath4 ,and why shouldn't ,i8 he went on1 after a slight pause1 as if the sudden idea had unexpectedly commended itself to him1--why shouldn't ,i8 ,her father was my cousin2 and he had ,bergan blood in his veins1 too1 through his mother2 and he was a right good fellow1 besides4 ,where is she8 ,miss ,lyte is in ,new ,york1 on a visit1 replied the doctor4 ,umph6 ,i should like to see her4 ,is she growing up bright and handsome8 ,she is both1 returned the doctor1 briefly4 ,then1 she shall have it6 exclaimed the ,major1 with sudden decision4 ,i'll go home1 and make my will4 ,tell ,harry so1 for his comfort1 when he comes back4 ,and the ,major1 delighted that he had bethought himself of a revenge so swift and ample1 mounted his horse1 and rode off4 ,on ,bergan's return1 the scene was described to him by ,doctor ,remy1 with a minuteness and accuracy of detail and coloring that did great credit to that gentleman's powers both of observation and description4 ,nevertheless1 there was something of cynicism1 or of satire1 that grated on his listener's ear2 and he finally stopped the doctor's flow of eloquence with the question1-- ,who is ,astra ,lyte8 ,the doctor looked at him1 with much surprise4 ,is it possible that you have not yet heard of her8 he asked4 ,she is ,mrs4 ,lyte's eldest daughter2 and a genius1 too1--or1 at least1 an artist2--they are not always synonymous terms1 ,i believe4 ,but where have you been living1 not to have become acquainted with her name before this8 ,it is always on ,mrs4 ,lyte's lips2 at least1 she is ready to talk of her by the hour1 with a little encouragement4 ,my conversations with ,mrs4 ,lyte have not been many nor long1 replied ,bergan4 ,an artist1 did you say8 ,but ,doctor ,remy had fallen into a fit of thought4 ,he merely answered the question by a nod2 and very shortly1 he left ,bergan to his own reflections4 ,v4 ,,under ,,the ,,oaks4 ,not many weeks after the preceding incidents1 ,bergan went out1 early one afternoon1 for a long1 solitary ramble4 ,it was not his wont to leave his office before dusk1 but his head ached with study1 and his heart with loneliness and discouragement2 an intolerable weariness and irksomeness had taken possession of him2 his book seemed meaningless1 and his brain paralyzed2 there was nothing for it but to turn from the world of thought1 that had suddenly grown so insufferably arid and dead1 to the living1 breathing world of nature4 ,forest1 and field1 and wave1 if they could not give him intelligent sympathy1 could at least furnish him gentle distraction4 ,and1 oftentimes1 there was a subtile harmony1 almost amounting to sympathy1 between his lonely moods1 and the soft1 rich1 yet melancholy1 ,southern landscape1--for melancholy it always seemed to him1 though that effect may have been partly owing to the gray medium of isolation and depression through which he viewed it4 ,but1 whatever its origin1 this gentle mournfulness was the landscape's consummate charm1--at least1 for any burdened human heart4 ,it is possible that ,eden wore a soft grace of pensive beauty1 after the fall1 which ,adam and ,eve1 wandering back thither1 would have counted a dearer delight1 in their then mood1 than its old1 unshadowed brightness4 ,on his way out1 ,bergan found ,nix stretched at full length across the threshold4 ,with the usual preference of his race for masculine over feminine society1 the dog had early attached himself to the young man1 as much as was consistent with a different ownership4 ,he now rose1 shook himself1 wagged his tail1 and looked wistfully in ,bergan's face4 ,meeting with no rebuff1 he made bold to follow him4 ,leaving the town behind as quickly as possible1 ,bergan first struck into a long1 lonely lane1 shut in1 on either side1 by a thick border of multifarious foliage4 ,trees and shrubs1 both deciduous and evergreen1 not only mingled their boughs along its sides1 but were tied together in an intricate polygamous knot by tangled vines4 ,there was an endless diversity of form and color1--every shape of leaf1 and every hue and shade of green and brown1 with occasional tints of red1 purple1 and orange1 both pale and bright1--and everywhere the gray fringe of the ,spanish moss4 ,by and by1 the lane terminated in the inevitable pine barren1 which frames all ,southern landscape pictures4 ,it stretched away1 in every direction1 as far as the eye could reach1--a vast1 dim solitude1 with a thick1 blue-green roof1 upheld by innumerable slender columns1 and a carpet of fallen needles1 on which the foot fell without a sound4 ,a mysterious sigh pervaded it1 even when no breeze was astir2 its light was but a gentle gloom2 and it had a soft1 aromatic atmosphere of its own1 as if it were another world4 ,no fitter place could have been found for the indulgence of a youthful day dream1 with enough of inherent light and color to overcome the prevailing sombreness1 or1 at least1 to set itself in stronger relief against so darksome a background4 ,but to ,bergan1 the vast1 dim monotony1 with its suggestive correspondence to the circumstances of his own life1 brought only added heartache4 ,the chance openings into the sky were so few1 and the sunshine never fell save flickeringly1 at the farther extremity of some long vista6 ,he soon began to yearn for outlook and aspiration1 some spot affording at least a glimpse of the surrounding world1 as well as a fair look at the open sky4 ,happily1 he knew where to find it4 ,long since1 he had discovered for himself a convenient and attractive out-door haunt1--a kind of natural amphitheatre1 on the edge of one of the numerous bays1 or creeks1 of the vicinity4 ,great1 patriarchal live-oaks1 with hoary beards of moss trailing even to the ground1 had ranged themselves in a semi-circle1 on a high bank1 overlooking the water4 ,standing in attitudes of ponderous grace1 each one scattered shade and quietude over fifty1 sixty1 or1 it might be1 an hundred1 feet of sward4 ,through a broad opening1 in the midst of the dignified circle1 the cheerful sunshine fell unbrokenly2 and on the water-side1 there was a fair stretch of blue waves1 with a sea-green horizon-line afar2 and over all1 a wide half-dome of sky1 with its changeable tracery of clouds1 and its transparent concord of color4 ,it was hard to believe that the hand of man had not wrought with that of nature1 to produce a spot so perfect4 ,many a sunset had ,bergan enjoyed there2 many a twilight had he mused away1 under the rustling oak-boughs2 many a time1 the rising moon had found him there1 and surrounded him with weird enchantment4 ,all along1 this spot had been the goal of his steps1 though--by way of trying first what help and heart were to be found in exercise--he had chosen to reach it by a most circumlocutory route4 ,so far as he knew1 it was his own1 by right of occupancy1 as well as discovery2 never had it showed a sign that it knew the pressure of any other human foot4 ,as he drew near1 the sun was sending long1 slanting beams of ruddy light athwart the amphitheatre1 and dyeing the polished oak-leaves in rich tints of gold and orange4 ,he quickened his steps1 the sooner to reach the point whence sunset-splendors were to be seen to the best advantage2 and upon which he had taken occasion to construct a low1 rustic seat4 ,to his amazement1 it was already occupied4 ,a lady was quietly seated therein1 her cheek resting on her hand1 her eyes 7as he judged from her pose1 for her back was toward him7 fixed on the glowing sky4 ,he stopped short1 uncertain whether to advance or retreat4 ,nix--who had lingered behind1 to make a feint of hunting a squirrel--settled the question for him4 ,coming upon the scene1 he first sniffed the air1 and then dashed at the intruder4 ,fearing lest his intentions might be unfriendly1--or1 at least1 that the lady would be startled by his sudden appearance1--,bergan sternly called after him2-- ,nix6 ,nix6 ,here6 ,come back1 you scamp6 ,but ,nix1 if he heard1 certainly did not heed4 ,he was fawning upon the lady1 in a way to indicate a previous acquaintance of considerable standing and intimacy4 ,she1 on her part1 received his rude caresses quite as a matter of course1 and cordially patted his rough head4 ,then she turned to ,bergan4 ,nix does not mean to be disobedient1 said she1 apologetically4 ,only1 he recognizes in me an older friend than ,mr4 ,arling1 and1 perhaps1--she smiled1--a superseding authority4 ,bergan bowed4 ,he is fortunate1 said he1--that is1 in finding a friend1 old or new1 where he did not look for one4 ,he spoke with a slight bitterness of tone1 in involuntary recognition of the fact that no such pleasant discovery was ever the reward of his own aimless rambles4 ,at the same time1 he looked curiously at the lady1 seeking a clue to her identity4 ,she had seemed to know him2 yet he could not remember that he had ever met her before4 ,apparently1 she was young2 certainly1 she was small1 and somewhat slender4 ,without being absolutely pretty1 her face was exceedingly interesting1 by reason of its mobility and vivacity of expression2--albeit1 its changes were not always to be easily understood1 nor its language at once interpreted4 ,her eyes were of the darkest gray1 with a clear and penetrative glance1 that seemed to go straight to the depths of whatever object they sought4 ,her manner1 though perfectly feminine1 had an air of strength and energy1 in marked contrast with the languid grace which is the more frequent product of ,southern soil4 ,she was very simply dressed1--in some soft1 gray material1 the one beauty of which was its ability to fall in artistic folds about her figure2--nevertheless1 there was a certain pleasant peculiarity1 a kind of sober picturesqueness1 about her attire1 that lifted it more surely out of the region of the common-place than any richness of texture1 or newness of fashion1 could have done4 ,moreover1 it satisfied the eye with a sense of fitness2 it was plainly the legitimate outgrowth of the wearer's character4 ,not that it bid defiance to fashion1 but it did not conform to it to the extent of a complete sacrifice of individuality4 ,her only ornament was a cluster of bright scarlet leaves1 that she had doubtless found on her way thither1 and fastened on her breast2 and which an opportune sun-ray now touched into vivid splendor4 ,this1 too1 suited her4 ,it seemed the subtile outward expression of some correspondingly warm and rich characteristic within2 glowing soft against the gray texture of an otherwise grave1 earnest1 almost severe character4 ,it might be sparkling wit1 or warm affections1 or both1 that were thus pleasantly symbolized4 ,she met ,bergan's curious glance with a quiet smile1 that seemed to understand its object1 and enjoy1 beforehand1 its discomfiture4 ,she even answered it with a brief scrutiny1 that was hardly less in earnest1 though not at all puzzled1--scarcely1 even1 inquiring4 ,at this moment1 the sun suddenly disappeared4 ,the two faces1 that had been so clearly and ruddily lit up by his declining beams1 were left pale and shadowed1 looking at each other under the solemn old trees2 through the branches of which the wind now began to whisper softly1 as if moved to utter some sombre prediction1 which yet it could not make quite plain4 ,do you believe in omens8 asked the young lady1 with a kind of playful shiver4 ,not at all1 answered ,bergan1 looking a little surprised4 ,it is as well that you do not4 ,for ,i suspect that they are like certain modes of medical treatment2 they require a large element of faith to make them efficacious4 ,and1 to say truth1 neither do ,i believe in them--except in a poetical way4 ,if ,i did1 ,i should say that this sudden shadow augurs but badly for our future acquaintance1 and influence upon each other4 ,if it means1 replied ,bergan1 that we are to know sunshine and shade together1 little more could be predicted--or desired--of any earthly acquaintance4 ,perhaps not4 ,still1 as ,i do believe in omens1 as ,i said before1 in a poetical way1 ,i am glad to see that the sun is not really set1 after all4 ,he only sank into a deceptive line of cloud4 ,there6 he comes forth again1 to give us another bright glance before his final leave-taking4 ,and1 in order to leave the omen in its present satisfactory state1 ,i will anticipate his departure4 ,good evening4 ,slightly inclining her head1 as she passed ,bergan1 she quickly disappeared under the low-hanging oak boughs4 ,nix looked after her1 for a moment2 then he turned to ,bergan1 as if wondering why he did not go1 too4 ,seeing no sign of departure1 he was about to fling himself upon the ground1 when a clear1 sweet whistle suddenly sounded from the direction which the young lady had taken4 ,pricking up his ears1 he instantly set off at a great pace2 leaving ,bergan with a vague sadness1 as having been deserted by his last friend4 ,however1 the feeling was but momentary4 ,very quickly he turned to the consideration of the interesting question who his late interlocutor might be4 ,running over in his mind all the branches of the family of ,bergan1 in the neighborhood 7of which there were several1 more or less direct71 he soon decided that she did not harmonize with what he knew of any of them4 ,yet she had seemed to know him2 and to think1 and even to intimate1 that they were likely to meet again1 and possibly to exert a degree of influence upon each other's lives4 ,and still1 as he pondered and questioned1 the oak trees kept whispering overhead1 with all their multitudinous tongues1 an apparently full1 but unintelligible1 explanation4 ,he bewildered himself with conjectures1 until all the sunset tints had faded from the sky1 and darkness was fast gathering under the oak boughs4 ,then he rose1 and went his solitary way homeward4 ,arrived at ,mrs4 ,lyte's gate1 it seemed to him that there was an unusual stir and liveliness about the house4 ,certainly1 a broad beam of light was shining across the hall1 from a door that he had never before seen open4 ,ere he could think what these things betokened1 ,cathie came running to meet him1 with a great piece of news in her beaming face4 ,oh6 ,mr4 ,arling6 she exclaimed1 in almost breathless delight1 ,astra has come6 ,the mystery was at an end4 ,indeed it could scarcely have been a mystery1 but for two concurrent circumstances4 ,in the first place1 knowing ,miss ,lyte to be an artist1--or at least1 an art-student1--and possessed of a sufficiently independent character and spirit1 he had unconsciously sketched a portrait of her in his fancy1 very different from the original1--taller1 larger1 with more color1 and1 certainly1 less feminine4 ,and1 secondly1 only the day before1 he had heard ,mrs4 ,lyte lamenting that her daughter would not be at home for another month4 ,a sudden turn of circumstances1 however1 had wrought an equally sudden change in ,miss ,lyte's plans2 and1 taking advantage of the opportune escort afforded by a business trip of a friend1 she had journeyed southward with such celerity as to outstrip the letter of announcement that she had dispatched1 a day before her departure from ,new ,york4 ,reaching home almost immediately after ,bergan had gone out for his solitary stroll1 she had spent the afternoon in a long1 earnest1 circumstantial talk with her mother1--discussing her plans and prospects1--throwing off1 with careless fluency1 vivid picture upon picture of her art life and work in the city1--listening eagerly to interjectional items of home news1--and cheering ,mrs4 ,lyte's heart1 through and through1 with her bright spirits1 her ready1 yet healthful1 sympathy1 and the inspiring energy both of her manner and mind4 ,with the very sight of her1 more than half the widow's burden of sorrow and care had slipped unconsciously from her shoulders4 ,finally1 toward sunset1 foreseeing an unusual amount of sky-splendor1 she had gone forth for a brief enjoyment of it to her old1 favorite haunt1--the oak glade which ,bergan had also discovered and taken into favor4 ,meeting the young man there1 she had instantly recognized him1--by reason of ,nix's suggestive companionship1 and her mother's recent description1--and had taken an innocent pleasure in subjecting him to a transient mystification4 ,she gave us such a surprise1 went on ,cathie1 joyously4 ,mamma almost fainted1 and ,i--guess what ,i did1 ,mr4 ,arling4 ,to please her1 ,bergan guessed what he supposed to be the most unlikely thing2 and so1 in consequence of the child's peculiar character1 he guessed right4 ,doubtless1 you cried1 said he4 ,so ,i did1 replied ,cathie1 opening her eyes wide1 though ,i can't see how you knew it4 ,but ,i thought ,i was laughing1 all the time1 till ,astra asked me why ,i was so sorry to see her1 and offered to go away again if the sight of her was so painful6' ,and that made me laugh1 in good earnest6 ,and oh6 ,mr4 ,arling1 do come and see her little white boy6 ,she has just been unpacking him1 to show him to mamma4 ,willingly1 replied ,bergan1 if you are sure that she would like me to see him4 ,i'll ask her1 replied ,cathie1 darting through the open doorway at the left1 whence came the broad beam of light aforementioned1 and through which ,bergan caught a glimpse of ,mrs4 ,lyte's black-draped figure1 seated at the farther corner of the room1 in an attitude of pleased contemplation of some object not within his range of vision4 ,the next moment1 ,miss ,lyte herself appeared on the threshold1 and1 seeing by his face that his mystification was over1 she frankly held out her hand to him4 ,so you have found me out6 said she1 laughing4 ,was it wicked in me not to answer that look in your eyes1 which said so plainly1 ',who on earth can she be8' ,can you pardon my selfish enjoyment of your perplexity8 ,a perplexity that ends so pleasantly deserves thanks rather than pardon1 returned ,bergan4 ,and having answered ,mrs4 ,lyte's cordial greeting1 and congratulated her upon the event which had brought such unaccustomed radiance into her face1 ,bergan turned1 with a pardonable curiosity--or it might more fitly be termed1 an inevitable interest1--to glance around the room in which he found himself4 ,never before had he happened to enter that middle ground between the airiest ideal and the earthliest real1 which is occupied by a sculptor's studio4 ,,vi4 ,,of ,,clay4 ,bergan's first glance around the studio was necessarily a comprehensive one1 dealing with general effect1 rather than minute detail4 ,a large 7though not a lofty7 room2 a bare floor2 walls crowded with designs and studies2 four or five busts and statues standing around the sides1 and the life-size figure of a child in the middle1 of the room2--this was what that first glance revealed to him4 ,cathie gave him no time for a second4 ,look at the dear little boy1 ,mr4 ,arling2 do look at him6 she exclaimed1 joining her hands over her head1 and executing a rapturous pas seul around the object of her delight4 ,see his cunning little whip1 and his funny little feet1 and isn't he a little white darling6 ,thus besought1 ,bergan turned his attention to the statue in the midst4 ,at first sight1 it seemed to represent merely a pretty and playful human child1 with a toy-whip in his hand1 his head half-turned over one shoulder1 and an arch and roguish expression1 as if bent on some errand of mischief4 ,but1 while ,bergan continued to gaze1 fascinated1 the small physiognomy seemed to grow wily and malign1 as well as arch2 and an intelligence1 far more swift and subtle than ever infant of mortal race was gifted withal1 informed the tiny features4 ,the light feet1 too1 were plainly moved by deliberate purpose of guile1 rather than childish impulse2 and on their soles1 broad sinuate leaves were bound1 either for protection or disguise4 ,bergan looked at the figure long and earnestly1 enjoying its delicate freshness and piquancy1 but trying in vain to fathom its meaning4 ,what will-o'-the-wisp is it8 he finally asked4 ,and what is he doing1 with his soft cunning and smiling malice8 ,he is a god1 replied ,astra4 ,as to his errand1 it is the laudable one of cattle-stealing4 ,it seems to be a case of very early depravity1 said ,bergan1 smiling1 yet puzzled4 ,early enough to be termed 'original sin1' returned ,astra4 ,for ',the babe was born at the first peep of day 99 99 ,and the same evening did he steal away ,apollo's herds4'-- ,did you ever read ,homer's ',hymn to ,mercury8' ,never4 ,indeed1 ,i am not quite sure that ,i ever heard of it1 replied ,bergan4 ,is it usually counted among his works8 ,i think so2 though it is fair to say that his authorship of it has been questioned4 ,at any rate1 ,shelley has put it into very musical ,english verse2 and there ,i found my subject4 ,the circumstances of ,mercury's birth being first narrated1 the newborn immortal is described as 'a babe all other babes excelling1' and also a subtle schemer and thief4 ,he first invents the lyre1 and accompanies his own impromptu song of 'plastic verse1' with it2 then he is 'seized with a sudden fancy for fresh meat1' and betakes himself to the ,pierian mountains1 where ,apollo's 'immortal oxen' are feeding4 ,separating fifty from the herd1 ',he drove them wandering o'er the sandy way1 ,but1 being ever mindful of his craft1--' that is to say1 his inborn guile1-- ',backward and forward drove he them astray1 ,so that the tracks1 which seemed before1 were aft3 ,his sandals then he threw to the ocean-spray1 ,and for each foot he wrought a kind of raft ,of tamarisk and tamarisk-like twigs1'-- ,i see1 said ,bergan1 smiling4 ,the consummate little rogue6 ,astra went on3-- ',and on his feet he bound these sandals light1 ,the trail of whose wide leaves might not betray ,his track2 and then1 a self-sufficing wight1 99 99 ,he from ,pieria's mountain bent his flight1--' driving the stolen cattle before him1 of course4 ,and this is the moment at which ,i have sought to represent him4 ,and very perfectly you have succeeded1 said ,bergan1 admiringly4 ,the arch cunning and malice of the face is simply wonderful4 ,indeed1 it seems to me that the statue lacks but one thing4 ,and what is that8 said ,astra1 quickly2 at the same time flashing a swift1 searching glance at her work1 as if she would fain have anticipated the criticism4 ,it does not tell how the story ended4 ,oh6 said ,astra1 looking both relieved and amused4 ,i am glad that you did not keep me waiting so long as ,michael ,angelo did poor ,domenico4 ,how long was that1 pray8 ,you shall hear4 ,domenico ,ghirlandaio1 a celebrated ,florentine painter1 having completed a picture of ,st4 ,francis1 upon which he had exhausted his utmost skill1 and which seemed to him to be perfect1 sent for a young artist of great promise1 ,buonarotti by name1 7who had also been his pupil71 and asked for his opinion of the work4 ,the young man contemplated it for some moments1 said gravely1 ',it needs but one thing1' and departed4 ,the master remained1 to study the picture anew1 to pore over it hour after hour1 and day after day1 and rack his brain with the question what it needed4 ,years after1 when ,buonarotti had become ,michael ,angelo1 and filled the world with his fame1 ,domenico sent for him to come to his death-chamber4 ',what did the picture need8' he asked1 faintly4 ',only speech1' replied ,michael ,angelo4 ,the old master smiled1--and died4 ,it is a touching story1 said ,bergan4 ,and it is almost an allegory1 too4 ,for 'only speech' is so often the great need of life6 ,all our deepest feeling and best thought are inarticulate4 ,but am ,i to be indulged with the rest of this story1 also8 he added1 turning again to the statue4 ,i will give it you in brief1 replied ,astra1 by way of whetting your appetite for the richer savors of the poem itself4 ,having driven his stolen cattle to ,alpheus1 the infant god selected two fat heifers for sacrifice4 ,and here1 it seems to me1 is one of the finest touches in the whole poem4 ,after kindling his fire1 slaying his heifers1 and offering a portion to each of the twelve gods1 ----'his mind became aware ,of all the joys that in religion are4 ,for the sweet savor of the roasted meat ,tempted him1 though immortal4 ,nathless ,he checked his haughty will and did not eat1 ,though what it cost him words can scarce express4' ,here1 you see1 is real self-denial and self-conquest1--for the sake of making an acceptable sacrifice1--and their deep after delight4 ,if the offering had been less ill-gotten1 remarked ,bergan1 somewhat dryly1 ,i think the 'touch' would have been still finer4 ,i confess that ,i had forgotten all about that1 said ,astra1 laughing1 in my admiration of the infant god's mastery over himself4 ,still1 we cannot expect to find the purity of the ,gospel standard of life in the heathen mythology2 we can but be thankful for the gleams of ,divine light here and there irradiating it1 since a whole people long lived and died under its sanction4 ,but1 at this rate1 my story will never end6 ,the baby god next proceeded to remove every trace of his holocaust1 working all night 'in the serene moonshine4' ,then1 at break of day1 he betook himself to his natal cavern1 crept quickly to his cradle1 pulled his 'ambrosial swaddling clothes about him1' and put on a soft semblance of new-born innocence4 ,in due time1 ,apollo1 having discovered the loss of his cattle1 and suspecting who was the rogue1 came to the cavern1 found the 'subtle1 swindling baby1' lying 'swathed in his sly wiles1' and taxed him with the theft4 ,at once1 the young 'god of lies' shows forth his character4 ,he stoutly denies all knowledge of the mischief2 he pathetically declares1-- ',i am but a little newborn thing1 ,who yet1 at least1 can think of nothing wrong2 ,my business is to suck and sleep and fling ,the cradle-clothes about me all day long1-- ,or1 half-asleep1 hear my sweet mother sing1-- ,and to be washed in water clean and warm1 ,and hushed and kissed and kept secure from harm2--' and1 finally1 he swears that he does not even know 'whatever things cows are6' ,however1 ,apollo turns a deaf ear to all his wiles and pleadings1 and compels him to go before ,jupiter2 who laughs to hear his plausible account of himself1--'and every word a lie1'--but finally bids him show ,apollo where he has hidden the stolen cattle4 ,this he does1 'nothing loath1' and finally subdues the sun-god ----'by the might1 ,of winning music1 to his mightier will3 4 4 4 4 4 sweet as love1 ,the penetrating notes did live and move ,within the heart of great ,apollo3 he ,listened with all his soul1 and laughed for pleasure4' ,and here we may as well leave them4 ,for the rest of the story1--as well as for many pleasant pictures and nice touches1 of which my abstract gives no hint1--you should go to the poem itself4 ,i shall be sure to do so1 said ,bergan1 with this arch1 airy little figure to lead the way4 ,but it should be in marble1 it seems to me1 rather than in plaster4 ,astra smiled gravely4 ,for that1 a patron--or1 at least1 a purchaser--is needed4 ,marble is expensive as well as indestructible2 few artists can afford to put their works into its safe keeping1 without help4 ,and perhaps it is as well that such is the case1 else ,posterity would never be able to bear the stony accumulation that would be heaped on its back4 ,i think ,i can venture to promise that it would never feel this airy creation to be a burden1 said ,bergan1 earnestly4 ,i hope not4 ,but my little ,mercury is still my youngest darling1 and ,i feel all a mother's partiality for it2 ,i have no eyes for its faults4 ,when the inevitable time of disenchantment comes1 and ,i am able to see it as it is1 ,i can better tell whether ,i care to commit it to the white immortality of marble4 ,she continued to gaze at the statue for some moments with fond1 dreamy1 wistful eyes1---just as a mother might regard her newborn infant4 ,bergan felt a slight pang in beholding this nearness of the work to its author1 this strong1 tender1 indissoluble bond between the two4 ,would ever any work of his--any brief1 or plea--come from such a warm depth of his heart1 and embody so much of his life8 ,a poet1 a musician even1 might know something of this deep gladness of creation2 but a lawyer1 a judge1 dealing with dry reason and dusty legal enactments1--was there any such joy in his work for him8 ,leaving the question unanswered1--as he must needs do1 until time and experience should come1 to his help1--,bergan turned anew to the contemplation of the ,mercury2 which seemed to grow in beauty and power1 as he continued to look4 ,it would be hard to say how much of this pleasurable effect was due to the inherent charm of the work1 and how much to the spell shed from the rapt face and softly illuminated eyes of the artist4 ,many a work that we look upon but coldly1 would quickly find its way to our hearts1 if we knew enough of its history and its author1 to give us the clue to its subtler spirit and aim2 while those which we love without such knowledge1 would1 by its help1 be transfigured--glorified4 ,if we could stand with ,michael ,angelo before his ,moses1 or with ,guido before his triumphant ,archangel1 what new lights of interpretation would be lit for us at the eyes and lips of those great masters6 ,nor must it be said that the spectator may be dazzled by the artist's enthusiasm into awarding the work higher praise than a cooler judgment would sanction4 ,for just here lies the truth which is too often overlooked in criticism1 both of literature and art4 ,if the critic be not in sympathy with the worker1--if he do not1 in some measure1 behold the work through his eyes1--if he cannot discern what was attempted as well as what is attained1--then his eyes will be partially holden both from the beauties and the faults of the work4 ,for nothing1 in life or art1 was meant to be looked at by itself4 ,everything is related to something else2 each helps all4 ,the moment wherein the spectator's mood and the artist's work make sweet harmony1 is the moment of correct appreciation4 ,if ,bergan did not understand what an illumination the presence of ,miss ,lyte threw over her work1 he was fully conscious that her work shed a transfiguring light over her4 ,the face under the whispering oak boughs was not the same as this in the studio4 ,that had been simply bright and mobile1 with a spice of espiglerie2 this was all alight and astir with genius4 ,miss ,lyte's very hand partook of the transformation4 ,bergan had happened to notice its symmetrical shape1 as revealed by a careless gesture1 at their first meeting2 but he now decided that it was not so much its beauty which had attracted his attention1 as a certain peculiarity of delicate energy and adroitness1 which ought of itself to have suggested its artistic skill4 ,bergan's eye fell next on the pedestal of the ,mercury1 improvised by turning up on end the packing-box in which it had arrived4 ,the lid lay on the floor1 in two pieces1 and was surmounted by a sturdy-looking hammer and chisel4 ,bergan's glance went back to that slender hand1 with an unconscious question in it2 which ,astra was quick to understand4 ,why not8 said she1 with a smile4 ,of course1 ,i might have called in old ,cato to open the box2 but he would have done it so slowly and awkwardly that ,i should have suffered tortures in watching him2 it was easier to do it myself4 ,to be sure1 she went on1 taking up the hammer and chisel1 these are not quite so fit for a lady's hands as the lighter and slenderer implements that ,i use in modelling2 but ,i like them well1 nevertheless4 ,it would go hard with me1 here in this quiet country town1 away from all aids and appliances of art1 if ,i were not on very good terms with purely mechanical labor4 ,i made the mould1 from which that cast was taken1 myself2--she pointed to the ,mercury4 ,bergan looked as if he scarcely understood4 ,i suppose you are aware1 pursued ,astra1 that the word 'sculptor' is a misnomer1 nowadays4 ,the real sculpture--that is the marble-cutting--except a few finishing touches1 is done by artisans skilled in that work4 ,the plaster casts are made by regular casters1 from moulds taken from clay models4 ,these last1 only1 are the work of the artist throughout1--shaped by his fingers1 and informed by his thought4 ,see6 here is the raw material of my work6 ,she pointed to a large triangular box1 in one corner of her closet1 filled with fine1 moist clay4 ,she even leaned over it1 and inhaled its earthy odor1 with a kind of affection4 ,bergan also looked into it so long1 so silently1 and with so meditative an aspect1 that ,miss ,lyte finally interrupted the flow of his thoughts with a question as to their character4 ,i was thinking1 replied he1 of the many differing shapes1--lovely1 grand1 sorrowful1 joyous1 winning1 repulsive1--that might be lurking within your tub4 ,and ,i was wondering which of them you would next call forth4 ,think1 rather1 said ,astra1 smiling1 of all the shapes that ,i have sent into it4 ,you do not mean to say that you use the same clay over again1 exclaimed ,bergan1 in surprise4 ,certainly1 ,i do4 ,it loses none of its adaptability by use4 ,in that tub is the original clay of everything that you see in my studio1--all the busts1 statues1 and reliefs1 that ,i have ever done1 or tried to do1--all my successes1 and all my failures2--every one of them has gone into that tub1 even as it came out of it4 ,creation and death6 exclaimed ,bergan4 ',dust thou art1 and unto dust thou shalt return4' ,it is a world in miniature6 ,and does it not also show that there is nothing new under the sun8 said ,astra4 ,it is always the old material in new shapes1 the old thought in new phraseology1 the old human nature in new conditions1 even the old particles of disintegrated human bodies in new organisms4 ,and yet1 remarked ,bergan1 musingly1 the spirit1 the idea1 that informed those bodies1 and gave them identity1 is not lost1 as your ,mercury shows plainly4 ,the being that you have created lives1 and glows with all his proper warmth and fire1 even though his original substance has not only returned whence it came1 but has helped to frame an entirely different being4 ,the natural body and the spiritual body1 returned ,astra4 ,not that the two processes are really analogous1--,i do not mean that1--but one naturally suggests the other to the mind4 ,and1 seeing how ,i am thus able to accomplish a kind of resurrection1 in a way that ,i understand1 ,i do not find it difficult to believe that the ,almighty can do it1 in a way that ,i do not understand1 and far more perfectly1--retaining not only the indwelling spirit1 but enough of the individual clay to justify ,job's saying1 ',in my flesh ,i shall see ,god4' ,the thought kept them both silent1 for a moment2 then ,bergan turned to see what else of interest was to be found in the studio4 ,the completed works were not many2 ,miss ,lyte was still too young to have made a large accumulation of such things4 ,there was a bust1 with a very sweet and noble expression1 wherein she had embodied her recollections of a fellow student in art4 ,there was a half-sleepy1 half-ashamed boy-face1 looking out from under the shadow of a drooping hat1 representing ,little ,boy ,blue1 of nursery fame4 ,there was a winged cherub1 with an exceedingly lovely1 innocent face1--a very incarnation of celestial joy and peace4 ,in relief1 there was a stout urchin1 ankle-deep in water1 laden with pond-lilies1 and looking for more4 ,finally1 there were innumerable studies1 sketches1 and designs1 with all the warmth and freshness of the original inspiration lingering about them2 which interested ,bergan scarcely less than the finished work1 as admitting him still more freely into the arcana of the artist's mind and method4 ,he was especially interested to observe in how many directions the genius of ,miss ,lyte had tried its wing4 ,there were studies1 and even finished pictures1 in oil and in crayon2 there was an exquisitely-cut cameo1 fastened on a background of velvet2 there were designs for stained-glass windows2 and in all1 there was a curious medley of subjects1--scriptural1 mythological1 historical1 domestic1 and still-life4 ,it was plain that she had been slowly feeling her way to some point1 where she could take her final stand1 and see her life-work lying clear and fair before her4 ,had she found it8 ,looking at the ,mercury1 ,bergan could almost believe that she had2 but1 glancing again at her deep1 wistful eyes1 he doubted it4 ,a little more time1 a profounder and wider experience1 would settle her genius1 fix her aims1 and make her capable of things far higher than aught that she had yet achieved4 ,meanwhile1 never1 he thought1 was anything quite so inspiriting as her conversation4 ,as she went with him from statue to statue1 and sketch to sketch1 talking frankly of her difficulties and struggles1 her failures and successes1 her aims and aspirations1--now dropping a fertile suggestion1 now pointing out a subtile analogy1 now giving the key-note to some elevating strain of thought1--she seemed to radiate energy1 and exhale inspiration4 ,listening to her1 ,bergan's depression and discouragement vanished like mists before the sunshine4 ,when he went back to his studio1 it was with new strength and courage and ambition4 ,somehow1 life had ceased to look unsympathizing1 and success remote4 ,,vii4 ,,hidden ,,riches4 ,up to this time1 the history of ,astra ,lyte may be compressed into a few sentences4 ,she was the daughter of ,dr4 ,harvey ,lyte1 who had been1 for many years1 the leading physician of ,berganton4 ,her artistic talent having early manifested itself1 her father had taken pleasure in fostering and developing it2 first1 by giving her the benefit of whatever rudimentary instruction the neighborhood offered1 and then1 by affording her a year's enjoyment of the best art advantages to be procured in ,new ,york4 ,little more than a year ago1 however1 the good doctor had been forced to succumb1 in his own person1 to the two powerful foes that he had spent his lifetime in battling for others1--namely1 disease and death4 ,his professional income necessarily dying with him1 only a moderate provision remained for his family2 enough to enable them to eat the bread of carefulness1 but not sufficient to maintain them in the degree of easy comfort and luxury to which they had long been accustomed4 ,in due time changes and sacrifices became necessary2 among which may be mentioned the letting of the vacant medical office to ,doctor ,remy1 and the subsequent handing over of other dispensable rooms to the occupancy of ,bergan ,arling4 ,before this last arrangement was effected1 however1 ,astra had gone to ,new ,york1 to see what could be done to make her art productive of something besides pleasure4 ,that had been a very bright moment1 amid the gloom and straitness following upon her father's death1 wherein it had occurred to her that she possessed in brain and fingers1 in her wonderful power of kneading together thought and matter into beautiful and significant shapes1 the means of restoring to her mother the ease and independence which had been impaired by her father's death4 ,never had her art looked so divine as when it cast aside the soft drapery of personal gratifications and aims1 and stood forth a young athlete1 eager for strife1 a sturdy son of toil1 ready to earn its bread by the sweat of its brow4 ,not that ,astra expected to win success all at once1 or quickly4 ,there was a vast deal of practicality underlying her imaginativeness and enthusiasm1--the solid foundation which is needed to make genius available4 ,she foresaw 7no one more clearly7 the difficulties1 delays1 and disappointments1 before her4 ,but what of that8 ,she was young2 she was in good health2 she had a courageous heart1 an energetic temperament1 and buoyant spirits2 she could afford to work and wait4 ,her tastes were simple1 her wants1 outside the domain of art1 few1--and1 even there1 deficiencies could be supplied1 in a measure1 by severe study and closer application4 ,if the superior masters1 the sojourn in ,europe1 to which she had looked forward1 were denied her1 she was not going to break her heart nor cloud her brow1 about it4 ,god1 who had given her talent1 would not leave it without due means of increase4 ,her duty was to work1 to be brave1 and to be cheerful2 all else would come1 in good time4 ,this1 then1 was the sort of a person who had now come to dwell under the same roof with ,bergan2 and who straightway set to work in her studio1 which was divided from his office only by the airy breadth of the main hall4 ,of course1 he saw her frequently2 her art afforded them broader1 freer ground upon which to meet than is always open to man and woman4 ,not that the proprieties need have been scandalized had ,miss ,lyte's occupation been the embroidering of roses in worsted1 instead of the modelling of figures in clay2 for the door between studio and sitting-room stood always open1 and ,mrs4 ,lyte1 from her work-table1 frequently threw a passing remark into the conversation that came so freely to her ears2 while ,cathie continually flashed in and out like a fire-fly or a humming bird4 ,but the worsted roses would scarcely have constituted a subject of mutual interest for the young man and woman1 as did the clay figures2 nor would the talks over them have run so naturally1 and almost inevitably1 upon the same elevated and impersonal plane of thought4 ,setting the worker entirely aside1 ,bergan could not fail to be deeply interested in the work4 ,he liked to understand its process1 and watch its progress4 ,it was wonderful to him to see the dull clay slowly taking the shape of the viewless1 informing thought4 ,he went back to his office1 not only with a deeper comprehension of the respective functions of mind and matter1 but with a wider view of their scope and influence4 ,words1 he saw1 were also a kind of plastic material1 through which thought revealed itself to eye and ear4 ,he began to study expression1 as well as meaning2 he selected words1 and constructed sentences1 with greater care and conscientiousness2 he saw that1 since thought could only become visible through form1 form was a matter of more moment1 and involved a stricter duty1 than he had hitherto believed4 ,but if ,bergan learned so much from the work1 it must be acknowledged that he also learned something from the worker4 ,she was so loyal to her art and her aims4 ,she wrought with such cheerful diligence1 such unwasting enthusiasm1 and such thorough conscientiousness4 ,having done the best of which she was capable1 she maintained such a steady front against the assaults of depression and discouragement1 deploying their forces upon the wide space between her conception and her achievement4 ,if she failed1 she cheerfully declared that the failure had taught her more than any success could have done1 and commenced anew2 if she succeeded1 she was soberly glad1 as having gained an inch or two of the field1--over which1 however1 it might be long ere she could wave the banner of victory4 ,the spectacle could not fail to have a healthful influence upon ,bergan1 inasmuch as ,miss ,lyte's patrons were not more numerous than his clients2 he saw that she kept her face bright1 and her spirit brave1 under very real trials of limitation1 delay1 and disappointment4 ,he always went to his own work with a stouter heart and steadier purpose1 after watching hers for some moments2 whether she merely retouched and revised the preceding day's labor1 with minute1 inexhaustible patience2 or quietly gathered up the fragments of a model overtaken by sudden disaster2 or moulded moist clay1 with rapt face1 eyes lit by a deep1 inward fire1 and fingers so swift and forceful as to suggest the guidance of some unseen power4 ,in this last case1 he did not disturb her by so much as a word4 ,he only looked on in silence until her white heat of inspiration had kindled something like a kindred glow in his own mind2 when he noiselessly stole out1 to plunge into his own work with renewed ardor4 ,we may well believe that1 just at the moment when ,bergan's lonely life and dim prospects were beginning to tell upon his spirits and energies1 it was not without providential design that an object so inspiring and heartening as ,astra ,lyte in her studio1 was placed before his eyes4 ,nor was the benefit wholly on one side4 ,astra found real help and cheer in ,bergan's intelligent interest and hearty appreciation4 ,moreover1 he was quick to see whenever mechanical contrivance or manly strength could come to her aid2 and he knew how to furnish both1 in fit and delicate measure4 ,his perceptions were scarcely less nice than her own2 he knew just when to extend the helping hand1 and when to withdraw it2 neither hesitation nor officiousness marred his aid4 ,but ,bergan was not the only visitor at the studio4 ,doctor ,remy's straight-featured1 intellectual face was often to be seen there1 with its chill and satirical expression half-obliterated by a look of kindly interest4 ,and his aid was not less ready than ,bergan's1 and1 perhaps1 more valuable4 ,hints and criticisms1 suggested by his profound anatomical and physiological knowledge1 often came just in time to prevent a blunder1 or clinch a success4 ,so time rolled on1 for another month or two1 doing much for the growth of acquaintance1 and even a degree of intimacy1 between the artist1 the lawyer1 and the physician1 thus thrown together under one roof1 but very little for the pecuniary advantage of the two former4 ,astra had received a commission for a small portrait-medallion2 ,bergan had been employed to draw up a few law-papers4 ,the two often exchanged good-humored jests upon the manifest ability of the world to get on without their help4 ,but it was a much more serious matter for the young man than the maiden4 ,astra had understood that1 ,art being a luxury1 it must first create the demand which it meant to supply2 but ,bergan knew well that law was neither unknown nor unsought1 in ,berganton4 ,courts were held1 and lawyers gathered1 there2 it was strange that so little of the work came to his hands4 ,meanwhile1 the funds with which he had been supplied1 on leaving home1 were rapidly melting away2 and he was unwilling to apply for more1 both because he desired to be self-dependent1 and disliked to admit failure4 ,he was sitting in his office1 one afternoon1 dividing his thoughts between his books and the unpromising state of his affairs1 when there came a cautious knock at the door4 ,come in6 he called out1 wondering if his long-expected client were about to present himself4 ,first1 appeared a black hand and a nondescript hat2 next1 a woolly head and a wide1 delighted grin2 finally1 a loose1 slouching form1 in a shapeless suit of plantation gray4 ,no client was this4 ,it was only his would-be property1 ,brick4 ,perhaps ,bergan's disappointment showed itself in his countenance1 for the negro hastily began to explain the reason of his coming4 ,gramma ,rue1 she sent me1 massa4 ,she don't feel right smart1 dese yere times1 an' she say she tink her days drawin' to her close1 an' she's mighty anxious to see you1 massa1 'fore she done gone4 ,so she tole me to ax you1 could n' you come to yer ole room in de ,hall1 some ob dese yere ebenins1 jes' so's to gib her a chance to talk wid you4 ,ole massa need n' know nothin' 'bout it2 he's allers safe 'nough in de cottage dem times4 ,an' she hopes you'll hab de kin'ness to come1 'case she's got suthin' bery partic'lar to say to you4 ,bergan hesitated4 ,he could not visit the old ,hall without reviving painful recollections2 besides1 it did not suit his natural straightforwardness to go thither in a half-clandestine way4 ,yet how could he refuse the urgent request of ,maumer ,rue1 weighted not only with the probability of coming death1 but with the consideration of her long1 faithful1 life service of his mother's family8 ,and1 after all1 there was no great harm in a visit to the deserted ,hall1 to gratify an old1 infirm1 attached dependent4 ,he certainly need do no skulking2 if he chanced to come upon his uncle1 he could fairly and frankly face both him and the situation4 ,accordingly1 he directed his evening stroll toward ,bergan ,hall4 ,it was an obscure night of late ,march4 ,a gray veil of cloud covered the wide expanse of sky1 from horizon to zenith2 through which only the faintest light struggled1 to guide his steps up the ruined avenue4 ,he could not but be reminded of his first forlorn coming upon the desolate scene2 even though he was obliged to confess that1 in some respects1 matters were mending4 ,though the ,hall stood silent and ruinous as before1 under the sighing oaks1 it was not wholly dark4 ,an arch of light shone above the doorway1 and a second gleam came invitingly from the window of the room that he had once called his own4 ,the door1 too1 yielded readily to his pressure4 ,at this rate of improvement1 a few years might easily transform the shadow-haunted old ruin into a cheery1 heartwarm home4 ,it was only a passing thought1 and did not slacken in the least the light1 quick step with which he ran up to his old room4 ,rue had done her best to give it a look of home and welcome4 ,a fire blazed on the hearth1 and reddened the walls2 his favorite arm-chair was drawn before it2 near by1 stood a round table1 with two tall candles1 a few scattered books1 and a tray of refreshments4 ,it all looked strangely familiar3--there was the secretary at which he had written his letters home2 there was the book that he had been reading1 with his mark between the leaves2 there was the flute1 so few of whose long-prisoned harmonies he had been able to set free4 ,was it really five months since he saw them last8 ,rue was not in the room when he entered it2 it did not suit her notion of their respective positions to assume any quality of hostess4 ,but she almost immediately appeared1 and greeted him with tearful affection and respect4 ,bergan looked at her narrowly1 and was pained to see that her tall form had lost much of its old erect stateliness1 and that she leaned heavily on her cane as she walked4 ,still1 there was no sign of immediate loosing of the silver life-cord2 on the whole1 he thought that she bore her heavy burden of years wonderfully well1 and the thought came naturally to his lips4 ,it may seem so1 replied the old woman1 with a slow shake of her head1 but ,i feel a greater change than you can see1 ,master ,bergan4 ,till now1 ,i never knew anything about the chill or the heaviness of age2 it has come upon me all at once4 ,i do not think1 any more than you do1 that the end itself is close at hand2 but the beginning of the end is certainly here4 ,let it come as soon as the ,lord wills2 ,he knows ,i'm ready4 ,only it is borne in upon me that there's something more for me to do for the family1 before ,i leave their service2 though ,i cannot rightly see what4 ,sometimes ,i am almost sure that it's just to see that you are put into your rightful place as the master of ,bergan ,hall4 ,if that is all that ,i am waiting for1 ,i wish it might be done quickly4 ,couldn't you make up your mind to come back here now1 if ,master ,harry would ask you kindly8 ,i know ,i can get him to do it4 ,indeed1 ,i could not1 maumer1 answered ,bergan1 quietly1 but very firmly4 ,i am not yet in a position to treat with my uncle1 on equal terms4 ,and ,i am less than ever inclined to be dependent upon him1 or any one4 ,let me beg you to give yourself no further care or thought in the matter4 ,rue sighed deeply4 ,there was something in the young man's tone that forestalled either argument or entreaty4 ,pardon an old woman's curiosity1 she said1 at length1 but1 are you very much nearer to independence than when you left here8 ,i cannot say that ,i am4 ,do you have much to do1 in the way of your profession8 ,i could easily do more4 ,there was a slight dryness in ,bergan's intonation1 that did not escape the blind woman's quick ear4 ,come with1 me1 please2 ,i have something to show you1 said she1 turning toward the door4 ,you had better bring a light1 too2 you will need it1 though ,i do not4 ,she led the way to a large room on the other side of the hall1--the bed-chamber 7and death-chamber1 too7 of the mansion's departed owners4 ,it was lined1 from floor to ceiling1 with carved and panelled wainscoting4 ,rue went straightway to one side1 not far from the mantel1 ran her fingers carefully over the dark1 uneven surface1 and finally pressed hard on a projecting point4 ,now1 ,master ,bergan1 said she1 pointing to a great1 carved acorn1 take hold of that1 and push this way4 ,bergan obeyed1 and a considerable portion of the wainscoting slid easily to one side1 disclosing a small room or closet1 so artfully contrived between wall and chimney1 that its existence could never have been suspected4 ,it was lighted and ventilated by a window1 and furnished with an armchair and a massive1 old-fashioned secretary4 ,rue opened one of the compartments of the latter1 and revealed several small canvas bags1 which1 it was easy to see1 contained gold and silver coin4 ,bergan was naturally a good deal surprised at sight of the hidden hoard4 ,it seemed scarcely credible that any man in his senses should care to lay up such idle store of the precious metals1 which might otherwise be profitably employed in an easy process of self-augmentation4 ,still1 he knew enough of his uncle's surly and suspicious character1 and of his distrust of banks 7which he had once heard him characterize as ready sinks for fools' money71 to leave only room for a passing wonder4 ,i have brought you here1 ,master ,bergan1 said ,rue1 solemnly1 because this secret rightly belongs to you1 as the future master of the ,hall4 ,it is the duty of each owner to make it known to his heir1 on his deathbed1 or earlier4 ,the place was contrived by ,sir ,harry1 because there was something like it in the ,english ,bergan ,hall1 which served for a hiding place for men and women in troublous times2 and he provided for the keeping and handing down of the secret1 in the same way as it1 had been done there4 ,it was only to be known to the owner and the heir4 ,then how came you to know it8 asked ,bergan4 ,i will tell you4 ,when the third ,harry ,bergan was at the point of death1 his heir was in ,europe4 ,the person whom he most trusted1 in the world1 was his body-servant1 ,cato4 ,he gave the secret to him1 to be kept till the heir's return4 ,cato was my great-great-great grandfather4 ,he thought the same thing might happen again1 and the secret be lost2 so1 on his deathbed1 he told it to his son1 and the son told it to his son1 and so on1 till my father1 who had no son1 told it to me4 ,so1 you see1 the secret has run down in the black blood alongside of the white blood1 and been kept just as sacredly4 ,but the white blood has never known it till now2 when ,i tell it to you1 because ,i have no child living1 and ,brick is still too young to be trusted with such a matter4 ,what a strange circumstance6 said ,bergan1 deeply interested4 ,has the place ever been used except as a storeroom for valuables8 ,only once1 to my knowledge4 ,during the ,revolution1 ,colonel ,bergan was hidden here some days1 when a party of ,british were quartered on the premises1--some of the same party that ,sergeant ,jasper afterwards captured4 ,she paused for a moment1 while ,bergan silently looked round the narrow walls2 and then she resumed4 ,you see what use ,master ,harry makes of the place4 ,and perhaps you know him well enough to understand that he will never tell any one where he keeps his money1 until his breath is almost out of his body4 ,that is why ,i brought you here4 ,i cannot expect to outlive him2 and if he should die suddenly1 or with the secret only half-way off his tongue1 it would die with him4 ,perhaps you have done well1 said ,bergan1 after a moment of thought4 ,certainly1 ,i shall regard it only as a trust for the future owner of the ,hall1 whoever he may be4 ,he will be none other than yourself1 returned ,rue1 decidedly4 ,i only wish ,i were as certain of the time1 as ,i am of the fact4 ,and now1 she continued1 pointing to the bags of coin1 take as much of that as you need4 ,master ,harry will never miss it2 ,i don't think he ever counts it over1 he is so sure that it is safe here4 ,and it will all be your own some day4 ,what do you mean6 exclaimed ,bergan1 angrily1 starting back4 ,do you take me for a thief8 ,of course not1 ,master ,bergan1 of course not1 answered ,rue1 earnestly and deprecatingly1 laying her hand on his arm4 ,it is only because ,i know that it will be yours in time2 and as ,master ,harry does not need it nor use it1 why shouldn't you have the good of it now1 when you need it more than you ever may again8 ,if it suits you better1 take it as a loan1 and pay it back1 when you are able4 ,no6 no6 said ,bergan1 turning hurriedly away1 it is impossible4 ,you mean kindly1 ,i know1 ,maumer ,rue1 but you do not seem to understand the facts4 ,i have no more right to it than any stranger2 ,i could not touch it1 to save me from starving4 ,come1 let us go6 ,i have seen enough4 ,i believe you are right1 said ,rue1 after a pause1 and ,i am a foolish old woman4 ,i could not bear to think that my dear ,miss ,eleanor's son was pinching himself1 in the least1 when there was so much idle gold in the old house2 but ,i see you are right1 sir2 and ,i beg your pardon4 ,it was not without a sense of relief that ,bergan soon after closed the door of the old ,hall behind him1 and stepped out into the cool1 fresh night air4 ,not that he had suffered any real trial of temptation1--his principles were too true and firm for that2--but there had been something in the whole sombre scene--the deserted1 death-scented chamber1 the concealed closet1 the hoarded gold--that had left him with a sense of oppression1 which kept its hold of him all the way home4 ,it was late when he reached his office4 ,to his surprise1 it was not empty4 ,a gentleman was sitting by the table1 with a pile of papers before him1 and a weary1 discontented face1 as if his waiting had outlasted his patience4 ,bergan's heart gave a great leap4 ,he divined that his long-looked-for client was before him6 ,,viii4 ,,the ,,wind ,,changes4 ,good evening1 ,squire1 said the stranger1 in a deep voice1--a voice that would have been gruff1 but for the melodizing influences of the soft southern climate4 ,my name is ,corlew--,john ,corlew1 of ,williston4 ,i came to see if you would consent to take charge of a case of mine1 which is to be called to-morrow4 ,to-morrow6 repeated ,bergan1 in much surprise4 ,that is very short notice4 ,i know it4 ,but it is of the greatest consequence to me that the case should be tried at this time1 and not carried over to another term4 ,it was in the hands of ,squire ,fielder1 one of our ,williston lawyers2 but he was taken sick this afternoon1--fell down in court1 some brain difficulty or other1--and is forbidden by the physicians to do a thing4 ,so ,i inquired for a lawyer that hadn't got his hands full of business1 and somebody mentioned you4 ,i remembered your name2 ,i happened to be ,north five years ago1 and heard your ,commencement speech1 and knew what sort of a reputation you graduated with2 so ,i quickly made up my mind that you were the man for my need4 ,i've brought all the papers1--,squire ,fielder's notes and all1--he couldn't well do less than give them to me1 under the circumstances4 ,i understand matters pretty well myself2 and we've got the night before us4 ,if you'll undertake to master the case by ten o'clock to-morrow morning1 ,i am willing to put it in your hands4 ,i will do my best1 said ,bergan1 after a brief consideration4 ,mr4 ,corlew immediately began to open and sort his papers2 ,bergan brought writing materials1 drew his chair to the opposite side of the table1 and bent all the powers of his mind to the hard task before him4 ,it was an action for ejectment1 involving trial of title1 and with the usual mixed and intricate character of such things2 interwoven1 too1 with a pathetic story of misfortune4 ,bergan patiently examined and questioned2 ,mr4 ,corlew intelligently explained and answered4 ,the investigation was scarce half concluded1 when ,bergan quietly pushed ,mr4 ,fielder's notes aside4 ,they do not help me1 he explained1 in answer to a glance from ,mr4 ,corlew1 ,in my judgment1 he has mistaken the point on which the case really hangs4 ,at all events1 ,i shall do better to manage it in my own way4 ,midnight came and went on silent feet2 the wee1 sma' hours1 sacred to love rather than law1 hastened1 one after another1 to join their numerous kin in the misty vale of the ,heretofore2 the stars went out like spent lamps2 the dim night-silence began to stir with vague premonitions of light and sound2 finally1 gray dawn looked solemnly in through the windows4 ,then ,bergan lifted his head1 and pushed back the hair from his brow4 ,now leave me1 he said to his companion1 with unwonted sombreness4 ,the rest must be done by myself4 ,i will meet you at the court-house1 in good time4 ,he made an almost imperceptible pause4 ,then1 looking ,mr4 ,corlew full in the face1 he said1 in a tone half-assertive1 half-questioning2-- ,you wish to succeed in this suit8 ,mr4 ,corlew's eyes fell under his penetrating gaze4 ,of course ,i do1 he answered a little surlily4 ,what else am ,i here for8 ,bergan seemed to muse for a moment4 ,well1 said he1 at length1 in the tone of a man who recalls his thoughts from an episodical flight to the main subject1 ,i think you may reasonably expect success1 if your witnesses testify as is here set down4 ,the law is clearly in your favor4 ,i am glad to hear it1 returned ,mr4 ,corlew1 heartily4 ,yet he looked slightly annoyed1 none the less2 and his ,good morning1 as he went out1 was a little stiff4 ,bergan leaned back in his chair1 folded his arms1 and knitted his brow4 ,he looked like a man assailed by some miserable doubt or suspicion1 which yet he is half-inclined to regard1 as illegitimate4 ,it is a necessity of my profession1 he muttered1 at last2 and1 with a mighty effort1 he tore himself free from the teasing phantom1 and addressed himself anew to his work4 ,there is no need to burden these pages with the tedious formalities of a trial at law4 ,suffice it to say that ,bergan conducted the case with an ease and ability that surprised his legal associates4 ,they had looked for some nervousness1 some hesitation1 some solicitude1 some awkwardness1 in the manner of the young legal dbutant2 they could detect nothing of the sort4 ,he made his opening speech with consummate clearness and composure2 and he examined and cross-examined witnesses1 quoted authorities1 took exceptions1 and made points1 with a quiet ease1 and even1 at times1 with a touch of listlessness1 that argued excellent training and profound knowledge4 ,perhaps his quietude of manner was the more perfect1 that a slight cloud hung on his brow1 all through the two days of the trial2 though his observers were too little acquainted with the wonted expression of his face to discover it4 ,not till he rose to make his final speech did the shadow lift4 ,then1 indeed1 the spectators noticed a change4 ,he had spoken but a few sentences1 when his eyes kindled1 his brow cleared1 his voice gathered fulness and melody1 he forgot himself and his doubt in the glow of an irresistible inspiration1 in the glad exercise of a natural gift of oratory so wondrous1 so unexpected1 and so potent1 that court and spectator were alike taken by storm4 ,only in dim tradition had such a speech ever been heard in that court room1--so fluent1 so animated1 so skilfully throwing an ideal grace around dry1 bare legal facts1 without dimming their outline or destroying their logical connection4 ,people held their breath to listen1 unwilling to lose one delicate shade of thought1 one fit1 luminous expression4 ,two or three times1 the judge was forced to suppress outbursts of applause1 in which1 nevertheless1 his pleased and interested face concurred2 and when ,bergan took his seat1 gray-headed lawyers stretched their hands across the table in hearty congratulation4 ,a verdict for his client was almost immediately rendered4 ,then he stepped out into the crowd1 to be met on all sides by extended hands and enthusiastic compliments4 ,people that had always studiously avoided him1 now sought to catch his eye2 gentlemen who had never vouchsafed him more than a stiff nod1 now waited to give him a friendly hand-grasp and a few congratulatory words4 ,one of the magnates of the neighborhood publicly stamped him1 as it were1 with the seal of his high approbation1 by engaging him for a few moments in conversation1 and then parting from him with an intimation that he might expect an early invitation to dinner4 ,turning away from the dog-day smile of this personage1--late and sultry1--,bergan encountered the meaning gaze of a pair of blear eyes4 ,sudden change of weather1 remarked ,dick ,causton1 dryly4 'it never rains but it pours4' ,you are in a heavy shower1 ,mr4 ,arling4 ,and with unwonted consideration1 ,dick waited till ,bergan had passed on1 before he muttered1 ,in picciol tempo passa ogni gran pioggia1--a heavy shower is soon over4 ,dr4 ,remy came next4 ,i never sing in chorus1 said he1 shrugging his shoulders1 and putting his hands behind him2 ,i shall keep my compliments for a day of dearth4 ,but what a weathercock is public opinion6 ,yet the change was not altogether so sudden and radical as it appeared4 ,bergan's upright1 independent course of conduct1 so quietly persisted in1 through all these months1 despite every discouragement1 had at last begun to tell upon the prejudices of the community4 ,mrs4 ,lyte's warm advocacy and indignant protest1 in her small circle1 had also had its weight4 ,probably both would have availed much earlier1 but for the curiously infelicitous language in which ,dr4 ,remy had all along chosen to couch his responses to such persons as had approached him in relation to ,bergan's character and habits4 ,as talented a fellow as ever lived1 he replied to one inquirer1--and as deep a one4 ,ah6 he knows well what he's about6 ,sober8 he answered another1--certainly2 as sober as an anchorite4 ,i hope he will keep so4 ,mr4 ,arling is my neighbor and friend1 as friendship goes1 he said to another2 ,i neither make1 nor listen to1 derogatory remarks about him4 ,if you want confirmation for your prejudice1 go elsewhere4 ,i am not in that line4 ,intentionally or not1 ,dr4 ,remy's cool cynicism rather damaged than helped ,bergan's cause4 ,nevertheless1 the steadfast testimony of his upright life remained1 and could not be wholly ignored4 ,the feeling was fast becoming general that the young man deserved somewhat better at the hands of the community than he had received4 ,and the feeling would doubtless have manifested itself in good time1 and with due caution1 if ,bergan's unexampled success in the court-room had not fairly dazzled out of sight the last lingering shadow of prejudice1 and caused a popular reaction toward the other extreme of enthusiastic admiration and approval1--a reaction all the stronger because spurred on by a lurking sense of past injustice4 ,moreover1 the little1 sleepy town1 whose intellectual brilliants were few1 and not of the first water1 naturally felt that it could not afford to ignore the fine talent which had so suddenly blazed out in its midst1 and which might be regarded as1 in some sense1 of its own creation4 ,he really belongs to us1 you know1 remarked one townsman proudly to another4 ,he comes of the ,bergans of ,bergan ,hall1 on the mother's side1--good old aristocratic stock4 ,and he's an honor to it6 ,and so1 as has been said before1 ,bergan's exit from the court-room was a scene of triumph that might easily have turned an older head1 and quickened the beating of a chiller heart4 ,but ,bergan took it all quietly1 gravely1--almost indifferently4 ,the cloud had settled back upon his brow1 and never stirred for any compliment1 or congratulation1 or friendliness4 ,most persons attributed it to wounded pride1 not yet healed4 ,in the midst of the ovation1 they believed that he kept a rankling remembrance of the coldness and neglect which had preceded it4 ,one observer only1 a little clearer eyed than the rest1 said to him3-- ,you look tired4 ,and well he may6 responded ,mr4 ,corlew1 standing by with a face of unalloyed satisfaction4 ,he never saw the case until evening before last2 and he has not slept for two nights4 ,there was another1 and a stronger1 burst of admiration1 mingled with wonder2 but the complacent1 satisfied tone of ,mr4 ,corlew's voice only deepened the shadow on ,bergan's brow4 ,quickly extricating himself from both crowd and client1 he walked swiftly home1 meditating1 as he went1 upon the seeming churlishness of human existence1 in that it never gives us what we want1 or gives it only in such way and shape as to neutralize its sweetness4 ,what1 then1 was the drop of bitterness in his cup of triumph8 ,not the paltry pride that had been attributed to him1 nor yet the depressing reaction that comes after excitement1 but an uneasy suspicion that he had helped to do an injustice4 ,he had discovered1--or seemed to discover1--as the intricacies of the recent case had unfolded themselves before him1 that law and justice stood on opposite sides of it4 ,of his client's legal right to the property in dispute1 admitting his statements to be true1 there seemed to be no question2 but of his moral right to it1 as well as of his own personal integrity1 and that of his principal witness1 ,bergan had grave doubts4 ,and these doubts had followed him1 and planted a heavy footstep on his conscience1 all the way down through the trial4 ,for he was still young1 his personal conscience tender1 and his professional one undeveloped4 ,his duty as a man1 and his duty as a lawyer1 had not yet distinctly separated themselves into opposing segments4 ,so1 while the whole town was ringing with the fame of his successful legal dbut1 he sat moodily in his office1 a prey to troubled and half-regretful thought1 until ,sleep1 so long defrauded of her rights1 stole upon him in his chair1 and held him fast prisoned in her soft embrace4 ,,ix4 ,,the ,,first ,,links ,,of ,a ,,chain4 ,i don't beg pardon for disturbing you1 said ,doctor ,remy1 giving the sleeper a vigorous shake4 ,you are in as fair a way to catch your death of cold1 a your worst enemy could wish you to be4 ,bergan slowly opened his eyes and stared vacantly around him4 ,the doctor's words1 though they had reached his ears1 had not penetrated to his understanding4 ,as yet1 he was but half cognizant of his whereabouts1 not at all of his circumstances4 ,come1 up with you6 persisted the doctor1 and take a turn round the room1 to get the chill out of your ,mood4 ,man alive6 what were you thinking of1 to go to sleep before that window1 with such a damp wind blowing in8 ,i did not mean to1 responded ,bergan1 drowsily4 ,and his eyes closed again4 ,did not mean to6 repeated ,doctor ,remy1 in a tone of ineffable contempt4 ,you might at least have vouchsafed me a newer excuse3 that is worn threadbare4 ,it has served the whole human race1 from ,eve over her apple1 down to ,cathie over her last broken doll4 ,nobody 'means' to do anything4 ,except me--,i 'mean' to wake you up4 ,and the doctor gave ,bergan another uncompromising shake4 ,it is so good to sleep6 remonstrated the young man1 in the same drowsy tone4 ,it is so good to have the rheumatism1 or that cream of delights known hereabout as the broken-bone fever6 returned the doctor1 with cool irony4 ,however1 he added1 indifferently1 turning away1 chacun son got4 ,you surely do not mean to leave him1 in that way1 ,doctor1 said a rebuking voice1 beneath the window4 ,miss ,lyte1 fastening up a rosebush1 in the dusk outside1 had heard the whole4 ,certainly not1 if it pleases you to wish otherwise1 replied the doctor1 gallantly4 ,and returning to the charge1 ,doctor ,remy did not remit his efforts until he had gotten the half-vexed young man upon his feet1 and forced him to pace two or three times up and down the office4 ,thereupon ,bergan was fain to avow that his limbs were stiff and sore1 and he had no mind for further exercise4 ,just as ,i expected1 said the doctor1 calmly4 ,without further words1 he marched ,bergan off to bed1 and did not let him alone1 until1 by dint of various outward and inward applications1 he had restored natural warmth and circulation to his chilled1 benumbed frame4 ,in doing this1 the young man was effectually roused2 and memory and thought came back with consciousness4 ,doctor1 said he1 suddenly1 ,i almost envy you your profession4 ,why8 ,because1 as you told me at our first meeting1 your duty is always plainly one thing--to save life4 ,humph6 it seems to me that yours is equally plain--to save your client4 ,what6 whether his cause be right or wrong8 ,i save life1 whether it be good or evil--a thief's or a saint's4 ,bergan was silent for a moment4 ,he felt the sophistry1 but could not1 on the instant1 detect wherein it lay4 ,he allowed himself to be diverted from the main question by a side issue4 ,you say that you save life1 said he1 but do you feel that it is really you8 ,are you never conscious of a power above you1 without whose help your efforts would avail nothing8 ,granted1 for the sake of argument1 replied ,doctor ,remy1 composedly4 ,then you may believe that it is not your efforts which gain a cause1 but the 'power above1' of which you speak4 ,it is not often that a side issue leads so directly back to the main point as in this instance1 thanks to ,doctor ,remy's mode of treating it4 ,i see1 said ,bergan1 musingly1 the difference is in the intent4 ,of course1 ,god does decide the event1 or consequence1--that is beyond us4 ,he can frustrate our best efforts1 or crown them with success1 as ,he pleases4 ,our business1 then1 is with motives--and aims--and means4 7,the last clauses came slowly1 and in the natural1 if not the logical1 order of thought47 ,it is only after we have made sure that those three are right1 he went on1 that we are freed from responsibility1 and can comfortably leave results to ,god4 ,all very fine1 returned ,doctor ,remy1 coolly4 ,but it seems to me that our motives1 means1 and aims 7that is to say1 yours and mine7 are the same4 ,motive1 love of life2 means1 a profession2 aim1 money1--which though in itself only a means1 is the most convenient representative of all that it will buy2 that is1 all that supports life1 and enhances its enjoyments4 ,i hope you are not serious1 replied ,bergan1 gravely4 ,i should be sorry to think that any man--much less a man with your talent1 culture1 and opportunities for benefiting his fellows--could be satisfied with so poor an ambition as that4 ,doctor ,remy slightly raised his eyebrows4 ,my dear fellow1 said he1 if you do not follow your profession for the sake of the money that you expect it to bring you1 what do you follow it for8 ,money is one object1 of course1 answered ,bergan1 but ,i hope it is not the only one1 nor even the chief one4 ,when my mind takes a leap into the future1 it is not so much fees that ,i think of1 as wrongs to be redressed1 and rights to be protected1 and influence to be gained and exercised1--yes1 and fame and independence to be won4 ,all very good things1 returned ,doctor ,remy1 smiling2 and all very dependent on those same fees1 of which you think so little4 ,without money1 you will not do much for right1 nor against wrong2 neither can you be independent1 or famous1 or influential4 ,i do not know about that1 rejoined ,bergan1 smiling4 ,certainly1 it was not his riches that made ,diogenes independent4 ,neither does the name of ,howard borrow any of its lustre from gold4 ,nor--to come down to our own time--is ,mr4 ,islay influential on account of his wealth4 ,mr4 ,islay influential6 repeated ,doctor ,remy1 contemptuously4 ,in what way1 let me ask8 ,in a hundred ways4 ,every week1 his words1 his thoughts1 go into scores of hearts and homes1 for warning1 for comfort1 for inspiration2 and reappear constantly in human lives4 ,certain sentences of his last ,sunday's sermon have been ringing in my ears all day4 ,and only three or four days ago1 ,miss ,lyte1 under the influence of that suggestive discourse1 asked me how far ,i thought one was justified in a purely negative use of a talent1--that is1 in merely refraining from doing harm1 rather than trying actively to do good4 ,and these are only two examples1 you see1 where there are doubtless many4 ,priests easily influence women1 said the doctor1 scornfully4 ,women6 exclaimed ,bergan1 stretching out a stalwart arm toward the doctor4 ,are not those the muscles and sinews of a man8 ,i beg your pardon1 said the ,doctor1 laughing1 ,i had forgotten what was the first of your two examples4 ,still1 that sort of influence would never suffice for me4 ,if ,i cared for anything of the kind1 it would be for power1--direct1 absolute power over men's acts and lives4 ,but as that belongs only to kings and generals1 ,i am content to do with-- ,he hesitated4 ,well1 what8 said ,bergan4 ,wealth--when ,i get it1 answered the doctor4 ,wealth1 and what it brings2 ease1 leisure1 unlimited opportunity and means for the cultivation of the intellect4 ,the intellect1 then1 is your final object1 your ultimate good8 said ,bergan4 ,yes2 it is the one thing which distinguishes man from the brutes1 replied the doctor4 ,with the soul1 rejoined ,bergan4 ,a word without an idea1 returned the doctor1--unless1 indeed1 you mean to apply it to that life-principle1 which belongs to plants and animals1 as well as men4 ,bergan looked amazed4 ,do you really make no distinction1 he asked1 between mind and soul8 ,none4 ,to me1 they are synonymous terms4 ,is it from the intellect1 then1 said ,bergan1 that the moral sense comes8 ,doctor ,remy's lips opened for a reply1 but closed again in silence4 ,and1 knowing that he was never at a loss for a rejoinder1 ,bergan suspected that the words so suddenly cut off from utterance were of a franker character than his second thought approved4 ,before his less impromptu answer was ready1 ,bergan1 following out some rapid1 unexplained train of thought1 asked2-- ,doctor1 did you ever feel remorse8 ,never4 ,that is a disease4 ,i am in health4 ,but1 doctor1 persisted ,bergan1 should you call that a healthy body1 which was incapable of feeling pain8 ,should you not rather say that it was paralyzed1 or ossified8 ,just as ,i should say that it was inflamed1 if mere pressure caused it acute pain1 answered ,doctor ,remy4 ,bergan looked unconvinced4 ,i do not mean that ,i never feel regret1 explained the doctor4 ,i have often been angry with myself for having been guilty of a mistake4 ,a mistake1 repeated ,bergan1 doubtfully4 ,do you mean a sin8 ,i will not be particular about terms1 replied ,doctor ,remy1 shrugging his shoulders4 ,but ,i prefer my own1 as better expressing my ideas4 ,bergan looked a little bewildered4 ,the doctor again condescended to explain4 ,like you1 said he1 ,i hold it to be every man's duty to make the most of his life1--his talents1 time1 and health4 ,if he so act as to hinder the development1 or impair the value and efficiency1 of any of these1 does it make any practical difference whether we call it a sin or a mistake8 ,none1 answered ,bergan1 with scorn that he could not repress2 except that it narrows everything1--aim1 responsibility1 hope1 faith1 desire1 and fulfilment1--down to man's miserable self6 ,well1 said the doctor1 coldly1 bring me the most signal example of heroism1 disinterestedness1 charity1--what you like1--that you can find2 and ,i will point out to you a plain germ of selfishness at the bottom of it4 ,what of that8 replied ,bergan1 with kindling eyes4 ,because we can never wholly get rid of self1 in this lower life1 does it therefore follow that we must concentrate our thoughts and aims upon it8 ,must we forever deny ourselves the ennobling1 elevating1 softening influence of a duty and a hope outside of ourselves2 an object of affection1 trust1 and desire1 higher than ourselves8 ,bergan reached out for a book1 found a marked passage1 and read aloud4 ',take the example of a dog1 and mark what a generosity and courage he will put on1 when he finds himself maintained by a man1 who1 to him1 is instead of a ,god1 or melior natura2 which courage is manifestly such as that creature1 without that confidence in a nature better than his own1 could never attain4 ,so man1 when he resteth and assureth himself upon ,divine protection and favor1 gathereth a force and faith which human nature would not otherwise obtain4' ,i deny-- began ,dr4 ,remy1 with his wonted audacity4 ,but1 at this moment1 his office-boy1 ,scipio1 thrust his woolly head in the door with the laconic intimation1-- ,sent for1 massa4 ,drefful hurry4 ,and in good time1 laughed the doctor4 ,i was forgetting my professional duty to you1--which was1 to have left you long ago to the sleep which you so much need1 and which you may now safely and profitably take4 ,good night4 ,for some moments1 ,bergan lay thinking over the conversation4 ,never had ,dr4 ,remy's low and limited notions of life been so nakedly presented to his abhorrent gaze4 ,a certain distrust and dread awoke within him1 accompanied by a chill creeping of the flesh1 as at something not altogether human4 ,it impressed him that there was a dark and sinister peculiarity about this man1 with the rarely cultivated intellect and the inert affections1--this man whom he had so long called his friend1 and who1 so far as he knew1 had not ill deserved the name2--a peculiarity that could not fail to be pernicious to lives and characters too intimately connected with him4 ,running over in his mind the whole course of their acquaintance1 he could not remember ever to have heard the doctor give utterance to one lofty aspiration1 one purely benign impulse1 one word of hearty sympathy or generous affection4 ,his opinions and beliefs were chill products of the intellect1 unwarmed by any glow of the affections1 unpurified by any strict assay of conscience4 ,and ,bergan was just beginning to discover that1 while pretending to great breadth and depth1 they were really narrow1 because limited to life and earth1 and shallow1 because never penetrating below or above the reach of the human intellect1 when his thoughts suddenly began to grow vague and dim1 as if seen through a mist1 and the next moment1 he was sound asleep4 ,meanwhile1 much to his surprise1 as well as gratification1 ,doctor ,remy was hastening toward ,bergan ,hall4 ,maumer ,rue being suddenly seized with alarming symptoms1 the ,major's head man1 ,ben1 had been despatched to ,berganton1 with instructions not to return without a physician4 ,in his haste and anxiety1 it had not occurred to the ,major to make any exception2 though he retained a sufficiently angry reminiscence of ,doctor ,remy's cool and satirical demeanor1 on the occasion of his ill-fated visit of reconciliation to ,bergan1 to have prompted one1 if he had bethought himself of it in time4 ,ben1 therefore1 having sought two other representatives of the medical profession without success1 finally presented himself at ,dr4 ,remy's office4 ,there the doctor found him1 on quitting ,bergan's room2 and in very brief space of time1 the two were driving swiftly up the long avenue1 through a moonlight that was scarcely less illuminative than sunshine1 and far more beautifying1 by reason of the soft charm with which it enhanced beauties while it concealed defects4 ,it was the first time that ,doctor ,remy had entered upon the territory of ,bergan ,hall4 ,he was surprised both at its extent1 and its signs of opulence4 ,as he passed the stately1 deserted mansion1--showing so fair in the moonlight1 under its grand1 sheltering oaks1--and came in sight of the populous negro-quarter1 and the far stretch of cultivated fields beyond1 his face was alive not only with interest1 but with something deeper still2 it might be calculation4 ,a fair inheritance6 he said to himself4 ,miss ,astra will be a most eligible parti4 ,i wonder if that will is made6 ,the ,major was standing in the door of his cottage1 as the buggy drove up with the doctor4 ,so it's you1 is it8 was his curt salutation4 ,and his tone and look said plainly enough1 ,i wish it were anybody else6 ,but ,doctor ,remy1 though generally armed at all points against such looks and tones1 now seemed to take no notice4 ,yes1 said he1 good-naturedly1 it is ,i4 ,harris and ,gerrish were both out1 and ,ben had to take me or nobody4 ,allow me to assure you that he chose wisely1 for1 if the case be what ,i suspect1 from his account1 it does not admit of delay4 ,it follows1 therefore1 that the sooner ,i am introduced to the patient1 the better4 ,if the doctor had been studying his speech for the last half-hour1 it could not have been more skilfully constructed4 ,the ,major's irritation instantly gave way1 partly melted by the doctor's good humor1 partly forgotten in a sudden rush of anxiety4 ,come on1 then1 said he1 turning to lead the way to old ,rue's cabin1 which was but a little way from the cottage4 ,as they approached1 painful gasps and groans were distinctly heard from within4 ,on the doorstep1 ,major ,bergan paused4 ,she is my old1 faithful nurse1 said he1 feelingly4 ,spare nothing1--no skill1 nor trouble1 nor expense1--no more than if she were the first lady of the county4 ,a kind of spasm crossed his rugged features1 and throwing himself down on a bench beside the door1 he left the doctor to enter alone4 ,x4 ,,feeling ,,his ,,way4 ,rue was lying on her bed1 propped up by pillows into a half-sitting posture4 ,her breath came raspingly and painfully1 and she had the dingy pallor wherewith disease is wont to write itself on the ,african face4 ,is it death8 she asked1 hoarsely1 when the doctor had finished his examination4 ,because1 if it is1 ,i should be glad to know in time to send for ,master ,bergan1--,i mean1 ,mr4 ,arling4 ,doctor ,remy looked down upon the blind woman with a grave1--almost a frowning1 face--which she could not see4 ,so you are attached to ,mr4 ,arling1 said he4 ,certainly1 sir1 replied ,rue1 simply4 ,he is ,miss ,eleanor's son1 you know4 ,if ,doctor ,remy did not know1 he could easily understand4 ,he was aware that the daughter of a ,southern house remains ,miss ,eleanor 7or whatever the ,christian name might be7 to the end of her days1 with the dusky home population1 although1 in the meantime1 she may have become a great-grandmother4 ,moreover1 various scattered shreds of rumor came to his recollection1 enough to afford a tolerably accurate explanation of the blind woman's reason for desiring to see ,bergan ,arling at her bedside4 ,and though the matter would seem to be no concern of his1 it is certain that he gave it a moment or two of profound study1 ere he answered the question which ,rue had addressed to him4 ,indeed1 it was very much ,doctor ,remy's habit--as it is that of selfish natures in general--to consider all events mainly with reference to their bearing upon his own interests1 and to hold them important or trivial1 according to the degree of favorable or adverse influence which they would be likely to exert upon his fortunes4 ,the doctor's reflections were short and swift4 ,to the bystanders1 there seemed to be only the natural1 deliberate pause of the careful physician1 before deciding upon the case presented to him4 ,nor was ,rue's patience greatly tried1 ere his answer to her question was ready for her4 ,your case is not desperate1 this time1 said he1 though ,i can see that it is painful4 ,your cold1 being unwisely left to run its own course1 has resulted in inflammation of the throat1 and1 partially1 of the lungs4 ,but it is not beyond present relief1 nor permanent cure1 ,i think4 ,at least1 we shall soon see4 ,there was no question of ,doctor ,remy's professional skill4 ,in ,berganton1 his scientific superiority had early been recognized by the community1 and tacitly conceded by his medical brethren4 ,yet he could hardly be said to be popular1 even with his patients4 ,there was no affection mingled with the respect accorded to his talent4 ,it was intuitively felt1 if not clearly understood and expressed1 that1 though he brought every resource of science to the sick-chamber1 he brought nothing else4 ,he was as cold and pitiless as his own steel probe or lance4 ,and there are times when a deep1 human sympathy1 on the part of the physician1 is as real a medicament to the sufferer1 as any set down in the pharmacopeia2 in which fact many a genial quack finds his account4 ,it had come1 therefore1 to be very much the ,berganton habit to reserve ,doctor ,remy's skill for severe accidents1 for consultations1 for the awful conflict of life and death over wasted forms writhing with sharp pain1 or locked in moveless stupor4 ,but the thousand pettier ills of life1 which asked for tender consideration almost as imperatively as for medicine1 preferred to commit themselves to the fatherly kindness of good old ,doctor ,harris1 or the warm-hearted enthusiasm of the last medical arrival1--,doctor ,gerrish1 whose scientific attainments had1 as yet1 to be taken for granted1 but whose smile was a veritable cordial4 ,it was ,doctor ,remy's fate1 therefore1 to stand by many deathbeds1--where he comported himself much more like a baffled and beaten general than a sympathetic1 sorrow-stricken friend4 ,it was also his frequent privilege to see the life-forces rally and stand fast1 under his generalship1 to begin anew the fight that seemed wellnigh over1 to win back1 inch by inch1 the ground that had been lost1 and finally to stand a conqueror on the field4 ,even then1 those most indebted to his skill were often chilled to see how little the cold triumph of his face had to do with their deep heart gladness4 ,nevertheless1 this was the position wherein the doctor appeared at his best1--as now at ,rue's bedside4 ,for some reason1--probably as a step to ,major ,bergan's favor1--he was putting forth all his skill4 ,in one respect1 he was always admirable3 he never hesitated to put his professional hand to any business that might seem to belong more properly to the nurse4 ,rue's attendants were ignorant and awkward2 if ,doctor ,remy had not helped to carry his orders into effect1 progress would have been slow4 ,as it was1 the treatment was prompt and effective4 ,in about an hour1 the acute pains had ceased1 respiration had become less difficult1 and ,rue having devoutly thanked the doctor1 under ,god1 for relief so speedy and so grateful1 had turned on her side for a complete self-surrender to the delightful drowsiness that was stealing over her4 ,coming out1 ,dr4 ,remy found ,brick waiting for him1 on the bench where he had left the ,major4 ,is gramma goin' to get well8 he asked1 anxiously4 ,certainly1--in a few days1 returned the doctor4 ,where is your master8 ,the negro pointed to the ,major's cottage4 ,ole massa is thar1 he answered4 ,he tole me1 when you's t'rough1 to ax you to come an' see him4 ,the doctor turned in the direction indicated1 but was plainly in no hurry to reach the goal4 ,he walked very leisurely1 stopping1 now and then1 to look round on the moonlit landscape4 ,not till he seemed to have settled some knotty point to his satisfaction1 did he enter the cottage4 ,the ,major was seated at the table1 with his bottle and glass before him4 ,he did not need to ask ,doctor ,remy how the case had gone2 that had already been made known to him by the mouths of half-a-dozen eager messengers4 ,he merely said1 in a tone that was half a protest2-- ,i never expected to be so much obliged to you1 ,doctor ,remy4 ,i should be sorry to lose my faithful old nurse4 ,she is the last link between me and my early days4 ,is she out of danger8 ,for the present1 yes4 ,and in the morning1 ,i will look in to see how she goes on1--that is1 if you wish4 ,i shall take it as a favor1 returned the ,major1 in a tone that was almost courteous4 ,sit down1 before you go1 and take a drink4 ,doctor ,remy quietly took a chair1 but shook his head at the proffered glass4 ,no1 thank you1 said he4 ,we physicians need to keep our heads clear and our nerves steady2 and brandy does not conduce to either4 ,it never hurt mine1 answered ,major ,bergan1 rather surlily1 as if he suspected a covert insinuation in the doctor's words4 ,perhaps not1 replied ,dr4 ,remy1 indifferently4 ,and1 glancing out of the open window1 he added1 ,a fine place you have here4 ,the finest in the county1 replied the ,major1 with frank pride4 ,that is1 as far as soil and crops are concerned4 ,the old ,hall is out of repair1 to be sure1 but it can be restored to its former grandeur1 whenever ,i see fit4 ,dr4 ,remy gave his host a long1 penetrating1 comprehensive look4 ,i should advise you not to neglect the work too long1 he observed1 gravely1 if you have it much at heart4 ,major ,bergan set down the glass that was on its way to his lips1 and looked wonderingly at his guest4 ,why8 he asked4 ,because a man of your age1 with your habits1 breaks down soon1 when once he begins4 ,my habits6 growled the ,major1 drawing his eyebrows into a heavy frown1 what do you mean1 you insolent scamp8 ,i mean1 replied ,doctor ,remy1 composedly1 habits at once active1 careless1 and self-indulgent2 such as riding or walking in the heat of the day1 spending hours in the rice fields1 rising early and sitting up late1 eating ad libitum1 and drinking ad infinitum4 ,the summary was too truthful1 and the tone too professional1 for the ,major to retain his unreasonable anger4 ,he merely asked1--,how do you know that ,i do these things8 ,by your looks4 ,pshaw6 exclaimed ,major ,bergan1 with a scornful curl of the lip4 ,doctor ,remy smiled1 with the calm unconcern of a man who knows his ground4 ,your looks tell me more than that1 said he4 ,if they tell you anything but that ,i am well1--perfectly well1--they lie1 answered the ,major1 bluntly4 ,i am glad to hear it1 replied ,doctor ,remy4 ,doubtless1 then1 you sleep sound and soft4 ,no1 ,i don't1 grumbled the ,major1 with unsuspecting frankness1 ,i sleep like a man tossed in a blanket4 ,and probably you have pleasant dreams4 ,on the contrary1 a perfect ,bedlam of furies and horrors4 ,and ,i suppose that you never have headaches1 or dizziness1 or vagueness and loss of sight4 ,i have them all1 growled the ,major1 with an oath1 every miserable item of them4 ,i had an attack1 about a fortnight ago1 that actually laid me up in bed for a day6 ,i wonder what it all means6 ,doctor ,remy forebore to signalize his victory by so much as a triumphant look4 ,it means1 he answered1 quietly1 that you will be none the worse for a little medicine in the house1 as a provision for future attacks of the sort4 ,and opening his pocket medicine-case1 ,doctor ,remy selected three or four small phials1 and began to measure1 mix1 and fold up powders1 with a dexterity that it pleased the ,major to witness4 ,he noticed1 too1 that the doctor's brow was deeply knit as he prosecuted his task1 and that he held one of the phials suspended1 for a moment1 over the small square of paper1 before discharging its contents4 ,all this looked as if his case was getting due consideration1 and the ,major was proportion ably gratified4 ,doctor ,remy ended by pushing a dozen or more of tiny folded papers across the table4 ,take one1 in water1 every two hours1 said he1 till the symptoms abate1--that is1 of course1 when you have another attack4 ,there are enough for several occasions2 ,i know you do not like to send for a doctor1 if it can be avoided4 ,at the same time1 he added1 take care to drop those careless habits that ,i mentioned4 ,the last sentence brought a cloud to ,major ,bergan's brow2 but the doctor gave it time to dissipate while he packed his medicine case1 and chatted pleasantly about its convenient arrangements4 ,and now1 said he1 rising1 what else can ,i do for you8 ,nothing1 that ,i know of1 replied the ,major1 except it be to present your bill4 ,what else can a doctor do8 ,several things1 answered ,doctor ,remy1 lightly4 ,make your will1 for instance4 ,the ,major laughed outright4 ,i should say that was a lawyer's business1 said he4 ,so it is4 ,but do you not know that ,i once belonged to the bar8 ,i do remember hearing something of the sort1 now that you remind me of it1 rejoined the ,major dryly4 ,i don't think any the better of you for it4 ,nor any the worse1 ,i hope1 returned ,doctor ,remy1 placidly4 ,at all events1 ,i always advise my patients to make their wills4 ,there is nothing like a mind at rest about the future1 to prolong life4 ,he seemed to speak carelessly1 yet he fastened a keen look on the ,major's face1 nevertheless4 ,the latter only smiled4 ,when ,i want my will made1 said he1 coolly1 ,i will employ you to do the job4 ,he has made it already1 as he said he would1 thought ,doctor ,remy to himself4 ,and the chances are that he won't live to alter it4 ,i shall be very much at your service1 he answered1 aloud4 ,and now1 ,i must be getting townward2 ,i have to see another patient this evening4 ,the ,major followed him out1 and stood for some moments watching the retreating buggy4 ,doctor ,remy1 looking back1 saw him there in the moonlight1 and a strange1 furtive look came into his eyes4 ,i have given ',providence' a chance1 said he to himself4 ,let us see what it does with it4 ,major ,bergan1 meanwhile1 was muttering1--,what did he mean1 ,i wonder1 by talking to me about my will8 ,it is certainly no concern of his4 ,does he really think me near death8 ,and the ,major shivered1 as if there had been an uncomfortable chill in the thought4 ,uncle ,harry1 said a clear1 sweet voice1 close at his elbow4 ,he started1 and turned quickly round4 ,a slender1 girlish shape1--a graceful head1 drooping like a lily on its stem1--a fair1 pure1 bright face1--this was the vision that confronted him1 and carried him back to his youth1 and to the love of his youth2 the untoward course of which had doubtless helped to make him the man that he was4 ,clarissa6 he exclaimed1 trembling1 and feeling as if he were in a dream4 ,the vision smiled4 ,do you not know me1 uncle8 it asked1 in its sweet tones2 ,i am ,carice4 ,ah6 said the ,major1 slowly1 and as if but half awake4 ,he took his niece's hands1 and gazed earnestly in her face4 ,you are like your mother1 child1 or like what she was at your age1 much more than you are like the child that used to play around my knees1--let me see1--six--eight--nine years ago4 ,i missed her1 ,carice1 when she stopped coming1 ,i missed her4 ,she missed you1 too1 uncle1 replied ,carice4 ,she was very fond of you4' ,then why did she stop coming8 asked the ,major1 gloomily4 ,because1 uncle1 answered ,carice1 simply1 she grew old enough to know that it is a child's duty to obey1 and not to question4 ,the ,major's brow darkened2 but he looked sad1 too4 ,i never laid it up against you1 ,carice1 he said1 with significant emphasis4 ,nor against any one1 ,i hope1 replied ,carice1 coaxingly4 ,oh1 uncle1 ought not this long feud to cease8 ,major ,bergan shook his head4 ,there is no feud between you and me1 child1 said he4 ,but1 as for your father1 he went on1 with a kindling eye and a roughening voice1 when he-- ,carice laid her hand upon his arm4 ,as you were just saying1 said she1 gently1 he is my father4 ,and1 dear uncle1 a daughter's ear is easily hurt4 ,the ,major stopped1 and nearly choked himself with the sentence so suddenly arrested on his lips4 ,then1 what are you here for8 he finally blurted out1 half-wonderingly1 half-sternly4 ,ah6 exclaimed ,carice1 in a tone of sudden recollection1 ,i had nearly forgotten my errand1 in the pleasure of seeing you4 ,the ,major's face grew soft again4 ,he put his hands on ,carice's shoulders1 turned her toward the full moonlight1 and looked long and earnestly in her face4 ,how beautiful you have grown6 said he1 with even more of wonder than admiration in his voice2 ,i am not sure but that you are still more beautiful than she was4 ,but you don't look as if you belonged to this earth1 child2 and there's not a bit of the family look left in you4 ,are you certain that you are ,carice ,bergan1 and not a changeling8 ,quite sure1 uncle1 she answered1 smiling1 ,ask ,rosa1 there1 if ,i am not4 ,she pointed to her maid1 who had accompanied her1 and stood waiting near4 ,then1 ,miss ,bergan1 said the ,major1 making her a courtly bow1 what can your old uncle do for you8 ,nothing1 at present1 she replied1 except to let me keep my own1 old corner in his heart4 ,i only came to see ,maumer ,rue1 if ,i may4 ,we heard she was dying4 ,so ,i begged hard to be allowed to come and tell her that ,i had not forgotten how kind she used to be to me1 and to see if ,i could do anything for her4 ,i fancied it would please her to see me1 if she is still able to recognize me4 ,is she8 ,perfectly able1 replied ,major ,bergan1 and will be1 ,i hope1 for years to come4 ,she has been very ill1 but she is much better4 ,she is now asleep4 ,then ,i will not disturb her1 returned ,carice4 ,and yet1 ,i am loath to go back without a glimpse of her4 ,could ,i not look in upon her for one moment8 ,i will be sure not to make a sound4 ,major ,bergan led her to ,rue's cabin1 and waited on the threshold1 while1 with her finger on her lips1 to guard against any outburst of astonishment from the negro woman in attendance1 she stole softly to the bedside1 and bent over the sleeping ,rue4 ,a wondrously lovely picture she made there1--a picture of such unearthly grace1 delicacy1 and purity1 that the ,major's eyes filled with unconscious moisture as he gazed4 ,suddenly ,rue's lips parted1 in a dream1 ,the ,bergan star6 said she4 ,see6 it rises6 ,and1 after a moment1 she added1 decidedly1 ,he shall have ,bergan ,hall6 ,carice quickly stole out to her uncle4 ,his face looked very gloomy1 as he led her back toward the cottage4 ,carice1 said he1 suddenly1 have you seen your ,western cousin8 ,bergan ,arling8 ,yes1 certainly1 she answered4 ,how do you like him8 ,he seems very pleasant1 she replied1 evasively4 ,seems6 repeated her uncle1 gruffly4 ,what is the matter with him8 ,i do not know1 uncle4 ,it is said that he is very dissipated4 ,the ,major laughed ironically4 ,nonsense6 ,the most incorrigible milksop that ever ,i saw1 said he4 ,that is why we quarrelled4 ,carice looked at him doubtfully4 ,the very first thing that we heard of him1 said she1 was that he had been mixed up in a low brawl at ,gregg's tavern4 ,all my fault1 ,carice1 returned ,major ,bergan1 shortly4 ,i took him there1 and cheated him into swallowing a glass of raw brandy4 ,carice's blue eyes looked a sorrowful astonishment4 ,i did not mean to do him any harm1 pursued the ,major1 answering their mute eloquence2 ,i only wanted to teach him to drink like a man and a ,bergan4 ,i loved the boy1 ,carice1 like my own son1 and would have kept him with me1 if ,i could4 ,but he forsook me for the law1 the ungrateful dog6 ,perhaps he had no choice1 suggested ,carice4 ,no choice6 ,didn't he have the choice of ,bergan ,hall1 and all that belongs to it8 ,that was what was running in ,maumer ,rue's head1 just now4 ,but he preferred independence--and a tin sign in his window6 ,he is a degenerate scion of the race1 like your-- ,the ,major suddenly recollected himself1 and broke off with a dry cough4 ,carice was looking down thoughtfully4 ,an unexpected clue to ,bergan's character1 motives1 and aims1 had been put into her hands2 and she was slowly trying to follow it out4 ,thank you1 uncle1 for telling me this1 said she1 at length4 ,i am afraid we have been doing ,bergan an injustice4 ,you certainly have1 if you have thought him a drunkard1 replied the ,major4 ,but1 nevertheless1 he's no true ,bergan1 ,carice2 don't have anything to do with him4 ,no more than is just and right1 said ,carice1 quietly4 ,and now ,i must go2 mamma will be getting anxious4 ,come a little way with me1 uncle1 as you used to do4 ,the ,major walked by her side down to the creek1 and watched her anxiously across the dilapidated bridge4 ,don't come that way again1 he called to her1 as she reached the other end4 ,it's unsafe4 ,mend it then1 uncle1 she called back to him4 ,for ,i like old paths--and old friends--best4 ,the ,major turned away with a smile4 ,and all the way to the cottage he was saying to himself1-- ,perhaps ,i had better make my will4 ,,xi4 ,,sleepless ,,nights ,,appointed4 ,doctor ,remy possessed in perfection the power of rapid concentration of thought4 ,otherwise1 he would have taken a divided mind to the bedside of his second patient1 that night1 after leaving ,bergan ,hall4 ,as it was1 he was glad when the stroke of midnight set him free1 body and mind2 the one to find its way mechanically to the hotel1 through the silent moonlighted streets of ,berganton1 the other to occupy itself in arranging and perfecting the details of a certain plan for his future advantage1 which had suddenly shaped itself out before him1 so distinctly1 if roughly1 that he had already taken an important step toward its accomplishment4 ,it now remained to provide for the rest of the way4 ,the midnight heaven was without a cloud1 and the moon filled it with white radiance4 ,every object down the long line of the town's principal street was shown with the clearness of noonday1 but also with the ghostlike awfulness that moonlight is wont to impart to objects the most familiar4 ,the large1 wooden houses1 with their broad1 shadowy piazzas and dim doorways2 the wide1 empty sidewalks2 the great1 shining-leaved oaks1 dotting the silvered highway with black islands of shadow2 the narrow wheel-track1 with its broad margin of grass and weeds1 through which an isolated footpath took its solitary way to every gate2--all were distinctly visible1 but with a singularity of aspect that seemed to change their whole character and meaning4 ,and perhaps something of the same effect extended to the countenance of ,doctor ,remy1 as he came down the street1 followed by the dreary echo of his own lonely footsteps1 as if dogged by immitigable fate4 ,to his features1 as to all other objects1 the moonlight seemed to impart a new expression4 ,those who were best acquainted with him1 had any such been abroad1 would have needed to look twice at his dark moody countenance1 and the ominous gleam of his deepset eyes1 to feel themselves quite sure of his identity4 ,continuing to brood over the casual encounter1 as they pursued their way1 they might have tried to divine what sombre energy of purpose it was that had lit his eyes with such deep1 dusky light1 and marked his brow and eyes with lines so sternly rigid2 shuddering1 too1 to think how remorselessly he would sweep from his terribly direct1 if underground1 path1 whatever object should intervene between himself and his goal4 ,then1 seeing how the moonbeams had subtilized some mean hovel into a phantom palace or tomb1 wrought of alternate silver and ebony1 they would be fain to set down both the origin and substance of their reflections to the same magical agency1 and breathe more freely in making haste to forget the whole matter4 ,secure in the absence of all observation1 the dark face kept on its way through the silent street1 giving its features the fullest liberty of evil expression4 ,opposite the principal dry goods store of the street1 it paused for a moment2 its restless glance had caught sight of a faint gleam from one of the rear shutters1 which was plainly not moonlight4 ,they are up late1 muttered the doctor1 or there is mischief afoot4 ,well6 what is it to me8 ,have ,i not enough else to think of8 ,and he kept on his rapid way4 ,but the incident seemed to have set free the faculty of speech4 ,words began to drop from his set lips2 short1 disconnected sentences1 through which1 nevertheless1 there ran a distinct thread of suggestion4 ,i have waited long enough1--so ran one of these half-involuntary utterances1--,i have waited long enough for ,fortune's willing favors2 it is time to grapple with the exasperating jade1 and wring them from her reluctant hands1 by fair means or foul4 ,for what else was ,i endowed with talent1 daring1 energy1 and will1 beyond most men8 ,not1 certainly1 to waste them all in earning a bare subsistence1 or little more1 as ,i am now doing4 ,is it my fault1 he went on1 in broken1 detached sentences1--is it my fault that ,fortune never shows herself to me1 save at the farther end of some dark vista which the world calls crime8--,pshaw6 what is a life1 one worthless1 drunken1 half-worn-out life1 in comparison with the ends that ,i have in view1--increase of knowledge1 expansion and perfection of science1 and through them--as a casual end1 ,i do not pretend that it is a direct one1 for me--the advancement of the human race4--,the plan seems feasible1 as much so1 at least1 as anything can be1 in this miserable1 mocking world1 where ,fate seems to delight in balking the best talent and deranging the artfulest contrivance4--,fate1 ,chance1 or ,providence1 which8 ,three different terms for the same thing2--language would be more accurate1 if there were less of it4--,at any rate1 ,i have given ,providence a chance4 ,let it take the responsibility of the result4--,if that will be not made6 ,but to whom else should he give the place8 ,he cannot abide either his brother or his nephew4 ,and ,miss ,lyte comes next4 ,besides1 there are ways of finding a will1 at need4 ,the essential point is1 that no other be made4 ,he was now nearing ,mrs4 ,lyte's house1 and the sight of it prompted his next sentence4 ,astra6--there1 at least1 the way is easy4 ,only1 it must be secret2--,i doubt if the old ,major would altogether relish me for his heir1 despite to-night's increase of cordiality4--,as for ,arling1 it is said that history-- ,dr4 ,remy broke off suddenly4 ,the subject of his soliloquy was calmly looking at him across ,mrs4 ,lyte's gate4 ,pardon me for interrupting jour conversation1 said ,bergan1 with a smile which satisfied the doctor that he had not heard what he was saying4 ,one's talks with one's self are sometimes very interesting4 ,why are you not in bed8 asked the doctor1 with a sharpness that ,bergan set down to professional anxiety4 ,a man who goes to bed at six may well get up at twelve1 he replied1 lightly1 especially if sleep forsakes him4 ,have you been out until this time8 ,yes1 answered the doctor1 debating within himself whether he would speak of his visit to ,bergan ,hall1 and quickly deciding in the negative1 since there was little probability that ,bergan would hear it from anybody else2 inasmuch as the ,hall led an independent1 isolated life of its own1 the events of which rarely made their way into the talk of the town4 ,it is nothing new for me to be late1 he added1 by way of finish to his monosyllable4 ,i will walk down with you as far as the hotel1 said ,bergan1 coming out1 and closing the gate behind him4 ,perhaps ,i may be able to pick up a few seeds of sleep on the way1 which will sprout into another nap1 when ,i return4 ,what a night it is6 ,for lunatics--yes1 said the doctor dryly4 ,among which you would doubtless class your humble servant1 returned ,bergan1 if you could look into his mind1 at this moment4 ,very likely1 rejoined ,doctor ,remy1 indifferently2 but he gave his companion a quick1 keen glance1 nevertheless4 ,bergan was looking straight before him4 ,doctor1 said he1 suddenly1 ,i believe you know the world well2 what does it do to the man who goes counter to its traditions and prejudices1--whom1 in short1 it is pleased to look upon as a kind of modern ,don ,quixote8 ,laughs at him first1 hammers him next1 flings him aside last1 returned the doctor1 sententiously4 ,but if he does not mind being laughed at1 bears the hammering without flinching when he must1 hammers back again when he may1 and will not be flung aside1 what then8 pursued ,bergan4 ,the doctor stopped short in his walk1 and looked long and searchingly in the young man's face4 ,then1 said he1 slowly1 as if the words were drawn out of him almost against his will1--then it gives way to him1 and honors its conqueror4 ,but1 he added1 it is a long1 exhausting contest4 ,i do not advise you to try it4 ,thank you1 answered ,bergan1 quietly4 ,i am inclined to try it1 nevertheless4 ,but here we are at the hotel4 ,good night4 ,doctor ,remy stood on the steps of the hotel1 looking moodily after him4 ,what has he taken into his head now8 he asked himself4 ,he had not long to wait for an answer4 ,in the morning1 the light which he had noticed in the rear of the drygoods store1 found its sufficient explanation in an empty safe and rifled shelves4 ,a week afterward1 a tall1 ill-favored man was arrested on suspicion of being concerned in the robbery4 ,two days later1 it was known that ,bergan ,arling had positively refused to undertake his defence4 ,in due course of time1 it leaked out1 through the amazed prisoner himself1 that he had done so because he believed it to be no part of his professional duty to try to shield a criminal from just punishment4 ,,xii4 ,a ,,consultation4 ,plainly1 ,mrs4 ,bergan had something on her mind1 that bright spring morning4 ,though she poured her husband's second cup of coffee with a deliberation that seemed to promise much for its flavor1 he was fain to send it back1 after tasting it1 with the explanatory remark3-- ,you have forgotten to smile into it1 my dear2 it is not sweet enough4 ,eh6 exclaimed ,mrs4 ,bergan1 absently1 extending her hand toward the cream pitcher4 ,i doubt if cream will mend the matter much1 observed ,mr4 ,bergan1 gravely4 ,a lump of sugar might do1 if the smile be absolutely non est4 ,mrs4 ,bergan's mind having by this time returned to the business in hand1 both sugar and smile were immediately forthcoming1 in sufficient measure to threaten the coffee with excess of sweets4 ,nevertheless1 she continued to have fits of abstraction1 at short intervals1 until the breakfast things had been removed1 and ,carice had quitted the room4 ,then1 she turned to her husband with a serious face4 ,i really think1 ,godfrey1 she began1 that we owe your nephew some attention4 ,of what kind1 pray8 inquired ,mr4 ,bergan1 in considerable surprise4 ,well1 it seems to me that we ought1--once1 at least1--to invite him formally to dinner4 ,pray1 what has he been doing1 to place us under such an obligation8 asked ,mr4 ,bergan1 somewhat dryly4 ,mrs4 ,bergan colored slightly4 ,i am afraid that we made a mistake at the outset1 said she4 ,of course1 the attention was due to him then as much as now4 ,i thought we agreed that the less ,carice saw of him1 the better1 replied ,mr4 ,bergan4 ,yes1 ,i know4 ,but that was because we believed him to be of intemperate habits4 ,men of ,godfrey ,bergan's thoughtful and deliberate character1 when they adopt a mistaken opinion1 are wont to wedge it in so firmly among things undeniably true and just1 that to dislodge it is like tearing up an oak which has rooted itself in a rock cleft4 ,i wish ,i were certain that he is not1 he answered1 with a slow1 grave shake of the head4 ,mrs4 ,bergan gave him a surprised look4 ,i don't see why you should doubt him1 said she4 ,everybody agrees that a more correct young man does not exist4 ,he is always to be found in his office during office hours1 attends ,church regularly on ,sundays1 as well as at most of the occasional services1 goes into but little society1 and that of the very best1--what more would you have8 ,nothing1 replied her husband1 except the certainty that it will last4 ,a drunkard's reform is so rarely a permanent thing1 that one is justified in distrusting it4 ,though he may keep as sober as a ,carthusian monk for a few months1 or even for a year or two1 his unhappy appetite is only a caged lion3 in the first unguarded moment1 it is certain to break out1 and to sweep everything before it--resolution1 hope1 energy1 and promise4 ,unfortunately for my nephew1 perhaps1 but very fortunately for ourselves1 ,i fancy1 ,i happen to retain a distinct recollection of my first meeting with him4 ,but1 urged ,mrs4 ,bergan1 ,i thought ,carice told you what your brother ,harry said about that matter4 ,with all due respect for my brother ,harry1 returned her husband1 coolly1 ,i don't consider his testimony1 in this matter1 to be worth much4 ,intemperance is1 in his estimation1 so very venial a sin1--not to say1 so very ,berganly a virtue1--that he would be sure to extenuate it1 if he could4 ,he would never say what was not true1 affirmed ,mrs4 ,bergan1 decidedly4 ,no1 but he would look at the affair from his own point of view1 and speak accordingly4 ,but your nephew left him on account of that very affair1 persisted ,mrs4 ,bergan1 and has refused to have anything to do with him since1 even with ,bergan ,hall held out to him as a bait4 ,in which1 rejoined ,mr4 ,bergan1 composedly1 he shows that he has more of the hereditary temper than is good for him1 or any one connected with him4 ,it is the same trait that has made ,harry so bitter against us1 all these years4 ,and one feud in the family was enough--and too much4 ,mrs4 ,bergan began to look annoyed4 ,while she admitted the general truth of her husband's observations1 she had an intuitive conviction of their present misapplication4 ,her womanly instincts were all in ,bergan's favor4 ,but that1 she knew1 was no ground of effective argument4 ,her husband looked at her clouded face1 for a moment1 and then went to her side4 ,confess now1 ,clarissa1 said he1 pleasantly1 laying his hand on her shoulder1 that our nephew's claims upon our attention would never have presented themselves so strongly to your mind1 were it not for his late brilliant hit in the court room1 and the sudden admiration and popularity which it has won him4 ,a slight flush showed on ,mrs4 ,bergan's cheek2 nevertheless1 she met her husband's eyes frankly4 ,i acknowledge that those things had their effect in making me ashamed of myself1 she answered4 ,but1 all the time1 ,i have had an uneasy feeling that we were not doing our duty by your sister's son4 ,surely1 we ought to have been the very last persons to have listened to1 and acted upon1 a rumor unfavorable to him2 or1 if it were certain that he had made a false step1 we should have been ready with our influence and countenance1 to help him to retrieve himself4 ,you forget1 my dear1 said ,mr4 ,bergan1 gently1 that it was for ,carice's sake4 ,we were thinking only of her4 ,and so we did evil that good might come1 returned his wife1 somewhat ruefully4 ,but evil follows the universal law1 and brings forth after its kind4 ,what do you mean8 asked ,mr4 ,bergan1 looking both surprised and puzzled4 ,mrs4 ,bergan smiled at him half-pityingly1 half-sarcastically4 ,oh1 ye men6 she exclaimed1 if ye are wise as serpents1 in matters of the intellect1 ye are blind as bats1 in matters of the heart4 ,i am ready to admit the truth of the abstract proposition1 said ,mr4 ,bergan1 quizzically1 as soon as ,i am made to understand in what way ,i furnish a proof of it4 ,don't you see1 returned ,mrs4 ,bergan1 seriously1 that if ever ,carice is to become over-interested in ,bergan1 now is the time1--now that he is presented to her imagination in the attractive light of a long neglected and misunderstood1 but patient1 persevering1 and1 finally1 all-conquering hero8 ,mr4 ,bergan looked as if he did see--several things4 ,is that the reason why you propose to throw them together8 he asked1 dryly4 ,certainly1 replied ,mrs4 ,bergan1 with perfect composure4 ,the first thing is to destroy the halo with which he is now surrounded1 by bringing him into the disenchanting daylight of commonplace1 everyday association4 ,next1 we must rob him of the crown of martyrdom1 so far as we are concerned1 by frankly confessing that we were a little too severe upon him at first1 and by doing full justice to his talents in a matter-of-fact way4 ,finally1 we must make the most of the relationship4 ,you may be right1 said ,mr4 ,bergan1 after some moments of deep thought4 ,though1 at first sight1 it looks very much like jumping into the river1 to avoid the rain4 ,my dear1 replied ,mrs4 ,bergan1 earnestly1 we cannot keep them apart1 if we would1 as matters are now turning4 ,twice already1 we have met him at dinner parties1 where he is the lion of the hour1 and everybody makes much of him but ourselves2 and we shall continue to do so1 until the round is finished4 ,it must be confessed that he wears his honors modestly2 at times1 ,i cannot help feeling proud of him myself4 ,i never doubted his ability1 nor overlooked his pleasing manners1 said ,mr4 ,bergan4 ,but what are they but gems on a poisoned cup1 if the virus of intemperance be in his blood1 or his principles be unsound8 ,the latter can hardly be the case1 remarked ,mrs4 ,bergan1 if the report be true that he refuses to have anything to do with a cause that he does not believe to be just4 ,that seems to argue uncommon strength of principle4 ,i am not so sure about that1 returned ,mr4 ,bergan1 shaking his head dubiously4 ,most people1 ,i find1 regard it as one of the many eccentricities of genius4 ,others think he only showed his shrewdness in declining to undertake a cause that he was sure to lose1 after his brilliant victory in the case of ,corlew vs4 ,kenan4 ,besides1 he has not announced that such is to be his settled course of action4 ,and if he did1 it would seem arrogant1 in so young a man4 ,it is1 in fact1 judging the cause before it is tried4 ,it strikes me that a man must needs judge things beforehand1 where his own conscience is concerned1 observed ,mrs4 ,bergan1 thoughtfully4 ,you would not expect him to act first1 and decide afterward whether he had done right or wrong4 ,in judging his own actions1 he need not judge those of his fellows1 replied ,mr4 ,bergan1 somewhat magisterially4 ,his wife could not help wondering within herself how such judgment could well be avoided1 where a course of action was involved4 ,but she wisely forbore to press the point1 and reverted to the main argument4 ,at all events1 said she1 if he gets to visit here frequently and familiarly1 we shall have an opportunity of seeing for ourselves what his character really is4 ,he may prove to be everything that is safe and admirable2 or he and ,carice may never think of each other in the way that we are contemplating4 ,and1 after all1 ,i think we might trust our daughter2 she has never shown herself silly or wilful2 she is not likely to despise our judgment1 or disregard our wishes4 ,all the more reason why we should do our whole duty by her1 rejoined ,mr4 ,bergan1 in the way of prevention as well as cure4 ,in such matters1 parental commands generally come too late to forestall mischief2 the most that they do is to prevent it from going any farther4 ,true1 replied ,mrs4 ,bergan1 quietly4 ,and ,i confess that ,i might have been more puzzled what to do1 if1--,mrs4 ,bergan made a slight pause1 to give her words the greater effect 7like a wise woman1 she had kept her strongest argument until the last71--if ,i were not tolerably certain that he is already engaged--or1 at least1 likely to become so--to ,astra ,lyte4 ,that alters the case1 indeed1 said ,mr4 ,bergan1 thoughtfully4 ,but what reason have you for thinking so8 ,miss ,ferrars was here last evening1 and she told me--in confidence1 you know--that she had no doubt of it whatever4 ,her window overlooks ,astra's studio1 and she says that she often sees him there1 helping ,astra about her work1 or watching her with the most absorbing interest1 or talking to her with a very tell-tale earnestness4 ,it would hardly be received as evidence in a court of justice1 said ,mr4 ,bergan1 smiling1 though it sounds suggestive4 ,but ,miss ,ferrars is given to gossip--'in confidence1' as you say4 ,his wife laughed4 ,of course she is2 else ,i should never have heard of this pleasant probability4 ,for both pleasant and probable it certainly is4 ,astra is turning out a wonderfully fine1 talented girl2 and she and ,mrs4 ,lyte have been ,bergan's fast friends and defenders1 all along4 ,how can he show his gratitude more gracefully than by marrying her8 ,does ,carice know of this8 asked ,mr4 ,bergan1 after a moment4 ,yes2 ,miss ,ferrars told me in her presence1 and greatly shocked her by doing so4 ,she thinks it wrong to connect names so carelessly4 ,she is right1 said ,mr4 ,bergan1 emphatically4 ,at the same time1 continued ,mrs4 ,bergan1 she remarked1 that it would be a very nice thing1 if it were only true4 ,and afterward she said that she would like to renew her acquaintance with ,astra2--you remember that the two were very good child-friends1 though circumstances have kept them apart1 of late1--as they have their mothers6 ,i really feel guilty when ,i think how fond ,i used to be of ,catherine ,lyte1 and how ,i have allowed her to slip out of my life4 ,but then1 we were both invalids1 for many years1 with scarce strength enough for home cares1 and not a jot for friendship or society4 ,still1 ,i have all my old regard for her carefully buried in my heart1 like the talent in the parable2 intact1 if not in a way to increase4 ,one of these days1 ,i mean to dig it up1 and go with ,carice to pay her a visit1 and take a look at the wonders of ,astra's studio4 ,i am glad to hear it1 said ,mr4 ,bergan4 ,well6 ,i suppose the conclusion of the whole matter is1 that we are to give ,bergan a dinner1 and the freedom of the house4 ,precisely1 replied ,mrs4 ,bergan1 nodding her head4 ,and now1 ,i want to consult you about the invitation list4 ,mr4 ,bergan rose hastily4 ,i am quite content to leave that to you1 my dear4 ,his wife caught his arm1 ,you are not going to shirk the responsibility in that way1 she said1 decidedly4 ,i really want your advice4 ,am ,i to ask ,dr4 ,remy8 ,why not8 ,i don't quite like the man4 ,i cannot see what you have against him1 unless it be that he was not born in the county1 and you don't know his whole pedigree4 ,mrs4 ,bergan did not answer4 ,she knew her dislike to be a case of spontaneous generation1 and not at all qualified to give a lucid account of itself4 ,besides1 continued her husband1 he is ,bergan's particular friend4 ,is he8 asked ,mrs4 ,bergan1 innocently4 ,i did not know that he was anybody's friend4 ,clarissa6 exclaimed ,mr4 ,bergan1 rebukingly4 ,i never heard ,dr4 ,remy speak ill of anybody1 in all my acquaintance with him4 ,did you ever hear him speak well of anybody8 responded ,mrs4 ,bergan1--well enough1 that is1 to give you new interest1 faith1 delight1 in the person of whom he spoke8 ,on the contrary1 does he not somehow manage to chill what you have8 ,i cannot say that he talks of his friends with the warm effusion of a woman1 answered ,mr4 ,bergan1 sarcastically4 ,but only with the cold malice of a man1 retorted ,mrs4 ,bergan4 ,there6 a truce6 ,he shall come1 if only to prove what ,i have said4 ,next1 ,i want to invite ,mrs4 ,lyte and ,astra4 ,very well4 ,and ,mr4 ,islay1 and ,judge and ,mrs4 ,morris1 and-- ,you have seven already1 interrupted ,mr4 ,bergan1 making ten with ourselves2 which ,i hold to be the magic number for a dinner party4 ,if you want to invite anybody else1 better wait till another time4 ,mrs4 ,bergan was wise enough to be the bearer of her own invitation to ,mrs4 ,lyte2 else it would scarcely have been accepted4 ,the latter had lost the taste for society with the habit of it2 nothing short of the personal solicitation of her old friend1 now asking it as a favor to herself1 and now urging it for ,astra's sake1 would have induced her to give up1 even for a few hours1 the seclusion that had slowly been transformed1 for her as for most invalids1 from a grievous necessity into a calm pleasantness4 ,thus far1 ,mrs4 ,bergan was successful4 ,but she missed seeing either ,astra or ,bergan2 both happened to be out1 on their respective ways4 ,as regarded the former1 it did not much matter2 but she was sorry not to see ,bergan1 and utter the few graceful words of apology for the past1 as well as of promise for the future1 wherewith she had intended to preface her invitation to dinner1 and inaugurate her new policy4 ,as it was1 she could only leave a pencilled note of invitation on his desk1 and reserve her explanation for a personal interview4 ,then she went back to the studio1 where she admired everything cordially1 and with wonderful impartiality4 ,carice1 meanwhile1 was hanging over the winged cherub1 with a deep1 silent delight that went to ,mrs4 ,lyte's heart4 ,you will take such pleasure in meeting her again6 she said to ,astra1 when she came in1 a few moments after the visitors had gone4 ,she is just the friend that you need4 ,i am not so sure about that6 returned ,astra wilfully4 ,i sometimes catch a glimpse of her at church2 and she looks a great deal too soft and dainty and delicate for a friend4 ,if ,i were a ,roman ,catholic1 ,i might set her up in a corner1 and worship her as a madonna1 or a saint4 ,but1 being a ,protestant1 ,i really don't see that ,i have any need of her1--or she1 indeed1 of me6 ,mrs4 ,lyte shook her head in mild reproof4 ,you do say such strange things1 ,astra1 said she1 things so liable to be misunderstood4 ,you do not misunderstand them1 mamma1 returned ,astra1 fondly4 ,no1 but ,mr4 ,arling might4 ,astra turned1 in surprise1 and met ,bergan's quiet smile4 ,he had come in just behind her1 and had heard almost the whole4 ,i think not1 said ,astra1 coolly4 ,mr4 ,arling is pretty well used to my ways1 by this time4 ,we were speaking1 she continued1 of that ineffable combination of snow and sunshine1 lily and rose1 saint and angel1 known among mortals by the name of ,carice ,bergan4 ,can you even imagine being on familiar terms with her8 ,or would you if you could8 ,does she not seem fitter for a pedestal or a shrine1--some place a little above1 or remote from1 life's ordinary round8 ,she does1 indeed1 replied ,bergan1 earnestly4 ,there is a half-unearthly purity about her1 that keeps even one's thoughts at a reverent distance4 ,snow and sunshine6--yes1 she has something of both1 a kind of soft1 white chill1 interfused with a rich brightness1 half-golden1 half roseate2--but it is impossible to put the idea into words6 ,and ,bergan turned1 musingly1 toward his office door4 ,astra looked after him1 for a moment1 and then glanced smilingly at her mother4 ,fortunately1 there are such things as household divinities1 said she4 ,eh8 said ,mrs4 ,lyte1 wonderingly4 ,but ,astra did not explain4 ,,xiii4 ,,dinner-,,table ,,talk4 ,late wisdom is apt to taste of the flower of folly whence it is distilled4 ,so1 at least1 thought ,mrs4 ,bergan1 when1 months afterward1 she looked back upon her dinner-party1 and seemed to see in it the beginning of trouble4 ,but it is probable that nothing which she could have done1 or left undone1 would have availed to alter the natural1 irresistible course of events4 ,at the most1 she may have hastened its current a little4 ,her dinner-party only furnished a convenient point of meeting for lives inevitably tending toward each other1 for influences long converging1 and certain to meet at last1 in clash or harmony4 ,without it1 there must needs have been a swift birth of friendship between ,carice and ,astra1 at their next meeting2 which meeting could not have been much longer deferred4 ,without it1 ,doctor ,remy would assiduously have spun his web for self-advantage1 fastening his threads indifferently to whatever or whomsoever seemed to promise the best support1 and quickly unfastening them whenever a prop failed him4 ,without it1 the hearts of ,bergan and ,carice would sooner or later have inclined toward each other1 by reason of an instinct truer and surer than maternal foresight or forestalling4 ,the dinner was1 per se1 a success4 ,the table was elegant with glass1 silver1 and flowers2 the viands were the creation of one of those round1 greasy ,africanesses1 who are born to the gridiron not less indubitably than a poet to the lyre2 and white-haired old ,sancho waited with a blending of obsequiousness and pomposity1 wonderful to behold4 ,there were neither culinary failures to harrow the soul of the hostess1 nor glass-fractures or sauce-spillings to disconcert her guests4 ,the conversation was bright1 easy1 and desultory1 as well as interlocutory and general by turns1 as dinner-table talk should be4 ,only once1 and that quite at the last1 did it take a graver turn than was well suited to the occasion1 or seem to stir any ill-feeling4 ,in a pause of the more general conversation1 ,doctor ,remy was heard saying to ,carice1 who sat next him2-- ,you are fortunate in being able to believe so implicitly1 without ampler proof4 ,do you think the proof insufficient1 then8 asked ,carice1 with a little look of wonder in her blue eyes4 ,to some minds1 answered ,doctor ,remy1 evasively4 ,perhaps1 interposed ,mr4 ,islay1 whose ears had been open for some moments toward this conversation1--perhaps such minds find the proof insufficient only because they have not yet been able to look at it in the right light4 ,what light do you mean8 asked ,doctor ,remy1 a little doubtfully4 ,the light of a renewed heart and an obedient life4 ,no man apprehends the truths of ,christianity clearly1 nor believes them with a belief that is worth anything1 until he feels his own personal need of them4 ,when that time comes1 he catches hold of them1 without proof1 as it were1--or1 at least1 without other proof than their felt adaptation to that intense need1---just as a man who is hungry and thirsty accepts convenient food without troubling himself about its chemical analysis4 ,then1 holding them fast1 and feeling how perfectly they meet his wants1 what strength and satisfaction they give to his mind1 and what symmetry and dignity they impart to his life1 he begins to look back over the long line of prophecy and testimony for proof1 and finds it ample4 ,men are prone to forget1 ,dr4 ,remy1 that the natural order--as we see in children--is through the heart to the intellect1 not through the intellect to the heart4 ,but1 objected ,doctor ,remy1 if a man is not sensible of any such personal need1 how is he to be made to feel it8 ,who can tell8 responded ,mr4 ,islay1 solemnly4 ,if the eye sees no comeliness in ,christ1 to desire ,him1 if the heart feels no void which craves ,his fulness1 no pang which needs ,his healing1 who can tell when the one will be opened1 the other emptied or smitten8 ',the wind bloweth where it listeth4' ,but ,i can tell you1 ,doctor ,remy1 how a man can postpone the time of conviction to the last moment1 perhaps to the very end4 ,indeed1 answered ,doctor ,remy1 lifting his eyebrows4 ,may ,i ask for the formula8 ,simply by leading a life of deliberate1 habitual sin and selfishness4 ,there is nothing like sin for blinding the eyes1 and misleading the judgment1 in regard to spiritual things4 ,indeed1 if ,i desired to shake my own faith in ,christ to the very centre1 ,i know no way in which ,i could do it so surely as by committing some dreadful crime--murder1 for instance4 ,all my views of life and death1 earth and heaven1 would at once become distorted and confused1 just as all my thoughts and aims would immediately take a new direction4 ,mr4 ,islay being on the same side of the table as his interlocutor1 could not observe the latter's sudden change of countenance2 but ,bergan1 sitting opposite1 was surprised to see the doctor's face darken with some powerful emotion1 while he shot a furtive1 suspicious glance at the speaker4 ,yet his voice1 when he spoke1 was studiously low and even1 so much so that its latent venom was unnoticed by the majority of the party4 ,inasmuch1 said he1 as ,mr4 ,islay is able to speak so intelligently of religious faith1 because of his thorough acquaintance therewith1 so1 doubtless1 his remarks upon crime and its effects are the outcome of his own personal experience4 ,bergan colored with indignation1 and was about to say something in sharp rebuke of the covert insult2 but ,mr4 ,islay stopped him by a look1 and a slight1 yet decided gesture4 ,you are thinking1 doubtless1 said he1 mildly1 turning to ,dr4 ,remy1 of the deep truth that he who would teach successfully1 must know something of his subject by experience as well as theory4 ,a clergyman certainly does find in his own heart both the suggestion and the proof of the truths which he seeks to enforce upon others4 ,herein lies his fitness for his office4 ,out of seeming weakness comes real strength4 ,feeling1 or having felt1 in his own person1 the power both of sin and of redeeming love1 he can the better set forth the hatefulness of the one1 and the efficacy of the other4 ,there was a slight pause2 then1 ,mrs4 ,bergan made haste to break the silence1 and to do it in such a manner as to induce a speedy change of subject4 ,and ,dr4 ,remy1 after a brief moodiness1 which seemed to indicate some lingering effect of the preceding discussion1 suddenly unbent his brow1 and threw himself into the new theme with animation1 to the immediate enlivenment of the party1 and the gradual extinction of his hostess's resentment4 ,she acknowledged to herself that he could be exceedingly agreeable1 when it pleased him4 ,if he would but spice his conversation a little less freely with sarcasm6 ,and then she gave the signal for the ladies to leave the table4 ,as has been already hinted1 the more immediate and visible result of the dinner-party at ,oakstead1 was a swift budding and blossoming of friendship between ,carice and ,astra4 ,despite the playful disclaimer of the latter1 when the probability of such a consummation had been mentioned by her mother1 no sooner did the two girls meet face to face1 the gray eyes and the blue ones looking straight into each other's depths1 than there was an instant1 unlooked-for revival of their childish affection and confidence2 quickly informed by a deeper sympathy and fuller comprehension4 ,it was much like sisters--unavoidably separated for years1 but in whom the instinct of kinship cannot be lost--that they sat talking together1 in a twilight corner of the parlor1 until the gentlemen came from the dining-room4 ,not only were there pleasant childhood memories to recall1 but the life-story of each was to be brought fairly up to the present time1 for the enlightenment of the other4 ,astra's was the more eventful2 it embraced all her art-education and life1 with its toils1 pleasures1 difficulties1 ambitions1 and disappointments4 ,carice's was more like that of a flower2 she had lived and grown in the home-precinct1 she had fed on sunshine and dew1 sweet and right thoughts had been as natural to her as perfume to a rose1 she had made a little space very delightsome with her beauty and her sweetness2 and that was all4 ,each felt a very genuine admiration for the other2--,carice bent loyally before ,astra's crown of genius2 ,astra held her breath1 half in awe1 half in tenderness1 before the aureola that she saw encircling the fair head of ,carice4 ,as for the chill of which she had spoken to ,bergan1 she had ceased to think of it4 ,carice's affections were warm enough1 she saw1 when they were reached4 ,yet there was something about her too1 which she would still have been forced to call chill1 for want of a better word1---that indefinable quality which is inseparable from anything at once white and pure1--a pearl1 a star1 or the white wing of a dove4 ,as a natural consequence of this friendship1 ,carice came often to ,astra's studio4 ,not infrequently she met ,bergan there4 ,remembering ,miss ,ferrar's statement1 and giving it more credit than she was really aware of1 she wondered1 sometimes1 that she could detect no sign of a secret1 or tacit1 understanding between him and ,astra4 ,their manner to each other was most frank and kind1 but it seemed totally devoid of any lover-like quality4 ,she finally settled it in her mind that no engagement existed as yet2 but she also decided that1 inasmuch as they were admirably fitted for each other1 it was sure to come1 in good time4 ,nothing better1 she thought1 in her innocent heart1 could well be devised for either4 ,astra1 meanwhile was watching ,bergan and ,carice with as warm an interest1 and a far more penetrating glance2 and often she smiled to herself over the discoveries that she made4 ,to her1 they appeared to be drifting as surely1 if unconsciously1 down the smooth1 gliding current of love1 as could be desired4 ,she was glad to have it so4 ,she believed them to be true counterparts1 needing each to be completed by the other4 ,bergan had strength1 nobleness1 enthusiasm2 ,carice had sweetness1 purity1 repose2 how beautiful and fit the union1 how symmetrical the result6 ,there was a genuine artistic joy in the thought4 ,and then1 all at once1 she forgot to watch them4 ,suddenly1 or gradually1 she knew not which1 a magical change had been wrought in her surroundings2 old things had vanished1 all things had become new4 ,a new sky1 a new earth1--stars and cloud-shapes of bewitching vagueness and softness1--scenery of wondrous coloring and surpassing loveliness1--lights that were tenderer than any shadows1 and shadows that were only subdued lights2--of what were these things the signs8 ,had she also been drifting1 and whither8 ,,part ,,third4 ,,the ,,in-,,gathering4 ,i4 ,,unfoldings4 ,spring was abroad in the land4 ,no one could tell just when she had stolen into the woods and gardens1 and begun her pleasant labors1 but there was no question about the fact of her presence and industry4 ,everywhere1 there were the tender green of newborn foliage1 and the varied odors of opening buds and blossoms4 ,the new leaves of the ilex trees had quietly pushed off the old ones4 ,the hedges were thick-sown with the white stars of the ,cherokee rose4 ,the passion-vine trailed its purple garments along the fences4 ,houstonias spread a soft blue haze over the grass4 ,wild plum and cherry trees flung drifts of fragrant snow along the road side4 ,the air was faint with perfume from the ivory censers of the magnolia1 swinging dreamily overhead4 ,wherever a vine could cling and climb1 there was a seemingly miraculous outburst of foliage and flowers2 every dry stick and stem became a leafy thyrsus1 every crumbling stump a green and garlanded altar4 ,mrs4 ,lyte's great1 irregular thicket of a garden was quick to feel the genial influence1 and to twine and twist itself into a denser tangle than ever4 ,rose bushes laughed the virtue of economy to scorn1 with their perfumed affluence of pink and crimson and yellow4 ,pomegranates burst into scarlet flames2 mimosas tossed aloft feathery balls of many hues4 ,jessamines and honeysuckles1 holding up vases of gold1 to catch every sunbeam1 ran hither and thither at their own sweet will4 ,so did tiny green lizards1 with scarlet throats1 and swift chameleons1 with curious intelligent eyes4 ,the air was tuneful with the flight and song of bees and humming-birds1 cooing doves1 and shining-winged spindles4 ,manifold1 in truth1 were the garden's delights3 varied sound and color and perfume1 cheerful radiance and gentle gloom1 unobtrusive companionship and soft seclusion1 were all to be found within its pleasant compass4 ,and1 as the days grew long and warm with the ,spring's advance1 ,bergan now and then1 growing weary of the confinement and monotony of his office1 took his ,blackstone1 or ,kent1 or whatever might be the legal authority under examination1 and gave himself the refreshment of an hour's reading1 in one of the garden's shady1 sequestered nooks4 ,doing this1 one sultry afternoon in ,may1 the drowsy influence of the atmosphere1 and the soothing murmurousness of the insects' song1 soon proved too potent for the logical connection of the learned legal thesis2 there were unaccountable gaps between fact and deduction2 and1 going back to pick up the broken thread1 ,bergan lost it altogether4 ,sleep had stolen upon him through the dusky foliage1 and she held him fast until the latest sunbeam1 through a convenient aperture in the verdant walls1 laid its light finger on his eyelids4 ,waking suddenly1 but completely1 hushed voices1 proceeding from a neighboring thicket1 met his ear4 ,impossible1 ,felix4 ,but1 ,astra1-- ,had there been danger in those low1 earnest accents1 ,bergan could scarcely have started up more quickly and cautiously1 nor have fled from them faster4 ,as he expected and desired1 the low boughs closing and rustling behind him1 made what followed inaudible4 ,he was loath to hear another word4 ,he felt almost guilty for having heard so much4 ,those subdued1 confidential tones1 those quietly spoken ,christian names1 had1 of themselves1 been a startling revelation4 ,for1 notwithstanding her frank1 easy1 affable deportment toward those who came within her sphere1 ,astra ,lyte knew well how to hedge herself round with a maidenly dignity that kept familiarity at a distance4 ,she was not the kind of girl whose ,christian name finds its way easily to unaccustomed lips4 ,despite his own residence1 for a considerable time1 under the same roof1 and the frank and friendly intercourse which had grown out of it1--despite1 too1 the fact that ,mrs4 ,lyte often called him her son1 and ,cathie was wont to spring to his arms as to those of a brother1--it had never occurred to himself to call her anything less formal than ,miss ,lyte4 ,nor would it have done to ,dr4 ,remy1 he felt sure1 without the sufficient warrant of a close and tender relation4 ,this premise being established1 the conclusion that such a relation existed was unavoidable4 ,and1 looking back over the events of the past few weeks1 ,bergan was amazed to see with what an amount of corroboratory evidence he was unexpectedly furnished4 ,not only did numberless glances1 tones1 and actions1 bearing directly upon the case1 start suddenly into view1 but1 just as the landscape through which one passes presents new outlines1 new features1 and a new sentiment1 in a backward survey1 so these things assumed new faces and a new meaning1 in his review of them4 ,once or twice1 of late1 it had occurred to him that ,astra was scarcely at her ease1 in ,dr4 ,remy's presence2 he now understood that this constraint came of affection1 fearful of betraying itself1 and not1 as he had imagined1 of some newborn distrust or dislike4 ,anterior to this1 he had observed that the doctor's visits to ,miss ,lyte's studio were much more frequent than formerly1 and that he was making an obvious enough attempt to commend himself to her favor by a more cordial and constant interest in her work1 as well as by exercising a more careful circumspection over his conversation4 ,his cynicism vanished1 or veiled itself1 before the rich glow of her enthusiasm4 ,his satire spared her generous ambition4 ,his scepticism1 though not less frank1 was less hostile and inveterate2 and often it resolved itself into a kind of weary and wistful sadness1 as if it were less a choice than a misfortune1 and would gladly exchange itself for something better1 if it only knew how4 ,at such times1 ,bergan himself was sensible of a singular charm in his conversation1 a kind of autumn-night splendor2 chill1 lustrous moonlight1 mystical shadow1 and vague mournfulness1 blending into one1 irresistible fascination4 ,no doubt1 ,astra had been made to feel it still more keenly2 no doubt1 too1 she had been led to believe that whatever was amiss in the doctor's beliefs would yield readily to her influence1--that he would prove scarcely less plastic in her hands than the clay wherewith she was wont to deal so cunningly4 ,yet ,bergan could not help wondering a little at the doctor's ready success4 ,astra's genius1 he thought1 should have saved her from any hasty bestowal of her affections4 ,he did not know that1 in this regard1 a woman of genius differs little from the most commonplace of her sisters4 ,she gives her affections as trustfully1 and flings herself away as freely1 as the silliest of them all4 ,having gotten to this point in his meditations1 and also to the middle of the open field1 back of the garden1 ,bergan could not help turning and looking toward the thicket1 the neighborhood of which he had so hastily quitted4 ,his face grew troubled and anxious1 as he gazed4 ,was ,doctor ,remy anywise worthy of the heart that he had won8 ,bergan shook his head ruefully1 as he asked himself this question4 ,without intent or wish of his own--in spite1 even1 of some strenuous efforts to the contrary--a deep distrust of the doctor had rooted itself in his mind4 ,though it gave but scanty justification of itself to his intellect1 and was not allowed to show itself in his actions2 though1 now and then1 he made a sturdy effort to uproot it1 and cast it out1 as an ungenerous return for kindness1 or something that looked like it2 it1 nevertheless1 kept its ground1 and quietly strengthened itself there4 ,it did not fail1 now1 to thrust itself into view1 as a partial answer to his question4 ,the bright spring landscape1 with its crowded leaf and bloom1 and its rich promise of fruit1 seemed to darken with a shadow from ,astra's future1 as thus revealed to him4 ,must the promise of seed-time and harvest fail1 then1 only in the moral world8 ,though ,bergan1 driven by a nice sense of honor1 had fled so precipitately from the voices and the neighborhood of the lovers1 there is no reason why the reader may not return thither1 and see what is to be learned from their conversation4 ,i cannot think it right1 said ,astra1 to leave mother in ignorance any longer4 ,do you think1 then1 asked ,doctor ,remy1 reproachfully1 that ,i would ask you to do anything wrong8 ,astra hesitated for a moment4 ,perhaps it then and there occurred to her1 for the first time1 that the doctor's standard of right was likely to differ from her own1 in the same ratio as his religious faith4 ,doctor ,remy did not wait for the tardy answer4 ,putting his arm round ,astra1 he drew her head on to his shoulder4 ,the movement might have been prompted by tenderness2 none the less1 it had the effect to take his face out of her line of vision4 ,all my life long1 ,astra1 said he1 in a deep1 moved tone--7it is often easier to put a desired note into the voice1 than a corresponding expression into the face7--all my life long1 ,i have had a strange desire to be trusted1--trusted implicitly4 ,faith without sight--blind1 unquestioning faith--is to me one of the most beautiful as well as desirable things on earth2 all the more so1 perhaps1 that it is not given to me to feel it4 ,but it has always been my dream1 my hope1 to inspire it4 ,in my ideal picture of the woman whom ,i should love1 it was always her consummate1 irresistible charm4 ,must ,i now make up my mind to do without it8 ,astra was touched4 ,if it did not seem to be wrong6 she exclaimed4 ,the doctor shook his head4 ,that is not trust1 said he1 at least1 not the trust that ,i mean4 ,who can so order circumstances that they shall never seem to condemn him8 ,but the faith of which ,i speak1 having once assured itself of the integrity of its beloved1 never again admits it to be an open question4 ,astra was silent4 ,the doctor heaved a heavy sigh4 ,i see that ,i am not to realize my ideal1 said he4 ,well1 it cannot be helped4 ,i will give you the explanation that you need4 ,perhaps1 being satisfied1 in this instance1 that ,i have a good reason for what ,i do1 you will be able to trust me hereafter4 ,i will1 indeed ,i will6 exclaimed ,astra1 eagerly4 ,the worst of it is1 pursued the doctor1 that you compel me to betray a trust--your mother's trust4 ,astra's cheek flushed4 ,she had been miserable at the idea of keeping anything from her mother2 was she1 then1 the one really excluded from confidence8 ,stay1 said she1 proudly1 ,i do not wish to hear anything that my mother desires to conceal from me4 ,then1 replied the doctor1 it is impossible for me to explain why our engagement must not be made known1 at present1 to your mother4 ,astra looked bewildered1 as well she might1 at this apparently inscrutable complication4 ,doctor ,remy seemed to take pity on her perplexity4 ,listen1 dear1 said he1 and you will soon understand4 ,your mother consulted me professionally1 a fortnight since4 ,astra's cheek grew white with sudden fear4 ,what is it8 she gasped4 ,there is no immediate danger1 said the doctor1 and may not be1 for years1 with due precautions4 ,but there is a tendency to heart disease2 and it is imperative1 just now1 that she should not be agitated4 ,and this1 ,astra1 is the reason why she must not hear of our engagement1 for some time to come4 ,astra looked down thoughtfully4 ,i think you are mistaken1 said she4 ,i believe it would be a relief to her to know that my future is in such good hands4 ,doubtless1 that would be the ultimate effect1 replied ,doctor ,remy2 but there would be emotional excitement1 at first1 more than is good for her2--so much that ,i1 as a physician1 am bound to forbid it4 ,astra could not but admit that the prohibition was just4 ,mrs4 ,lyte had seemed very fragile and feeble1 of late4 ,astra had urged that application to ,doctor ,remy which1 it now appeared1 her mother had made1 but in regard to the results of which she had chosen to keep silence1--from a loving wish1 probably1 to save her daughter from unavailing anxiety4 ,astra's heart swelled at the thought4 ,are you sure1 she asked1 that there is no immediate danger8 ,as sure as one can be1 in such cases--if she is kept quiet4 ,and is there any probability that the disease may be eventually cured8 ,there is a possibility1--with the same indispensable condition4 ,doctor ,remy waited for a moment1 in order that ,astra might be duly impressed with this answer2 then1 he asked with a kind of proud humility2-- ,have ,i justified myself1 in this matter8 ,forgive me1 said ,astra1 penitently4 ,of course ,i never really distrusted your motives2 ,i only fancied that my duty to my mother could not be affected by them4 ,you see1 suggested ,doctor ,remy1 how easy it is to be misled by appearances1 even with the best intentions4 ,the faith1 of which ,i used to dream1 would never have fallen into that error4 ,i will try to have it1 hereafter1 said ,astra4 ,and yet1 returned ,doctor ,remy1 you will doubtless insist upon a further explanation of the reason why ,i do not wish our engagement to be known to the outside world4 ,indeed1 ,i shall not1 returned ,astra1 glad of an opportunity of proving that she was neither so distrustful1 nor so curious1 as he believed4 ,of course1 the outside world must wait till mother is informed2 she has the right to the first telling4 ,if you have any other reason for keeping the matter secret1 ,i do not seek to know it4 ,could ,astra have seen the look of triumph in ,doctor ,remy's face1 she would have been startled4 ,but he only said1 quietly1-- ,thank you for so much trust4 ,and1 after a moment1 he added1--,as you say1 it is your mother's right to know first4 ,of course1 then1 you will not indulge in any confidences to intimate friends4 ,certainly not1 said ,astra1 a little surprised4 ,indeed1 ,i have none1--except1 perhaps1 ,carice ,bergan4 ,i would not mention it1 even to her1 said the doctor4 ,i do not intend to1 replied ,astra1 decidedly4 ,but ,i must go in2 mother will miss me4 ,,ii4 ,,the ,,foundations ,,fail4 ,astra's light form being quickly lost behind the intervening foliage1 ,doctor ,remy turned slowly and meditatively toward his office2 which1 inasmuch as it had been built for the use and behoof of the late ,doctor ,lyte1 possessed its own door of convenient communication with the garden4 ,given opportunity1 social equality1 and a fine1 unremitting tact1 and it would seem that any man can marry any woman1 whose affections are free4 ,else1 it would be hard to understand how ,doctor ,remy could have found his way into the heart of ,astra ,lyte2 unless indeed1 as is frequently the case1 their very dissimilarity should have constituted a principle of attraction2 character has its own laws of effective contrast4 ,astra was enthusiastic1 generous1 affectionate1 with strong religious instincts and aspirations2 ,doctor ,remy was cold1 selfish1 austere1 without reverential sentiment1 and1 in matters of faith1 an utter sceptic4 ,but these traits need not be supposed to have exhibited themselves to ,astra in their naked unloveliness4 ,to her imagination1 doubtless1 they took the fairer form of a calm temperament1 and great force and firmness of character1 allied to a keen and critical intellect2 which last must needs be allowed to take its own appropriate time and road to belief 7except as it seemed willing to owe something to her loving guidance74 ,and ,astra was of the age and character which are most prone to fall down and worship human intellect2 failing1 as yet1 to understand that it is1 in itself1 of the earth earthy1 and really noble and admirable only as it is enlightened by the spirit of ,god4 ,she was dazzled and fascinated by the extent and variety of ,doctor ,remy's attainments1 and the range and freedom of his ideas4 ,to talk with him was like drawing the curtain and opening wide the window on a wintry evening1 admitting free1 frosty air1 and giving a far outlook over bleak1 white hills and leafless forests4 ,nor did it alarm her that the air was much too fresh and chill to be breathed long with comfort or safety1 and the landscape drearily bare and skeleton-like1 since the doctor was always ready1 at her slightest sign1 to drop window and curtain1 and turn back with her to warmer precincts and gentler themes4 ,and so1 it had come to pass that1 as ,doctor ,remy walked up the shady garden walk1 he had good reason to congratulate himself upon the success1 thus far1 of his plans4 ,not only was ,astra won1 but she had consented to keep silence about the wooing1 for awhile4 ,thus he was saved from the awkwardness of having to account to ,mrs4 ,lyte for his unwillingness to have the engagement made public4 ,it would be difficult to invent a reason likely to commend itself to her judgment2 yet it was out of the question to give her the real one1--namely1 his reasonable doubt whether he should be altogether acceptable to ,major ,bergan as the future husband of that gentleman's heiress1 and so1 in some sense1 as his heir2 and his consequent fear lest the will in her favor should be set aside4 ,such a confession might give a mercenary tinge to his suit1 in ,mrs4 ,lyte's eyes1 which he wisely deprecated4 ,so far as he knew1 neither she nor her daughter had ever heard of the ,major's declaration of his gracious intentions toward the latter2 or1 if they had1 they regarded it only as a meaningless ebullition of his rage at ,bergan ,arling4 ,such1 in truth1 would the doctor himself have thought it1 except for certain later inquiries respecting ,miss ,lyte1 put to himself by the ,major2 which seemed to show that the matter had not escaped his memory4 ,besides1 in consideration of the ,major's bitter resentment toward his brother and nephew1--extending1 apparently1 to everybody connected with either1--no more eligible heir to the ,bergan estate was to be found1 than ,astra ,lyte4 ,if the ,major had made his will1 as he threatened1 there was no one1 in the whole ,bergan connection1 with so strong a claim upon his favorable consideration4 ,here the doctor paused1 for a moment1 in his slow walk4 ,if6 he muttered1 peevishly4 ,to think that the whole thing turns on a miserable 'if6' ,i must contrive some way of finding out whether that will--or any will--was ever made4 ,there must be no defective nor missing links in this chain1 nothing to invite the meddling of the cursed fate which has followed me so long4 ,the ,major must not be permitted to die1 one of these days1--by the interposition of ,providence and delirium tremens1 or something vastly like it1--and leave me with an abortive plan and a portionless fiance4 ,to be sure1 ,i should not be long in getting rid of the latter1 but there would be no help for the former4 ,his soliloquy had brought him to his office door4 ,suddenly bethinking himself1 then1 that a certain patient had been overlooked in the catalogue of the day's duties1 he called for his horse1 and set out to make good the omission4 ,his road led past the ,bergan estate4 ,as he was galloping swiftly onward1 absorbed in his own reflections1 he heard an energetic ,halloo6 ,pulling up his horse1 and looking back1 he beheld ,major ,bergan leaning over a small gate1 which opened into the fields near the quarter4 ,are you deaf8 was his angry salutation1 duly emphasized with an oath4 ,here ,i've been hollering after you1 till ,i'm black in the face4 ,i wish ,i had saved myself the trouble6 ,all the fault of my horse's hoofs1 replied the doctor1 good-humoredly1 as he turned his horse toward the gate2 they made such a clatter under me that ,i could not well hear anything else4 ,how can ,i serve you8 ,major ,bergan hesitated4 ,apparently his business did not come readily to his lips4 ,perhaps you are on your way to a patient1 he finally observed1 as if he would be well enough suited to find an excuse for not broaching it at all4 ,his reluctance only stimulated the doctor's curiosity4 ,the case is not urgent1 said he1 carelessly2 by and by1 or even to-morrow morning1 will do just as well4 ,there is no reason why ,i should not be entirely at your service--as ,i am4 ,come in1 then1 returned the ,major1 in a tone that was far from gracious2 but swinging open the gate1 nevertheless1 for ,doctor ,remy's admission4 ,the latter dismounted1 led his horse through1 and slipping the bridle over his arm1 walked by the ,major's side to the cottage4 ,on the way1 the latter vouchsafed a brief explanation of his wishes4 ,i've been thinking a good deal of the advice that you gave me awhile ago1 said he1 and--and--,i've concluded to make my will4 ,so1 seeing you riding by1 just as my mind was full of the subject1 it occurred to me that ,i might as well call you in1 and have the thing over with4 ,and a very sensible decision1 returned ,doctor ,remy1 as quietly as if he were not filled with unexpected delight that the information which he had hoped to gain only at cost of some deep and difficult scheming1 was thus placed within easy reach4 ,i only wonder that you have not done it before4 ,i don't see why ,i should1 replied ,major ,bergan1 sharply2 ,i've always been strong and hearty1--what had ,i to do with making wills8 ,and1 now that ,i think of it1 what have ,i to do with it now8 ,i'm not in a decline yet1 by any means4 ,so much the better for your work1 replied ,doctor ,remy1 composedly4 ,deathbed wills are often contested4 ,no one will question your soundness of mind1 at present4 ,i should think not1 said the ,major1 decidedly4 ,if he did1 he wouldn't be apt to doubt the soundness of my sinews1--,i'd horsewhip him into instant conviction4 ,are you provided with witnesses8 asked the ,doctor1 when the ,major's chuckle had subsided4 ,witnesses8 ,how many does it want8 ,two are necessary4 ,the ,major mused for a moment4 ,i can have them here by the time they are needed1 said he4 ,my new overseer at ,number ,two will do for one1 and ,i'll send for ,proverb ,dick for the other4 ,step into the cottage1 and make yourself at home for a moment1 while ,i see about it4 ,doctor ,remy flung himself into the first chair that presented itself1 and sank into a fit of thought4 ,a vague disquietude oppressed him1 notwithstanding that events seemed to be shaping themselves so much in accordance with his wishes4 ,he believed himself to be on the eve of victory1 or at least of a certain measure of present success which would insure victory2 but both religion and philosophy1 he knew1 were agreed in representing human expectations as of the nature of the flower of the field1 in various danger from the frost1 the knife1 and the uprooting wind4 ,to this general testimony he could add the special confirmation of his own experience4 ,like most men1 ,doctor ,remy had the sobering privilege of looking back upon a career of which the successes were few1 and the failures and disappointments many4 ,the track of his earthly pilgrimage1 thus far1 he bitterly thought1 was tolerably well strewn with wrecks and abortions4 ,a better man1 trying to spell out the meaning and tendency of his life by the aid of a higher inspiration1 might have found some comfort in the review1 nevertheless4 ,he might have discovered some evidences of harmony and design amid seeming discord and confusion1 some solid foundations showing underneath abortive ruins1 some steady inward growth of patience and strength and hope1 in lieu of an outward harvest of earthly possessions4 ,he might have discerned1 with awe and humility1 that sometimes he had builded better than he knew1 because building in accordance with a certain overruling design1 of which he now first began to catch faint and partial glimpses4 ,but such consolation was not allowed to ,doctor ,remy4 ,in his past1 all was incomplete1 confused1 and unsatisfactory4 ,he had not gained what he sought1 and nothing better had come to him through its loss4 ,for many years of time1 and an uncommon measure of talent1 he had scarce anything to show of what he considered life's highest prizes--wealth1 position1 influence4 ,he set himself seriously to discover why4 ,and1 for one moment1 he1 too1 had a chill perception of a certain unity and sequence in the debris left behind him1 unperceived before2 which seemed to show that1 though he had served his own ends but poorly1 he had none the less helped to forward some extended scheme1 whereof he had known nothing at the time1 and could now discern only the most fragmentary outline4 ,but ,doctor ,remy quickly shook himself free of this notion1 with a smile at his own absurdity4 ,why1 then1 he asked himself1 had he failed8 ,because of his mistakes1 no doubt4 ,let every man bear the blame of his own acts1 and not try to throw it off on his neighbors1 or that convenient scapegoat1 ,providence4 ,looking back1 he could discern many a point 7and notably one71 where he had committed a grave error4 ,but his mistakes had been his instructors1 nevertheless4 ,he had gained from them knowledge that should stand him in good stead yet4 ,to his former qualities of boldness1 energy1 perseverance1 and skill1 he now added the experience that could use them to better effect4 ,it would be strange1 indeed1 if he could not henceforth command success4 ,he had just reached this conclusion when ,major ,bergan joined him4 ,ample provision of lights1 paper1 pens1 and ink1 being then placed upon the table1 together with the inevitable brandy bottle1 the two gentlemen sat down opposite each other1 and ,doctor ,remy began his task of drawing up the will4 ,he first wrote the usual legal preamble1 in a clear1 rapid hand1 and read it aloud for ,major ,bergan's approval4 ,some small legacies followed1 taken down nearly verbatim from the ,major's dictation4 ,doctor ,remy then waited1 for some moments1 with his pen suspended over the paper1 while the ,major seemed trying vainly to arrange his thoughts4 ,i don't quite know how to word the next1 said he1 at length1 you must put it into shape yourself4 ,i hold a mortgage of the place where ,catherine ,lyte lives2 and ,i want it cancelled1 at my death1 in her favor1 or1 if she does not survive me1 in favor of her daughter ,astra4 ,you surprise me1 remarked ,doctor ,remy1 as he began to write2 ,i have always understood that the place was free from incumbrance4 ,you understood wrong1 then1 replied ,major ,bergan4 ,though1 for anything that ,i know1 ,catherine ,lyte may think so herself4 ,you see1 ,harvey got into difficulties eight or nine years ago1 and ,i lent him money1 and took a mortgage on the place4 ,he kept the interest paid up until his death2 and since then1 nothing has been said to me about either interest or principal2 from which ,i concluded that ,catherine did not know of the fact4 ,and as ,i felt sorry for her1 ,i decided to say nothing about it myself1 as long as ,i was not in need of the money1 nor likely to be4 ,but it will not do her any harm to know1 after ,i am dead1 that ,i have been kinder to her than she knew of4 ,doctor ,remy looked up with a smile4 ,i suspect1 said he1 that it would not be well for her to offend you4 ,i don't know about that1 replied ,major ,bergan1 complacently4 ,she did offend me1 when she took my nephew in2 and ,i came pretty near foreclosing then4 ,but ,maumer ,rue convinced me that she could not afford to refuse a good offer for her rooms2 and moreover1 as ,harry only had his office there1 and took his meals at the hotel1 she need not have much more to do with him than ,i did1 if she did not choose4 ,doctor ,remy did not think it necessary to enlighten the ,major in regard to ,bergan's familiarity with the family of ,mrs4 ,lyte1 since such a disclosure must needs militate directly against his own ends4 ,he silently put the ,major's wish into correct legal phrase and form1 and then lifted his head with the question2-- ,what next8 ,major ,bergan's face grew grave and troubled4 ,thus far1 it had been easy work1 merely giving away what he did not care for1 and should not miss4 ,but now that the bulk of his property1 real and personal1 was to come in question1 he groaned inwardly at the necessity of bequeathing it to any one4 ,did it not represent all the hopes1 energies1 labors and results of his whole life8 ,what a naked1 shivering1 miserable soul he would be without it6 ,he had a feeling that he should never be quite certain of his own identity1 in eternity1 without the houses and the lands1 the negroes and the gold1 for which he had lived in time4 ,well6 said ,dr4 ,remy1 by way of reminding him that he was still waiting4 ,the ,major frowned2 nevertheless1 after another moment1 he resumed his dictation4 ,i give and bequeath1 said he1 slowly1 my house known as ,bergan ,hall1 with all the lands thereto pertaining1 including the rice-plantation known as ',number ,two2' also my three houses in the town of ,berganton2 also my block in the city of ,savannah2 also my negroes1 horses1 mills1 and plantation implements2 also1 my household furniture and other personal property1 including all bonds1 mortgages1 moneys1 and all other property whereof ,i die possessed1 to----- ,doctor ,remy had written down the items of this comprehensive inventory with a delight that he could scarcely keep from shining out in his face2 and he now held his pen over the paper1 while the ,major paused1 in real enjoyment of so timely an opportunity for pleasurable recapitulation and anticipation4 ,the pause being a long one1 however1 he finally raised his eyes to the rugged features opposite1 and saw that they were tremulous with emotion4 ,words1 too1 soon began to break from the ,major's lips1 according to the habit which had grown upon him in his solitude2--he had forgotten for the time1 that he was not alone4 ,he is the natural heir1 as ,maumer ,rue insists1 he muttered1 and the only one justified by the old family precedents4 ,but1 he went on1 as ,dr4 ,remy began to tremble1 vicariously1 for ,astra's prospects1 he left me without so much as saying 'good bye2' he did just what he knew ,i was most bitterly opposed to2 and he has never come near me since4 ,no1 he shall not have it6--he never shall have it1 in spite of ,maumer ,rue's prophecies--,i'll take care of that6 ,and he began to repeat slowly1 bonds1 mortgages1 moneys1 and all other property whereof ,i die possessed1 to--to-- ,again he paused4 ,why can't he say 'to ,astra ,lyte1' and done with it8 thought ,dr4 ,remy1 impatiently1 as he suddenly checked his pen in the midst of the first curve of the letter ,a4 ,the ,major made another effort2--,to my niece1 ,carice ,bergan1 he concluded1 with a sigh4 ,doctor ,remy's face fell so suddenly1 that it attracted the ,major's attention4 ,well6 what is the matter now8 he demanded1 sharply4 ,doctor ,remy could not immediately answer4 ,his mind was in a whirl of confusion1 disappointment1 and anxiety4 ,mechanically1 he put his hand to his brow2 and the gesture helped him to a plausible explanation4 ,a sudden pain1 said he1 in a low1 shaken voice2 ,i have felt it several times of late4 ,wait a minute1 it will soon be over4 ,and covering his eyes with his hands1 he addressed himself at once to the task of answering the difficult question2-- ,what is to be done now8 ,it was well for him that he was accustomed to think rapidly and clearly1 in the immediate presence of danger1 that he was tenacious of purpose too1 and that his instinct1 in the midst of overthrow and ruin1 was to commence at once to rebuild4 ,yet1 for some moments1 not an available suggestion presented itself1 not a shadow of help for the exigency that had so unexpectedly arisen4 ,then1 suddenly1 a thought came to him1 and with it1 a gleam of hope4 ,he took his hands from his eyes1 and looked the ,major gravely in the face4 ,before we go any farther1 said he1 ,i feel bound in honor to make a confession4 ,if ,i had supposed that writing your will was going to put me in such an awkward position1 ,i should certainly have desired you to look elsewhere for a lawyer4 ,however1 it cannot be helped now4 ,well1 the truth is--he stopped for a moment1 as if to overcome an excessive reluctance1--the truth is1 ,i have long admired your niece2 and now1 as my practice is steadily increasing1 and ,i think ,i could take care of a wife1 ,i had made up my mind to ask permission to pay her my addresses4 ,major ,bergan uttered a prolonged ,whew6 and settled himself back in his chair4 ,that alters the case1 certainly1 said he1 after a brief consideration of this new phase of the matter4 ,i am glad to hear it1 exclaimed ,dr4 ,remy1 eagerly4 ,pray--if it is not too selfish in me to ask it--pray give ,bergan ,hall to the next most eligible claimant1 and leave me ,miss ,carice4 ,the ,major raised his eyebrows1 and leaning forward1 fixed his eyes on ,doctor ,remy1 as if he had found a new and interesting subject of study4 ,do you mean to say1 he asked1 gravely1 that you would rather have ,carice without ,bergan ,hall than with it8 ,decidedly1 replied ,doctor ,remy4 ,i prefer an equal match to an unequal one4 ,i prefer to be credited with honorable motives1 rather than mercenary ones4 ,i don't want to be a pensioner on my wife's bounty4 ,it is doubtful if ,i could ever make up my mind to address the heiress of ,bergan ,hall4 ,and thus1 you see1 if you persist in making ,miss ,bergan your legatee1 you are playing the mischief with my hopes and plans4 ,major ,bergan continued to stare1 thoughtfully1 at the doctor4 ,he was beginning rather to like this disinterested suitor4 ,have you any reason to think that ,carice favors you8 he asked1 finally4 ,doctor ,remy hesitated4 ,i really don't know how to answer that question4 ,if ,i should say 'yes1' in view of the 'trifles light as air1' from which ,i have ventured to draw some slight encouragement1 ,i should seem1 even to myself1 to be a conceited ass2 and yet1 if you would only be good enough not to throw ,bergan ,hall into the scale against me1 ,i should not be absolutely without hope4 ,major ,bergan gave a short laugh4 ,who will know1 he asked1 that ,carice is to have ,bergan ,hall8 ,i expect you to keep my counsel in this matter4 ,that is why ,i asked you to do the business4 ,i had an idea that you were closer-mouthed1 both by nature and training1 than those lawyers in ,berganton4 ,i shall know it1 replied ,doctor ,remy1 virtuously1 answering the ,major's question1 and taking no notice of the compliment which followed it4 ,and ,i shall know1 too1 that the heiress of ,bergan ,hall1 if she were aware of her position1 might reasonably expect to find a better match than a mere country physician4 ,on my soul1 exclaimed the ,major1 heartily1 ,i think she might 'go farther and fare worse6' ,go on1 doctor and win her1 if you can2--you have my best wishes for your success4 ,leave ,bergan ,hall out of the question2 indeed1 it may never come into it1 after all4 ,carice may refuse you---- 7,little doubt of that1 thought the doctor47 ,i may alter my will a dozen times1 or make a new one1-- 7,you will have to be in a hurry1 if you do1 thought the doctor again1 grimly47 ,at any rate1 ,i expect you to frame that one so that ,carice's husband1 whoever he may be1 can have no control whatever over the property4 ,it is to be hers1 and her children's1 only4 ,so scribble away there1 at your best pace1 or ,proverb ,dick will be here before we get through4 ,but your brother ,godfrey1--began ,doctor ,remy1 in despair1 racking his brains for some consideration that would be likely to shake the ,major's purpose4 ,my brother ,godfrey1 interrupted ,major ,bergan1 sternly1 has nothing to do with this matter4 ,i don't give the property to him1 but to ,carice4 ,perhaps1 on the whole1 ,i had better just give her a life-interest in it1 and then have it go to her eldest son1 who shall take the name of ,bergan1 and be christened ,harry4 ,yes1 that will be the better way4 ,write it down so4 ,but--began ,doctor ,remy again4 ,save your 'buts1' until we get through1 broke in ,major ,bergan1 sharply4 ,i tell you1 ,carice shall have the place4 ,if you don't want her with it1 you can let her alone4 ,and if you can't1 or won't1 write my will to suit me1 ,i'll scud for some one who can and will4 ,this threat effectually silenced ,doctor ,remy4 ,it was essential that the matter should not be taken out of his hands1 till he had satisfied himself that it could in nowise be turned to his account4 ,if it comes to the worst1 said he to himself1 it is something to have the document in my own handwriting4 ,that gives me a better chance to furnish a substitute1 at need4 ,with the rigid self-control that always characterized him1 therefore1 he now put aside1 as far as might be1 his own hopes and plans1 and set himself diligently to the work of completing the will1 in accordance with the ,major's instructions1 and to his entire satisfaction4 ,he did not even move a muscle when1 in due time1 the ,major dictated a paragraph to the effect that if ,carice should not survive him1 or should die without issue1 the estate should fall to a distant cousin1 now in ,europe1 whose sole claim to his consideration appeared to be that he bore the family name4 ,the doctor was proof against any further shocks1 this evening4 ,fate had done her worst for him1 in forcing him to write ,carice ,bergan1 where he had confidently expected to write ,astra ,lyte1 and to find his account in so doing4 ,at the end of an hour1 three closely written sheets lay upon the table1 ready for the signatures of the witnesses1 whenever they should appear2 and the ,major1 drawing a long breath of relief1 to see his lugubrious business so nearly finished1 applied himself to the brandy bottle for appropriate refreshment4 ,doctor ,remy sat silent1 abstractedly toying with the pen that had been making such havoc with his plans4 ,suddenly he raised his eyes to ,major ,bergan's face with the question2-- ,how did that medicine suit you8 ,admirably1 replied the ,major4 ,i have had one attack since you were here1--a tolerably severe one1 too1--but the second powder acted like a charm4 ,the second powder6 thought the doctor4 ,i am afraid that ,i gave him too many6 ,at that rate1 if chance favors him1 he may hold on for a year1 or more4 ,he was opening his lips for another remark1 when the door shook under a vigorous rap2 and scarce waiting for the ,major's invitation1 ,dick ,causton entered4 ,,iii4 ,,building ,,anew4 ,the new comer opened his eyes wide at sight of ,doctor ,remy1 and the table littered with writing materials2 and looked with evident curiosity at the closely written sheets of the will1 the character of which he seemed at once to discover or divine4 ,i see1 said he1 sententiously1 nodding his head1--',our last garment is made without pockets4' ,major ,bergan shivered as if he had felt a chill breath from the mouth of a tomb4 ,it was hard to be so often reminded that he and his possessions must soon part1 with small prospect of meeting again4 ,if you must quote proverbs1 ,dick1 he exclaimed peevishly1 pray don't quote such cold-blooded ones as that6 ,how could ,i help it1 when 'it came to my hand like the bow o' a pint stoup8' answered ,dick ,causton coolly1 with his eyes fixed hungrily on the ,major's brandy bottle4 ,the hint was successful4 ,bottle and glass were immediately placed within his reach1 and he made haste to warm and quicken his age-frosted blood with a deep draught of the potent liquor4 ,it was both strange and sad to see how his eye brightened1 his face grew more animated1 his figure became more erect1 his whole frame seemed to gather vigor and energy1 under its influence1 while his air became1 if possible1 more mean and slouching than before4 ,it was as if he felt conscious himself1 and knew that any beholder would be sure to discover1 that his proper strength and manhood had long since died out of him1 and he was now drawing unworthy breath and life from a source of which he was thoroughly ashamed1 though unable to do without it4 ,major ,bergan1 meanwhile1 briefly explained why he had sent for him1 adding1 in a tone that was meant to be courteous1 but narrowly escaped condescension2-- ,i knew that you would be glad to do a favor to an old friend like me1 ,dick4 ,certainly1 replied ,richard ,causton1 heartily2 especially as ,i suspect that ,i shall also be doing a favor to my young friend1 ,mr4 ,arling4 ',he that loves the tree1 loves the branch1' you know4 ,major ,bergan frowned4 ,i don't see what my nephew has to do with it1 said he1 surlily4 ,dick ,causton gave him a look of surprise4 ,de vrucht valt niet ver van den stam1 said he1 shaking his head4 ,that is to say1 ,the fruit falls near the stem4 ,it isn't nature for a man to leave his property away from his own blood4 ,it isn't right1 either1 in my opinion4 ,i am not going to leave mine away from my blood1 replied ,major ,bergan1 austerely2 though1 if ,i were1 ,i do not see that it is anybody's affair but my own4 ,nor ,i either1 rejoined ,dick ,causton1 coolly1 unless your dead ancestors should imagine it to be theirs4 ,os demos os suyos quieren1--,the devils are fond of their own1--and so1 doubtless1 are the saints1 if any such are to be found in your pedigree4 ,it is reasonable to suppose that they would all prefer to see their earthly possessions go down in the channel marked out by nature4 ,anyway1 ,i'm right glad to know that ,mr4 ,arling is to have his rights1 some day1 fine fellow that he is6 ,i've always had a kindness for him1 ever since ,i first gave him a lift1 on his way to you4 ,major ,bergan looked very grim4 ,yes1 ,mr4 ,arling will have his rights1 said he1 with stern emphasis1--,i've seen to that4 ,dick ,causton glanced from the ,major's face to the will1 with an instinctive feeling that all was not right1 but could make nothing of either4 ,the one was dark and impenetrable2 the other was upside down1 from his point of view4 ,apparently1 nothing invited attack but the brandy bottle4 ,that1 he was glad to see1 was not yet empty4 ,i am wasting words1 said he1 shrugging his shoulders4 ,a chose faite conseil pris4 ',advice after action is like medicine after death'--or brandy after one has ceased to be thirsty4 ,take another glass1 said ,major ,bergan4 ,dick obeyed with alacrity4 ,the dram was scarcely swallowed1 ere a tap at the door announced the arrival of the overseer from ,number ,two1--a tall1 lank1 taciturn ,texan1 whom the ,major had recently taken into his employ1 as a short cut to that avoidance of the rice fields which ,doctor ,remy had recommended4 ,the ceremonies of signing and sealing the will immediately followed4 ,dick ,causton was greatly disappointed that the document was not read in his hearing1 as he had expected4 ,never buy a pig in a poke1 nor sign a paper without reading it1 said he1 as he took the pen into his hand4 ,how am ,i to tell what will ,i really signed1 if ,i know nothing of the contents8 ,however1 it's your risk1 not mine1 he added1 hastily1 seeing that ,major ,bergan was beginning to look impatient4 ,and1 forthwith1 he bent his energies to the task of writing his name in a large1 angular1 and very tremulous hand2 and then shook his head dubiously over the result4 ,it looks like nothing that ever ,i wrote before1 he remarked1 as he laid down the pen4 ,but ,hund er hund om han er aldrig saa broget1--,a dog1 is a dog whatever be his color1--and so1 a signature must be a signature though it wiggle across the paper like a tipsy eel4 ,perhaps ,i shall know it by that token1 when ,i see it again4 ,but ,i can't promise4 ,i shall know mine1 observed the overseer1 confidently1 as he lifted the pen4 ,doctor ,remy leaned forward with sudden interest4 ,the name was written in commonplace fashion enough1 but it was finished with an odd1 complicated flourish4 ,do you always sign your name in that way8 he asked4 ,always4 ,it looks very difficult2 yet you seemed to do it with much ease4 ,let me see the process again4 ,and he pushed a piece of paper over to the man1 who1 gratified to find his skill so heartily appreciated1 scrawled it all over with his sign-manual1 in wearisome repetition4 ,the paper was then passed from one to another1 for a brief examination1 and was finally left in the hands of ,doctor ,remy2 who first began absently to roll it round his fingers1 and ended by tearing it in three or four pieces1 in a fit of apparent abstraction4 ,nobody noticed that one of these found its way into his pocket as a thing of possible utility1 in the future4 ,he then rose4 ,i am sorry to be obliged to go so soon1 said he1 courteously1 but a physician's time is not his own4 ,good evening1 ,major ,bergan1 ,i am always at your service1 and in any capacity4 ,good evening1 ,mr4 ,causton1 doubtless1 we shall meet again4 ,dick glanced at the brandy bottle1 and1 seeing that it was empty1 was taken with a sudden fancy for the doctor's society4 ,i'll walk along with you1 doctor1 at least as far as our road is one1 said he1 rising4 ,good company makes short miles4 ,i came in the saddle1 answered ,doctor ,remy1 but we can be companions as far as the gate1 if you like4 ,nevertheless1 the pair did not separate at the gate4 ,their conversation had become too interesting1 apparently1 to both2 and ,dick ,causton continued to walk on by the side of the doctor's horse4 ,it was late when he reached his cabin1 that night4 ,very suggestively1 too1 he reeled across the threshold1 and1 missing the bed1 deposited himself heavily on the floor4 ,tidt meder man ei did som man vil skyde1 ,a man does not always aim at what he means to hit1--he muttered1 resignedly1 merely changing his position for a more comfortable one1 and dozing off to sleep4 ,somewhere1 on the way--or out of it--apparently1 he had found a supplementary brandy bottle1 and had not left it until it was as empty as the ,major's4 ,it was late1 too1 when ,doctor ,remy laid his head on his pillow1 that night4 ,and1 perhaps1 in all ,berganton1 there was no wearier nor sadder man than he4 ,one apparently well-constructed plan had just gone to pieces in his hands1 without note of warning4 ,another was now to be built up out of the fragments1 pitilessly rejecting whatever had been an element of weakness in the first4 ,already1 its outline had begun to shape itself dimly against his mental horizon4 ,yet he did not allow himself to linger upon it to-night4 ,with the rigid self-control which he habitually exercised1 he put aside disappointment1 care1 and hope1 and soon slept as soundly as if no anxiety rested on his mind1 no stain on his conscience4 ,he was early astir4 ,with the morning light came quickness and clearness of thought4 ,his scheme began to look more distinct and feasible4 ,by way of getting it in hand at once1 he tapped lightly at the door of ,astra's studio4 ,he was somewhat surprised to find her before an easel1 palette and brushes in hand4 ,she smiled and blushed at his approach4 ,i know what you would say1 she began1 apologetically1--',a ,jack at all trades1' et caetera1 but ,i really wanted color for this subject4 ,she pointed to her canvas4 ,do you recognize it8 ,i can see that those are ,miss ,bergan's eyes1 replied ,doctor ,remy2--all else is delightfully vague and suggestive4 ,and what eyes they are6 exclaimed ,astra1 admiringly1---not without a pleasant perception1 too1 that she had succeeded wonderfully well in putting them on canvas4 ,doctor ,remy did not answer immediately4 ,he was regarding the portrait with a gravity that ,astra could not understand1--unless1 indeed1 his thoughts were elsewhere4 ,nevertheless1 when he spoke1 it was sufficiently to the point4 ,yes1 they are very fine eyes1 said he4 ,and ,miss ,bergan is altogether very pretty1--in an uncommon style1 too4 ,it is surprising that she has remained heartfree so long4 ,astra looked at him with soft1 smiling1 amused eyes4 ,heartfree6 ,as much as ,i am1 said she4 ,doctor ,remy gave her a questioning look4 ,i am not going to tell you anything about it1 said she1 laughingly4 ,use your eyes1 sometimes1 in watching your neighbors1 as ,i do4 ,who is my neighbor8 asked ,doctor ,remy1 smiling4 ,the proper question6 laughed ,astra4 ,in this case1 you need not journey beyond this roof1 to find him4 ,doctor ,remy's eyes lit with a sudden1 strange gleam4 ,do you know it is so8 he asked1 quickly4 ,ho1 ,i cannot quite say that2--,i doubt if she knows it herself yet4 ,but ,i believe it1 all the same4 ,doctor ,remy watched her absently for some moments1 then made a few curt1 critical remarks about her work1 bade her a cool good morning1 and withdrew4 ,astra looked after him1 with a troubled1 wondering expression4 ,what has come over him8 she asked herself4 ,how have ,i offended him8 ,or was it only my fancy that he seemed so cold and strange8 ,before ,doctor ,remy began his professional rounds1 that morning1 he had sketched1 in outline1 the main features of a new plan for the acquisition of ,bergan ,hall4 ,the minor details he wisely left to the suggestions of time and circumstance4 ,one of these proved to be very close at hand4 ,as he drove mechanically through the principal street of ,berganton1 revolving various probabilities and possibilities in his mind1 and trying to make some provision for each1 he espied ,miss ,ferrars coming up the sidewalk1--easily recognizable1 at almost any distance1 by her peculiarly mincing and swaying gait4 ,in all similar encounters with the slightly faded maiden1--whom he shrewdly suspected of designs upon his bachelor liberty1--it had been his wont to slide swiftly past1 with a low and deprecatory bow1 suggestive of his deep regret that the urgency of his haste denied him the pleasure of stopping to inquire after her health4 ,on this occasion1 therefore1 she was agreeably surprised to see him rein his horse up to the sidewalk1 with the obvious intention of speaking to her4 ,perhaps her heart beat a little more quickly1 as she stopped to listen4 ,apparently1 however1 he had nothing of more importance to communicate than a commonplace enough observation about the heat of the weather1 and a friendly caution not to walk far in so fervid a sunshine as was flooding the town with its golden waves4 ,then1 he gathered up his reins1 as if to signify that his say was said1 and he was ready to proceed4 ,nevertheless1 he lingered a moment longer1 to add1 carelessly1-- ,by the way1 ,i ought to acknowledge that you were right1 and ,i was wrong1 the other day4 ,it is not the first time that man's reason has had to admit the superior correctness1 as well as quickness1 of woman's intuition4 ,miss ,ferrars looked both pleased and puzzled4 ,it is very good of you to say so1 she answered1 simpering2--but really1 ,i can't think what you allude to4 ,when you called at my office1 a few days ago1 explained the doctor1 you did me the honor to confide to me your impressions with regard to my friends1 ,miss ,lyte and ,mr4 ,arling4 ,i thought you were mistaken1 and told you so4 ,it turns out1 however1 that the mistake was on my part1 not yours4 ,i was really blind--not wilfully so1 as you had the charity to suppose4 ,i mention the matter the more readily because it must soon be patent to everybody4 ,good morning4 ,and without waiting for a reply1 ,doctor ,remy courteously lifted his hat1 and went his way1 with a curious smile on his lips4 ,that last intimation ensures speed1 said he to himself4 ,miss ,ferrars will do her best to be beforehand with the news4 ,before to-morrow morning1 it will be known throughout the town4 ,then1 ,i can easily manage so that it shall reach the ,major's ears1 and--by the help of my loving commentary--produce the desired effect4 ,astra must be gotten out of the way1 for the present1 at least4 ,so must ,arling2 last night's business convinced me that he is more dangerous than ,i imagined4 ,the ,major deceives himself1 but he does not deceive me2 his bitterness towards his nephew is nothing more than piqued and smothered affection1--affection undergoing fermentation1 as it were1 and certain to work itself clear and sweet1 in time4 ,if ,arling remains in the neighborhood1 the ,major will soon be seizing upon some pretext for a reconciliation4 ,failing of that1 ,miss ,carice is certain to inherit his estate2 just because he wooed--and did not win--her mother1 some twenty-five or thirty years ago6 ,no doubt1 a marriage between the two would suit him exactly1 if he once got hold of the idea4 ,yes1 ,arling must be gotten rid of4 ,but how8 ,he bent his brows moodily4 ,some expedient1 apparently1 soon suggested itself to him1 and was immediately rejected with a shake of the head4 ,no1 not that way1 he muttered4 ,i'm determined against actual1 point-blank crime1 so called1--except as a last resource4 ,besides1 it is not necessary2 ,i only want to get rid of him until the ,major is dead1 and ,miss ,carice is my wife4 ,there must be some way to dispose of him1 by lawful means1 if ,i could only hit upon it6 ,really1 if there were a ,devil1 as some people believe1 he would strain a point now in my favor6 ,at all events1 ,i think ,i see my way clear with ,astra4 ,he was silent1 for an instant2 his brow grew sombre with unwonted regret4 ,poor ,astra6 he murmured1 as he drove into the cathedral-like gloom of the far-stretching pine barren1--,i am really loath to give her up6 ,but her chance of the ,hall1 ,i see now1 is not worth a picayune4 ,and it won't do to trust to the possibility of substituting a manufactured will for the real one1 as long as ,i cannot find out where the latter is deposited4 ,the ,major was very close-mouthed about that matter4 ,no1 ,miss ,carice is my safest resort4 ,yet ,astra would suit me much better1 on the whole4 ,and once again1 looking absently up the long1 columned vista of the narrow road1 he murmured regretfully2-- ,poor ,astra6 ,,iv4 ,a ,,sermon4 ,the next day was ,sunday4 ,it came to the earth1 as it comes always1 with kindly1 hallowed hands full of blessings1 but found not everywhere hearts and minds open to receive them4 ,carice ,bergan1 to be sure1 knelt in her accustomed place1 in the little church of her fathers1 with a face which might almost have rivalled that of an angel in its bright peacefulness1 and with all the windows of her soul plainly open to the heavenly sunshine4 ,bergan ,arling1 too1 conscious that each one of these holy days had its own special gift or grace for him1 its own kind and measure of spiritual food1 which he could ill afford to lose1 knelt in his proper place1 and reverently lent his full1 rich voice to swell the solemn flow of common prayer1 or the harmonious burst of choral praise4 ,and ,mrs4 ,lyte1 in her widow's weeds1 looking upward in spirit1 to the long peace of ,paradise1 and the shining faces of the redeemed1 was glad to believe in the communion of saints1 and rejoiced in the day that was both a foretaste and a promise of the life everlasting4 ,even ,astra ,lyte1 though suffering from a vague and nameless depression1--a burden of which1 as yet1 she felt only the weight and chill1 without comprehending1 or daring to try to comprehend1 whence it came or what it meant1--was sensible of a dim delight1 and possibly a latent helpfulness1 in the sweet and solemn influences of the day and the place4 ,here and there1 moreover1 a soul bowed under the weight of recent affliction1 or shaken with the terrors of a newly-awakened conscience1 was both awed and glad to be able to give itself audible expression in words so fit and forcible as those of the ,confession and the ,litany1 and thankful if it might pick up so much as a crumb of pardon and peace from the ,master's bountiful table4 ,but1 to ,doctor ,remy1 paying an unwilling tribute to public opinion by showing himself at church1 on this morning1 after many weeks of absence1 and leaving it to be inferred that1 but for his professional duties1 he would be seen there regularly2 to ,miss ,ferrars1 mingling solemn words of confession and penitence with frivolous thoughts of dress and gossip2 to ,dick ,causton1 slinking shame-facedly into the rear pew1 to listen to the conclusion of the sweet1 old1 familiar hymn1 the first sounds of which had fallen enticingly upon his ear1 as he was staggering up the street2--to these1 and many others like them1 doubtless1 ,sunday brought only present irksomeness and future condemnation4 ,the hymn being finished1 ,mr4 ,islay ascended the pulpit1 and1 laying his manuscript open before him1 looked round on the crowded congregation1 with serious1 almost melancholy1 eyes4 ,perhaps he sought1 amid those upturned faces1 for some sign of human sympathy1 to lighten a little his heavy sense of responsibility2 perhaps he wondered to which of these souls his words were now to prove a savor of life unto life1 and to which1 a savor of death unto death4 ,deep and clear1 and full of a solemn music1 his voice broke the silence4 ,in the fifth1 chapter of ,proverbs1 and in the twenty-second verse1 it is written3 ',,he ,,shall ,,be ,,holden ,,with ,,the ,,cords ,,of ,,his ,,sins4' ,three faces were at once alive with interest4 ,doctor ,remy1 indeed1 gave a slight and almost imperceptible start1 as if his intellect not only1 but his memory or his conscience1 had felt an awakening touch4 ,bergan ,arling merely fixed his eyes more intently on the speaker1 with the aspect of a man who was glad to find that the coming discourse was likely to link into1 and carry on1 some previous train of thought4 ,as for ,dick ,causton1 the word ,proverbs was sufficient to command his earnest1 and even critical1 attention4 ,he believed that he knew a good deal about proverbs himself2 he had made a lifelong study of their characteristics and principles of interpretation2 he had often declared those of ,solomon--such as were strictly proverbs--to be of the best2 he would stay and hear what a tyro like ,mr4 ,islay had to say about this particular one4 ,this1 briefly1 was what the clergyman said4 ,many texts are like rosebuds4 ,they have a simple form1 and an obvious signification4 ,but if you steep them in the dew of meditation and the sunshine of faith1 they begin to unfold meaning after meaning1 as the rosebud petal after petal2 and in the centre there is a golden heart1--the gracious blessing of ,god on the fervent and prayerful spirit1 and the inquiring and teachable mind4 ,let us pray that the text which we are considering1 may prove such an one to each of us4 ,a man's sin is sure to find him out4 ,it may have been committed in secret1 muffled thickly with caution1 and finally buried deep under time and distance and circumstance2 it may remain hidden for years2 it may have been forgotten1 except for an occasional dark moment1 by the sinner himself2 yet1 some time1 some day1 what seems to be a chance1 but is truly a providence1 lifts the veil1 and takes hold of the clue1--or death throws the lurid light of his inverted torch over the dark transaction1--and the liar1 the thief1 the adulterer1 the murderer1 or whatever may be the miserable man's miserable name1 is brought to the bar either of human or divine justice4 ,and there is no escape4 ,the bands of his iniquity are around him2 they bind him hand and foot2 he is holden with the cords of his sins4 ,this is perhaps the first and most obvious meaning of the text4 ,it assures us that1 'though punishment be lame1 it arrives4' ,it warns us not to make cords which are certain to be used1 some day1 for our own binding4 ,but men are apt to think lightly of a remote evil4 ,the present monopolizes their fears1 as it does their labors4 ,moreover 7they say71 there are dozens of little1 everyday sins1 which entail no such fearful consequences4 ,let us see how our text bears upon these points4 ,sin is not a simple1 but a complex1 thing4 ,it is a cord twisted of many threads1 and some of them begin very far back4 ,a man is seldom taken in the toils of a sudden1 single temptation1 or bound with the cords of an utterly unimagined and unpremeditated sin4 ,he has made the way and work easy to each of them1 by yielding to preliminary temptations1 and carelessly allowing the binding of preparatory sins4 ,he is holden with the cords of the evil thought to the unhallowed desire and the foul gratification4 ,he is holden with the cords of that seemingly venial sin to this final burden of guilt and shame1 by that unbridled passion to this startling1 terrible crime4 ,the slender cord draws the stout one after it3 at sight of that1 the man may start and shrink1 but he is already half-bound1 and his resistance is feeble4 ,having taken the first step1 he is committed to the second2 having admitted the premise1 he is bound to the logical conclusion4 ,here1 as before1 he is holden with the cords of his sins4 ,moreover1 there are few things stronger1 for good or ill1 than habit4 ,and every sin1 however small1 may begin an evil habit1 and is sure to confirm one4 ,round and round goes the slender cord1 till it binds as strongly as a chain of iron4 ,one part after another yields to the subtle1 stealing influence2 first1 the will succumbs2 then1 the reason2 finally1 the conscience4 ,day by day1 good ceases to attract1 and evil to repel4 ,day by day1 the right becomes more difficult1 and the wrong easier4 ,the habit soon becomes fixed2 the man is firmly bound4 ,to the side of evil1 and the service of ,satan1 he is holden with the cords of his sins4 ,again3 ,if thought be the spring of action1 action is also the spring of thought4 ,if it be true that1 'as a man thinks1 he is1' so it is true that as he is1 he thinks4 ,thought is by turns cause and effect4 ,if a man's sins are the result of his evil thoughts1 so his evil and erroneous thoughts are sometimes the result of his sins4 ,he cannot long continue to think right if he act wrong4 ,after breaking the ,sabbath awhile1 he ceases to think of it as a holy day4 ,after committing murder1 he ceases to regard life as sacred4 ,violating human law1 it becomes a terror instead of a protection4 ,defying the ,divine law1 he soon denies its authority4 ,sin distorts his views1 as well as his life4 ,the truths of religion lose their clearness to his mind with their power to influence his action4 ,doubts1 scepticism1 infidelity1 find an open door1 and an easy road1 to his heart4 ,if a man would keep fast hold of his ,christian faith1 let him take care to order his actions1 as far as possible1 in conformity to its precepts4 ,but1 on the other hand1 let him give free rein to his appetites and ambitions1--yea1 even to the commission of absolute crime1--if he wishes to become a mocker and an infidel1 without love of ,god or man1 without correct views of time or clear ones of eternity4 ,for1 to all these things1 he will be sure to be holden with the cords of his sins4 ,finally2 ,all men love liberty4 ,but sin1 though it may seem1 at first1 to be the wildest liberty1 soon proves to be the narrowest bondage4 ,the sinner is the slave of appetites1 of habits1 of thoughts1 that are hard task-masters2 and the wages of which are every kind of death4 ,for there are many kinds1--social1 political1 moral1 before the final1 everlasting death2--and one1 or all1 of these1 he is sure to taste1 as the reward of his faithful service of ,satan4 ,his health is undermined1 or his reputation destroyed2 his fortune is dissipated1 or his gold corroded in the using2 he is shaken with the terrors of conscience1 or hardened into the semblance of stone2 he is without adequate consolation in the day of trouble1 and without strengthening hope in the day of death2 but his slavery is abject and absolute4 ,he neither will nor can escape4 ,he is holden with the cords of his sins4 ,thus you will see1 beloved1 that our text has a word of solemn warning for the present1 as well as for the future4 ,the holding of sin is to be dreaded in life1 not less than at death4 ,one sin holds fast to another4 ,single sins twist together into the strong cord of habitual sin4 ,the sinful act draws after it evil thoughts and loose opinions4 ,sin is a continual1 daily bondage1 as well as a final retribution4 ,beware then1 oh1 ye young6 how you bind yourselves with cords of sinful thoughts1 or habits1 or opinions1 or passions1 to the exclusion of that blessed liberty which is in ,christ ,jesus4 ,beware1 oh1 ye adults6 how you go on adding sin to sin1 and cord to cord1 till you are bound hand and foot1 thought and will1 body and soul2 and are finally cast down to perdition1 in bonds of your own industrious forging--holden with the cords of your sins6 ,but1--do you say8--we are all sinners1 we are all 'holden1' how are we to break from the cords of our sins8 ,go to ,christ4 ,at ,his feet1 all bonds are broken1 all slavery ends4 ,he leads captivity captive1 and ,his service is perfect freedom4 ,he is our righteousness1 and the man that trusteth in ,him1 shall no more be holden with the cords of ,his sins4 ,such was the substance of the sermon4 ,but in the delivery1 there was a warmth and an earnestness1 a happiness of expression and illustration1 and a deep solemnity1 that held the congregation spell-bound with interest1 to the end6 ,perhaps no one had listened more attentively1 or humbly1 than ,bergan ,arling4 ,so recently had he felt the irksome holding of the cords of his sins6 ,and he would still1 no doubt1 be holden to their consequences1 all the days of his life1 if not to their guilt4 ,as for ,doctor ,remy1 there was an unusual pallor in his face1 when he rose1 at the singing of the last hymn4 ,but it was quickly gone2 he came out of the church with much of his usual cold1 composed demeanor4 ,his sins had held him too long to loosen their stricture at one transient quake of conscience4 ,dick ,causton had listened for some time with marked attention1 and apparent approval4 ,then1 a kind of haze had slowly bedimmed his sight and beclouded his brain4 ,when the congregation came down the aisles1 he was fast asleep1 with his head drooping heavily on his breast4 ,if anything could have added to the effect of the sermon1 this sight ought to have done so4 ,most certainly1 poor ,dick was holden with the cords of his sins4 ,when the church was empty1 he was shaken rudely by the sexton1 and turned out1 muttering caustic proverbs by way of retaliation4 ,v4 ,,partings4 ,bergan and ,doctor ,remy walked home from the church1 as they had gone thither1 side by side2 yet1 for a considerable time1 neither spoke4 ,if not altogether congenial spirits1 they were on sufficiently easy and familiar terms1 in virtue of their almost daily association1 to allow each to pursue his own train of thought1 on occasion1 without reference to the other4 ,to ,bergan1 ,mr4 ,islay's sermon had been interesting and effective1 not only for what it contained1 but for what it suggested4 ,naturally1 therefore1 his mind was now busy in following out those suggestions to the point where they bore upon his own experience1 and unfolded their lessons for his own soul4 ,but ,dr4 ,remy's thoughts had long since strayed away from any channel into which the sermon was calculated to lead them4 ,there had been some brief moments1 during its delivery1 to be sure1 when he had shrunken inwardly1 iron-nerved though he were1 from the deep1 sharp probing of certain of its sentences2 and there had been a single instant1 perhaps1 wherein he had been made dimly to see1 or to suspect1 that his own life and character--much as he had prided himself upon being the independent artificer of them both--were really the results to which he had been holden by the cords of former1 half-forgotten sins4 ,but he had made haste to shake himself free from both the idea and its effect1 with one smile of scorn at his own folly1 and another at what he chose to consider the weak superstition of the clergyman and his awed1 interested flock4 ,he thanked ,god--using the phrase in a vague1 general sense which1 perhaps1 was only equivalent to thanking himself--that he was not as these men were4 ,and no sooner was he in the open air than he set his busy mind to the consideration of his own projects4 ,some clue to its workings may perhaps be afforded by the question with which he finally broke the silence4 ,have you ever had the yellow fever1 ,arling8 ,no2 it does not visit our western villages4 ,then1 ,i advise you to take refuge in one of them1 for the next three months4 ,it is certain to visit ,berganton ere long4 ,indeed6 said ,bergan1 with more curiosity than alarm4 ,why do you think so8 ,from the weather1 the atmosphere1 the present type of disease1--a dozen indications patent to the eye of experience4 ,besides1 ,i am informed by a private letter that it has already appeared in ,new ,orleans4 ,its arrival here is but a question of time4 ,and ,i assure you that its acquaintance is to be avoided4 ,doubtless4 ,and ,i shall do my best to avoid it--except by running away4 ,you might as well say1 answered ,doctor ,remy1 dryly1 that you will take every precaution against drowning--except to keep your head above water4 ,don't be fool-hardy1 ,arling4 ,yellow ,jack has a keen appetite for strangers1--that is to say1 for all who are not native born4 ,if he spares any1 it is usually the sickly and feeble1 not the strong and vigorous4 ,he would consider you a toothsome morsel4 ,take my advice1 and go home1 or go ,north1 or take a sea-voyage1--do anything rather than remain here during the last of summer and the beginning of autumn4 ,it will be no loss to you4 ,after the first of next month1 there will be absolutely nothing for a lawyer to do here but try to keep cool4 ,and you8 asked ,bergan4 ,oh1 ,i stay1 of course4 ,an epidemic is a physician's harvest time4 ,besides1 ,i have had the yellow fever4 ,then the native-born do not all escape8 ,by no means4 ,besides1 ,i lost my birthright by many years' absence in ,europe4 ,it was immediately after my return that ,i was taken4 ,now ,i may consider myself acclimated4 ,as ,i must be1 replied ,bergan1 if1 as is likely1 ,i am to spend the remainder of my life at the ,south4 ,thank you for your friendly warning1 but ,i think ,i must stay4 ,doctor ,remy shrugged his shoulders1 and said no more4 ,he had merely tried the first and simplest expedient which occurred to him1 for removing ,bergan from the neighborhood4 ,he was not surprised nor troubled that it had failed4 ,he had expected as much4 ,but there were other and surer means to his end1 he believed1 at his command4 ,however1 he was not obliged to resort to them4 ,early next morning ,bergan came into his office1 with an open letter in his hand1 and a most anxious face4 ,read that1 said he1 huskily1 and tell me if there is any hope4 ,doctor ,remy obeyed1 reading the letter not once only1 but twice1 and looking long and meditatively at the signature4 ,then he lifted his eyes to ,bergan's face4 ,plenty of hope1 in my opinion1 said he2 ,i do not attach as much importance as this ,doctor ,trubie does to your mother's fancy that she is going to die4 ,it only argues a depressed state of mind1 corresponding to a low state of body4 ,nevertheless1 it is well to do whatever can be done to raise her spirits2 and ,i suspect that your presence at her bedside will avail much to that end4 ,of course1 you set out at once8 ,certainly4 ,can you tell me at what hour the next train leaves ,savalla8 ,doctor ,remy glanced at his watch4 ,in an hour and a half4 ,that gives you ample time2--fifteen minutes to throw a few things into a portmanteau1 and tell me what ,i can do for you while you are away2 five minutes for adieux1 and an hour and ten minutes to reach ,savalla1 in the saddle1 with a swift horse4 ,if ,i can find one at such short notice1 said ,bergan1 doubtfully4 ,doctor ,remy pulled a bell-wire1 and ,scipio's black head appeared as instantaneously as if he had been attached to the other end of it4 ,saddle the roan1 and take him round to the front gate1 said ,doctor ,remy4 ,mr4 ,arling will ride him to ,savalla1 ,you will go after him1 by the stage1 this afternoon4 ,quick now6 ,the head ducked1 and disappeared4 ,how can ,i thank you6 exclaimed ,bergan1 wringing the doctor's hand4 ,by attending to the portmanteau business at once4 ,i will come with you2 we can talk while you work4 ,i want to ask something about this ,doctor ,trubie4 ,does he keep up with the times1--in medicine1 that is8 ,i don't know--,i believe so4 ,h'm2 there have been some recent discoveries of great value in the treatment of typhoids1 when they run long and low1 as they are apt to do4 ,suppose ,i write down a few suggestions1 which1 if there is grave need1 you can commend to ,doctor ,trubie's favorable consideration4 ,otherwise1 don't interfere4 ,bergan tried once more to express his gratitude1 as the folded paper was put in his hand2 but ,doctor ,remy cut him short4 ,if you really want to thank me1 said he1 do it by staying away until the sickly season is over2 ,i shall have yellow fever patients enough without you4 ,indeed1 you must2 having left1 it would be suicidal to come back before the first of ,november4 ,tell your mother that ,i said so1 when she is convalescent4 ,when she is convalescent1 repeated ,bergan1 quickly4 ,then you do hope6 ,of course ,i do4 ,there is every reason for it4 ,your mother1 being a ,bergan1 has a sound constitution1 and an almost indomitable vitality2 and she is not yet old4 ,if ,trubie makes a good fight1 he is sure to win4 ,at any rate1 never despair till the breath is out of the body2 nor even then1 till you are certain that it cannot be brought back4 ,bergan could not but feel a pang of self-reproach for his long-smothered dislike and distrust of the man who was thus loading him with obligations1--help on his way to his mother1 ready encouragement1 and valuable professional advice4 ,it did not occur to him that there is such a thing as doing good that evil may come6 ,doctor ,remy looked after him with a triumphant smile4 ,one out of my way already6 he exclaimed4 ,it would seem that the ,devil 7another name for ,fate or ,chance7 has helped me6 ,bergan next sought ,mrs4 ,lyte and ,astra1 for a parting word4 ,he found the latter in her studio1 sitting idly by a window1 with her hands folded listlessly in her lap1 and a weary1 dejected face that went to his heart4 ,never before had he seen her otherwise than busy1 bright1 and earnest2 never had she met his look with so faint and transient a smile4 ,i am sorry that you are going1 said she1 sombrely2 sorrier1 perhaps1 than the occasion may seem to warrant4 ,but ,i cannot rid myself of a suspicion that this phase of our life and friendship is finished2 and who can tell what the next may be6 ,do you remember our first meeting under the oaks1 and the red sunset light1 and the dark sunset cloud8 ,you interpreted them to mean that we were to know sunshine and shade together1 did you not8 ,well1 we have had the sunshine2 now1 it is time for the shade4 ,you forget1 said ,bergan1 kindly1 that the cloud was but for a moment1 and the sunshine returned4 ,no1 ,i remember it well4 ,but the cloud was very dark while it lasted1 and the shine was not quite so bright afterward4 ,it was nearer to its setting4 ,bergan could scarcely believe that it was ,astra who spoke4 ,hitherto1 she had been the moral sunshine of the house1 felt even where it did not directly fall4 ,her spirit1 in its potency of cheer1 resembled the sunbeam which1 though it kindle but one little spot on the floor into actual brightness1 diffuses its light and cheerfulness throughout a whole room4 ,as every article of furniture1 every picture1 every face1 in the room1 is the brighter for the sunbeam1 so every inmate of ,mrs4 ,lyte's rambling old dwelling had been the happier for ,astra's presence and influence4 ,the sound of her clear1 buoyant voice1 the thought of her light1 busy figure1 just across the hall1 had always served to quicken and brighten his own energies4 ,it had been very much his wont to bring all his shadows1 discouragements1 and despondencies1 to be dissipated by contact with her breezy activity and cheery hopefulness4 ,what had come over her1 that she met him now with such dreary premonition of ill1 such persistent dwelling upon the dark side8 ,he looked down upon her with the question in his eyes1 if not on his lips4 ,she understood and answered it4 ,it is only a dark mood1 said she1 passing her hand over her brow1 not an actual trouble1--at least1 not yet4 ,but forgive me for afflicting you with it now1 when you are under the shadow of a real cloud4 ,let us hope that it will pass quickly4 ,when you reach home1 may the sunshine be already there6 ,thank you4 ,i shall expect to hear from you through ,doctor ,remy--all of you1 ,i mean4 ,he has promised to let me know how everything goes on here4 ,astra lifted her eyes searchingly to his face4 ,her fine perceptions had not failed to take note of his inadvertent linking together of ,doctor ,remy and herself1 and his quick attempt to conceal it4 ,she divined that he knew her secret4 ,her eyes fell1 and her face flushed4 ,bergan took her hand1 and lifted it1 in gentle1 chivalrous fashion1 to his lips4 ,i wish you every happiness1 said he1 in a tone that said more than the words1--every sunshine1 and few clouds4 ,good-bye4 ,good-bye1 she answered1 withdrawing her hand1 yet not without a certain lingering pressure1 that seemed even sadder than her face1 and that ,bergan felt long afterwards4 ,and he left her sitting where he found her4 ,mrs4 ,lyte and ,cathie followed him to the door1 the one with much quiet sympathy and regret1 the other with passionate tears and lamentations4 ,he will not come back6 ,he will not come back6 she screamed1 wringing her hands1 as he rode away2 and the mournful cry followed him down the street1 like a prophecy of woe4 ,a little farther on1 he discovered that ,nix was trotting quietly alongside of his horse4 ,and so intimately had the dog been connected with all his sojourn under ,mrs4 ,lyte's roof1 that1 in sending him back1 he seemed to close the final page of this whole epoch of his life4 ,his road skirted a retired portion of the grounds of ,oakstead4 ,suddenly1 he espied ,carice1 standing on the bank of the creek1 with her eyes thoughtfully fixed upon its rippling flow4 ,his sad heart yearned towards her with irresistible force4 ,glancing at his watch1 he saw that there was yet time for a brief1 parting word4 ,he flung himself from his horse1 threw the bridle over a gatepost1 and ran quickly towards her4 ,i am so glad to find you here6 he exclaimed1 as he drew near4 ,otherwise1 ,i must have gone without saying good-bye4 ,i am sent for1 in great haste2 my mother is very ill1 and-- ,he stopped2 his grave face said the rest4 ,i am very1 very sorry6 putting her hand in his1 with quick1 earnest sympathy4 ,when did you hear8 ,this morning4 ,she insisted that ,i should be sent for1 as soon as she was taken ill2 she believed that she could not recover4 ,it is the typhoid fever4 ,carice's face blanched suddenly4 ,ah6 that has a fearful sound1 she said1 shiveringly4 ,my two brothers-- ,her voice failed1 and her slight frame shook with sudden emotion4 ,it was the first time that ,bergan had heard her allude to the only sorrow which she had yet known2 but the effect of which had been all the more keenly felt1 doubtless1 because1 for her parents' sake1 she had shut it resolutely into the depths of her heart1 never allowing its shadow to be seen for a moment on the face wherein they now looked for consolation and cheer4 ,much moved1 ,bergan put his arm round the slender1 tremulous form4 ,at first1 it was only the blind1 manly instinct of help and support that prompted him2 but with the act there came a swift revelation1 a great rush of tenderness1 that almost took his breath away4 ,though he had never suspected it till now1 he knew1 in an instant1 beyond the possibility of a doubt1 not only that he loved ,carice1 but that he had loved her long4 ,carice1 on her part1 was quick to feel the sudden1 subtile change in the character of the support given her1 and made a fluttering movement of escape4 ,but ,bergan would not let her go4 ,carice1 said he1 gravely1 if ,i should return sorrowing1 will you console me8 ,if ,i can1 she answered1 simply1 raising her blue eyes to his face4 ,if you can6 he repeated1 with a deep tender intonation1--oh1 ,carice6 it must be a heavy sorrow indeed that you cannot console6 ,as he spoke1 the day1 which had hitherto been cloudy1 suddenly broke into a smile1 pouring a flood of golden light on the river1 trickling through the boughs of the overhanging trees in great1 shining drops1 and flinging a yellow gleam far down their gray trunks4 ,wondrous sympathy of ,nature with the bliss of two spirits made one1--the tender joy that keeps1 throughout the musty years1 the freshness and fragrance of its ,eden birth6 ,yet1 had the day still held its gloom1 it would have been bright in ,carice's eyes1 and bright in ,bergan's6 ,wherever ,love is newly born1 it creates a sunshine of the heart1 which overflows upon the outward world1 and fills it with celestial radiance4 ,five minutes later1 and ,carice was alone by the river's bank1 blushing to hear how persistently the little stream kept whispering and singing of what it had just seen and heard4 ,the leaves1 too1 seemed to be softly talking it over among themselves2 and a red bird and a gray one were gossiping merrily about it among the branches4 ,still more plainly1 ,carice's face told the story1 when she sought her parents4 ,they saw at once that it was not the same face which had gone out from them an hour before4 ,it had changed as an opening rosebud must have changed in the same time1 under the balmy breathing of the warm south wind4 ,its merely girlish loveliness was over2 playing about the mouth1 and shining from the eyes1 there was a bright and tender smile that seemed gushing from the very heart of awakening womanhood4 ,never had she seemed so lovely1 never so radiant4 ,looking upon her1 it was easy to divine the secret of angelic beauty4 ,the heavenly existences are immortally beautiful because immortally happy4 ,did you engage yourself to him8 asked ,mr4 ,bergan1 almost sternly1 when her brief tale was told4 ,of course not1 answered ,carice1 opening wide her blue eyes at the unusual tone1--not until you and mamma are consulted4 ,only1 we know that we love each other4 ,at the same time1 ,dr4 ,remy stood smiling to himself1 in his office1--a dark1 ominous smile4 ,i am sure of three months1 said he4 ,and1 in three months1 tact and perseverance can accomplish a great deal4 ,at the same time1 too1 ,astra rose suddenly from the chair1 where ,bergan had left her sitting1 and began to pace up and down the room4 ,i have been idle too long1 she said to herself2 ,i have let myself dream till my world is peopled with shadows1 and ,i cannot distinguish the false from the true4 ,work is what ,i want4 ,work will exorcise these phantoms1 and make my brain clear and strong again4 ,she stopped and looked fixedly into vacancy1 striving to recall a former conception that had been dazzled out of sight in the golden dawn of her love4 ,in a moment1 it rose again before her2 a great1 stalwart1 straining figure1--a man struggling up out of the waves that had wellnigh worsted him1 with a little child on his shoulders4 ,quickly she improvised a kind of platform1 and brought out her fertile box of clay4 ,nervously1 she fastened her supports together2 rapidly around them rose the soft1 gray1 plastic material in the rude1 rough resemblance of a human form4 ,,vi4 ,,with ,a ,,double ,,heart4 ,now and then1 on a summer's day1 the air is suddenly filled with minute1 swarming insects of the genus ephemera4 ,they come unnoticed and unheralded2 the air is thick with them ere one is aware2 ears1 mouths1 and nostrils are filled with them1 despite all efforts to the contrary2 they are variously regarded from the scientific1 the poetic1 and the moral point of view1 or merely as nuisances2 by and by1 they are gone as they came4 ,in just such wise1 a swarm of rumors prejudicial to the reputation of ,bergan ,arling suddenly filled the air of ,berganton2 coming no one knew whence1 but quickly circulating everywhere1 to be variously met with surprise1 doubt1 belief1 regret1 anger1 and indifference4 ,it was averred that he had gone home deeply in debt1 at least to his good friend ,doctor ,remy1 who certainly deserved better treatment at his hands4 ,it was alleged that he was hopelessly the victim of a depraved appetite for strong drink1 although1 by the help of the same good friend1 he had managed1 thus far1 to save himself from public exposure4 ,it was affirmed that he had persuaded ,astra ,lyte into a secret engagement1 perhaps for the sake of mere pastime1 perhaps with a view to the ultimate possession of the roof which had so long sheltered him1 or to the union of his own with ,astra's chances for the future ownership of ,bergan ,hall4 ,finally1 it was shrewdly suspected that1 having grown weary alike of the debts1 the engagement1 and the measure of constraint which he had hitherto exercised over himself1 he had suddenly broken away from all three1 with the trumped-up excuse of his mother's illness1 and taken himself off1 not to return4 ,coming1 as has been said1 no one knew from whence1 and having no apparent voucher1 these rumors nevertheless penetrated to counting-rooms and boudoirs1 to offices and to bar-rooms1 to ,major ,bergan on his vast estate1 and ,dick ,causton in his narrow cabin1 to ,godfrey ,bergan at his desk1 and ,carice beside her mother1--everywhere1 save to the two persons most directly interested2 namely1 ,bergan ,arling on his rapid way homeward1 and ,astra ,lyte in her studio4 ,astra was hard at work now4 ,every hour1 her clay model grew in strength or symmetry under her rapid touches4 ,yet her hope of finding clearness and quietness of mind in the exercise of her beloved art1 had been wofully disappointed4 ,the phantoms of doubt and anxiety which had haunted her idleness were not laid by her industry1 but only held in abeyance until the inevitable moment of exhaustion1 or of suspended inspiration1 brought them upon her again1 with tenfold power to annoy4 ,do what she would1 she could not shut her eyes to the fact that a change had come over ,doctor ,remy1 nor prevent herself from speculating as to its nature and cause4 ,at first1 it was only that miserable and dream-like change of look and manner which forbids one to complain1 because it gives no lucid explanation of itself to the intellect1 however it may disturb and depress the heart4 ,its effect was magical1 nevertheless1 in clearing ,astra's vision from that soft1 transfiguring haze of the imagination through which love delights to gaze at its object1 and in giving her occasional glimpses into the depths and intricacies of ,doctor ,remy's character4 ,unconsciously1 whenever he came near her1 she fell to watching his words1 his tones1 his looks1 even his motions and attitudes1 for indications of the hidden1 inner man1 upon whose qualities and tendencies her happiness so largely depended4 ,the object of this scrutiny was too keen-witted not to be aware of it1 and too subtile not to avail himself of it to further his own ends4 ,with apparent carelessness1 but consummate art1 he allowed more and more of his true character to come to the surface2 he showed himself scornful toward religion1 faithless toward mankind1 indifferent and unsympathizing toward herself1 in the hope of quickly transforming her affection into disgust1 and forcing her to put a speedy end to their engagement4 ,doing this whenever he met her1 he none the less took good care to make it manifest that he avoided her as far as possible4 ,under these circumstances1 no wonder that ,astra grew pale and thin1 that alternately she worked as in a fever1 or stood idle as in a dream1 that her old1 cheery alacrity gave place to sombre restlessness1 and her glow of happy spirits to pale depression1 that1 in short1 she speedily became so unlike herself as greatly to alarm ,mrs4 ,lyte1 who finally appealed to ,doctor ,remy4 ,he was only too glad to prescribe immediate change of air and scene4 ,mrs4 ,lyte stood aghast4 ,i do not see how ,i can manage it1 said she1 slowly4 ,my income is just sufficient for our present mode of life2 there is no surplus to meet the added expense of a health trip4 ,doctor ,remy mused for a moment4 ,we will talk over this matter again1 said he1 at length1 looking at his watch2 just now ,i have an engagement4 ,but trust my assurance that wherever there is a plain necessity for a thing1 there is a way to obtain it4 ,good morning4 ,doctor ,remy's engagement did not prevent him from repairing straightway to ,bergan ,hall1 whither the rumors already alluded to had preceded him4 ,and so artfully did he work upon ,major ,bergan's hasty and arbitrary temper as to induce him forthwith to warn ,mrs4 ,lyte of the existence of the forfeited mortgage1 and his intention to foreclose at an early day4 ,be it said1 however1 in the ,major's behalf1 that he graciously designed said warning to play somewhat of the part of a blessing in disguise4 ,for1 having first shown ,mrs4 ,lyte how completely she was in his power1 it was his generous intention to offer her the largest mercy thereafter1 even to the immediate relinquishment of every claim against her estate1 on the easy condition that she1 and her daughter should at once break off all relations and engagements with his nephew1 ,bergan ,arling4 ,thus1 he would save ,astra from what he was easily persuaded would turn out to be a most unhappy marriage2 at the same time that he would gratify a certain odd itching in his fingers to meddle in ,bergan's affairs4 ,the whole business was arranged in less than an hour1 and ,doctor ,remy returned homeward triumphant4 ,nor was his elation at all shadowed by any thought of the suffering about to be inflicted at his instigation4 ,men of his naturally hard and forceful character1 intensified by long culture of the intellect at the expense of the sensibilities1 are apt to take a terribly straight path in one sense1 if a wofully crooked one in another1 to whatever end they have in view4 ,the feelings of others1 where they cannot be made to subserve their purposes1 are regarded as so many obstructions in their way2 to be pushed aside1 or trampled under-foot1 as the case may be4 ,possibly1 too1 they do not credit others with a greater depth of feeling than they are conscious of in themselves4 ,certainly1 ,doctor ,remy1 knowing nothing1 by experience1 of the tender and sacred associations that cluster around the home of years1 was not likely to concern himself about the probable grief of ,mrs4 ,lyte1 at leaving hers1 except as it might hinder or prevent her departure4 ,for1 go she must1--at least1 for a time1--since ,astra would not be likely to go without her4 ,his present task was so to smooth and clear the way for them1 on the one hand1 while he furnished the necessary degree of motive power1 on the other1 that they should be gone ere ,major ,bergan was aware1 or had submitted his terms of compromise to their consideration4 ,in furtherance of this design1 he had tapped lightly at the door of ,astra's studio1 ere the sound of voices from within told him that she was not alone4 ,carice ,bergan was with her1 and both were discussing ,astra's statue of clay2 unto the creation of which she had lately turned--with such scanty measure of success--for distraction1 if not for comfort4 ,with a slight bow and a word of greeting to ,doctor ,remy1 ,carice went on with what she was saying1 in her own singularly gentle1 yet frank and fearless1 fashion4 ,as ,i said just now1 it is simply wonderful1 in its way2 but1 ,astra1 ,i don't like its way at all4 ,the ,offero 7for ,i suppose he is not to be called ,saint ,christopher yet17 is much too near to falling and fainting under his burden1-- ,perhaps he may literally do so1 interrupted ,astra1 with a sad and bitter smile4 ,nay1 you need not look so startled1 ,i only mean that ,i fear his supports are not strong enough2 ,i did not realize what would be the gravitation of such a huge mass of clay4 ,the figure is certainly settling more than ,i like to see4 ,i did not allude to material supports1 replied ,carice1 steadily1 but to that spiritual aid which the ,christ-,child would be sure to give to one who bore ,him so cheerfully and bravely as ,offero did1 however heavily ,he might be pleased to burden him4 ,there should be more of steady hope and courage1 as well as of wonder at the supernatural weight of his small burden1 instead of that terrible strain and agony of effort1 and that dreary1 dogged sort of resolve4 ,you forget1 said ,astra1 that he does not yet understand the nature of his burden1 nor wherefore it is laid upon him2--neither1 she added mournfully to herself1 neither do ,i4 ,carice shook her head4 ,you have forgotten1 she replied1 that he is not bearing the burden for himself1 but for love of that far-off1 mighty ,king of whom he has heard2 which feeling ought to strengthen his heart and his sinews1 and shine out in his face4 ,astra turned away her head4 ,as she had unconsciously wrought her own wretched1 despondent moods of the past week into the sensitive clay1 so ,carice's comments upon the result had their sidelong application to herself4 ,as for the ,christ-,child1 continued ,carice1 raising her eyes from the ,bearer to the ,burden1 how did you ever get that look of immitigable fate into a child's rounded face8 ,as a piece of work1 it is almost miraculous2 but1 as a conception of the ,christ-,child--,i beg your pardon1 ,astra--it is absolutely dreadful4 ,it may stand for ,offero's idea of the face which he cannot see1 suggested ,astra1 in a low voice4 ,well1 perhaps it might1 if he were thinking of the face1 which ,i doubt4 ,that is to say1 the true ,offero would be thinking of the ,king whom he was trying to serve1 rather than the burthen that he was bearing4 ,at any rate1 it is just because he cannot see the face that he has such an idea of it4 ,but to us1 who can see it1 it ought to show itself most benignant1 most pitying1 most tender and satisfying in every respect4 ,else1 we miss the only really helpful lesson that your ,offero is calculated to teach4 ,astra looked at her friend half sadly1 half-wonderingly4 ,let no one trust your gentle1 innocent look1 ,carice1 said she2 you are a sharp-sighted critic1 and as severe as you are sharp-sighted4 ,on the contrary1 returned ,carice1 ,i am not criticising at all2 ,i am merely telling you how your statue looks to me1 in its unfinished condition4 ,no doubt every stroke of that magical scraper of yours will take away something of the look which ,i do not like1 and put in something of that which ,i long to see4 ,i do not know1 responded ,astra drearily1 shaking her head4 ,i have not your singular depth and simplicity of vision1 in spiritual things4 ,nay1 ,carice1 you have something more than that1--the power to create2 ,i have only the power to discern4 ,that cherub yonder1 for instance2--,i am glad that ,i am able to see that it is lovely beyond expression1 but the power to make it so1 ah6 that is beyond me6 ,and ,carice moved away to the object of her admiration1 and seemed to forget herself and all around her1 in contemplating it4 ,doctor ,remy remained1 looking critically at the clay figure4 ,you have not yet said what you think of it1 said ,astra1 turning and looking him intently in the face4 ,i had nothing to say--from the spiritual side1 he answered1 coolly4 ,miss ,bergan exhausted that2 besides1 it is not in my line4 ,but1 if you are pleased to desire my sort of criticism1 here it is4 ,that arm is too long1 and that clavicle is not sufficiently raised1 and this muscle is too flat4 ,for the rest1 he added1 after a slight pause1 it is a sufficiently ambitious work4 ,there was a touch of mockery in his tone which did not escape the sensitive ear of his listener4 ,you think it too ambitious1 perhaps1 she said1 quietly1 yet not without a keen glance at his face4 ,he gave the clay figure another comprehensive look2 then he turned to ,astra with a gentler expression than she had seen in his eyes for many days past4 ,poor child6 said he1 pityingly1 what disadvantages your genius has to labor under1 in this little1 remote town1 where you never see a work of art1 nor an artist1 from month's end to month's end6 ,why do you not go--for awhile1 at least--where you can find something for your genius to feed upon8 ,it is a law of life that there can be no good growth without proper food4 ,you know1 replied ,astra1 very gravely1 that ,i cannot leave my home and my mother4 ,then1 returned ,doctor ,remy1 with equal gravity1 it would be a kindly blast--though it might not seem so1 at first--that should blow you all to some point where your genius could find fuller and freer development4 ,if such an one should ever come to you1 ,i hope you will be able to regard it as--what ,miss ,bergan would doubtless call a providence4 ,carice was looking towards them1 now2 and his last words were spoken with a smiling glance that was apparently meant to draw her into the conversation4 ,and what would ,doctor ,remy call it8 she asked1 but without any answering smile4 ,doctor ,remy does not concern himself about names1 but things1 he replied1 pleasantly4 ,things answer to names1 she rejoined1 quickly2 and if ,doctor ,remy to call a providence a chance1 for instance1 let him not wonder if it prove a chance--to him4 ,i am afraid that ,i am wofully obtuse1 returned the doctor1 with the air of a man who asks for a further explanation4 ,from the hand of ,chance1 she answered briefly1 one gets little good1 and much harm2 from the hand of ,providence1 only good1 however disguised4 ,the difference is in the taking and the using4 ,she turned towards the window as she finished1 with the air of who dismisses the subject4 ,astra1 meanwhile1 stood gazing at the doctor with a most anxious1 disturbed expression4 ,she was beginning to understand too well that under many of his seemingly most careless utterances1 there lurked a deep significance and design4 ,in the tone of his last speech to her1 there had been something which caused her a vague alarm4 ,what did he mean8 she asked herself1 wearily putting her hand to her brow1--,what did he mean8 ,,vii4 ,,overburdened4 ,carice ,bergan was gifted with instincts singularly quick and delicate4 ,she had not long breathed the same atmosphere with ,astra and ,doctor ,remy before she felt it growing heavy around her with some intensity of emotion which she neither shared nor understood4 ,it might be sympathy1 it might be aversion2 in either case1 its effect was to make her feel confused and constrained1 in their presence4 ,at one moment1 she seemed to behold them afar off1 as it were1 in a sphere of their own1 whither she had neither the right nor the ability to follow them2 at another1 she felt herself standing between them1 barring their way to a free and satisfactory interchange of thought and feeling2 and again1 she believed that ,doctor ,remy alone was responsible for her discomfort1 interrupting1 by his presence1 the cordial flow of sympathy between ,astra and herself4 ,at any rate1 it would be a relief to escape from so oppressive an atmosphere2 accordingly1 she took her departure1 leaving the lovers--if such they can be called--together4 ,certainly1 there was nothing lover-like in the manner with which they faced each other1 a few moments after the door had closed behind her4 ,that brief interval had been spent by both in preparation for the crisis which the one knew1 and the other felt1 to be approaching4 ,astra awaited it with a mixture of eagerness and dread2 she was weary of wearing the checkered tissue of suspense and anxiety2 she would be glad to know exactly what was in store for her1 even though the bitter fruit of such knowledge should be mortification and anguish4 ,doctor ,remy's face was set and hard2 over it a sombre emotion1 like the gray shadow of a cloud on a rock1 now and then passed swiftly1 taking nothing from its sternness1 but adding much to its gloom4 ,he looked like a man who1 at no slight cost to himself1 has braced his soul with iron for the performance of some heavy1 but necessary1 task4 ,little as he likes it1 he will carry it out pitilessly to the end4 ,with an inauspicious frown on his brow--none the less dark because it must have been assumed--he now opened the conversation by saying1 abruptly2-- ,astra1 ,i have heard some very strange rumors1 of late4 ,indeed6 she returned1 with a note of disappointment1 as well as of surprise1 in her voice4 ,this was but a roundabout road to explanation1 she thought2 it would have pleased her better had the doctor chosen a more direct one4 ,she looked round for a chair1 and sat down wearily1 as if to wait his pleasure with such patience as she could command4 ,however1 ,doctor ,remy was going as straight to the point--his point1 at least--as could be wished4 ,perhaps you will be less indifferent to these rumors1 he continued1 insinuatingly1 when you understand that they concern you1 and your good name1 much4 ,a slight flush rose to ,astra's face1 and her eyes lit2 but she kept her seat1 and she answered not a word1 though ,doctor ,remy waited a moment1 as if he expected her to speak4 ,seeing her silent1 however1 he went on1 slowly1 and with seeming reluctance2 yet1 to a keen and disinterested observer1 it might have appeared that he was trying his best to provoke her4 ,i once told you that it was not in my nature to trust1 said he4 ,but ,i have trusted you1 ,astra1 even to blindness1--else ,i should not have been indebted to others for the first intimations of things that ,i ought to have seen for myself4 ,i should have discovered what sort of game you were playing1 before the knowledge was forced upon me at the hands of public rumor4 ,i suppose that ,i ought to take shame to myself for being so easily deceived2--,i do1--nevertheless your shame is certainly the greater for having so deceived me4 ,the flame in ,astra's eyes was kindling brightly now1 and her breath came quick and short2 nevertheless1 it was in a tone of the coldest and quietest dignity that she answered2-- ,i am not quick at reading riddles--be so good as to tell me1 plainly1 what you mean4 ,as plainly as the subject allows1 returned ,doctor ,remy1 in a tone that was in itself a taunt4 ,i mean that the names of ,astra ,lyte and ,bergan ,arling are ringing together from one end of the town to the other1 in a way which1 it may readily be believed1 is not pleasant to my ears4 ,it is confidently asserted--and believed--that a secret engagement exists between them4 ,that is to say2 the lady has long admitted the gentleman to a degree of daily intimacy and familiarity1 which she could not with propriety have accorded to any other than her promised husband2--some say1 not even to him4 ,mr4 ,arling has been observed to be in her studio for hours together2 he has been seen strolling with her in the outskirts of the town2 the twain have been noticed talking earnestly together in that out-of-the-way spot known as the oak amphitheatre4 ,on all these occasions the lady has been observed to be so much the more demonstrative of the two1 as to give rise to the suspicion that the gentleman's sudden journey westward has been taken1 mainly1 for the purpose of freeing himself from entanglements not approved by his better judgment4 ,as these atrocious sentences fell1 one by one1 with distinct and cutting emphasis1 from ,doctor ,remy's lips1 ,astra rose to her feet2 the flush on either cheek settled into a vivid crimson spot1 in the midst of a deadly pallor2 her eyes darted fire2 her lips trembled with the rush of an indignation too tumultuous1 as yet1 for word or action4 ,noting these signs1 ,doctor ,remy congratulated himself upon the successful progress of his experiment4 ,already1 the lioness was at bay2 with a little more provocation1 she would think only of vengeance4 ,he resumed his statement4 ,at first1 of course1 ,i paid no attention to these rumors2 my ears and eyes were closed against them by that blind1 foolish trust in you1 of which ,i have spoken4 ,by and by1 they came thicker and faster1 and in a shape to compel my consideration4 ,i began to understand that the possible heir of ,bergan ,hall possessed an immense advantage over the humble physician2--although it might be well to keep a hold on the latter until the former was secure1 and his inheritance certain4 ,by way of two strings to the bow1 there might be two secret engagements4 ,i commenced an investigation4 ,i traced the reports which ,i have mentioned back to their source-- ,you did6 interrupted ,astra1 with indignation that she could no longer repress4 ,instead of sending these foul slanders back down the throats which invented them1 you-- ,she stopped1 choked by her bitter sense of indignity and wrong4 --took the pains to verify them1 rejoined ,doctor ,remy1 coolly finishing her sentence4 ,every accusation was established in the mouths of several witnesses4 ,arling himself had spoken frankly1 as well as lightly1 of his engagement1 to more than one person4 ,it is false1 and you know it6 exclaimed ,astra4 ,mr4 ,arling is incapable of such baseness4 ,never mind defending him1 said ,doctor ,remy1 with a curl of the lip4 ,what have you to say for yourself8 ,astra walked to the door1 and flung it wide open4 ,i have that to say1 she replied1 turning upon him with a look of ineffable scorn1 and a queenly gesture of dismissal4 ,go6 ,doctor ,remy stood for a moment irresolute1 with an unwonted flush of shame rising to his brow4 ,the climax had not only come sooner than he anticipated1 but in an unexpectedly embarrassing shape1--a shape that gave him a sudden1 startling perception of the vileness of the task which he had set himself to do4 ,naturally1 he was inclined to be angry with ,astra for the action to which he owed this moment of self-recognition2 yet1 on the whole1 it was the most bewitching thing that he had ever seen her do4 ,never had she attracted him so strongly as while she thus stood pointing him to the door4 ,her free and noble attitude1 the wonderful vividness of her expression1 the maidenly dignity of her tacit refusal to descend for one moment to his level1 and discuss with him the points that he had raised1 thrilled him with involuntary admiration4 ,it irked him to think that he must needs give her up4 ,was there really no way to keep her1 and at the same time win ,bergan ,hall8 ,he sent his thoughts back over the road which they had trodden so often1 during the past fortnight1 and decided once more that the risk was too great4 ,he must persevere in the course upon which he had entered4 ,nor did a little present mortification matter1 in comparison with hopeful progress4 ,astra was only helping him forward in the way that he wished to go4 ,how easily the affections and passions of others became the puppets of his will6 ,nevertheless1 it was not without a softened1 almost regretful1 tone that he finally said1--,if ,i go1 ,astra1 you understand that our engagement is at an end4 ,our engagement6 repeated ,astra1 looking at him with a kind of scornful amaze4 ,how dare you insult me thus8 ,i was never engaged to you1--never6 ,doctor ,remy stood aghast4 ,for one moment1 he believed that her senses were taking leave of her4 ,never6 repeated ,astra1 with proud emphasis4 ,i was engaged1 she went on1 after a moment1 in an altered and tremulous tone1 to a ,,man1--a calm1 wise1 noble man1--not a monster1 nor a piece of mechanism4 ,i was engaged to an earnest seeker after truth1 a courageous grappler with problems that other men shunned1 an honest speaker of his own thoughts and moulder of his own opinions1--a man who1 though he might be temporarily led astray by the very excess of his virtues of candor1 boldness1 and integrity1 would be sure to come right in the end4 ,he is dead1--or he never lived1 except in my imagination1--requiescat in pace4 ,but to you1--a body without a soul1 an intellect without a heart1 a will without a faith1 a kind of human beast of prey1 intent on nothing but the gratification of his own selfish ends1--to you ,i was never pledged4 ,i would as soon have bound myself to a corpse1 or a calculating machine4 ,this is plain talk1 ,astra1 said ,dr4 ,remy1 growing pale with anger and mortification4 ,if you were not a woman1 it would be easier to answer it4 ,it is not only plain talk1 but plain sight1 replied ,astra4 ,the scales have fallen from my eyes2 at last1 ,i see you as you are4 ,the most that can be said for you1 as well as in excuse for my late infatuation 7for ,i would not seem altogether despicable in my own eyes71 is that great and rich capabilities have been miserably perverted1 in your person4 ,a grand soul has somehow been strangled within you4 ,some hidden canker--beginning ,i know not when nor where1 but to which your surgeon's knowledge ought to have impelled you long ago to put the surgeon's knife--has slowly eaten out everything that was sound and good1 in your moral system1 and left nothing but rottenness4 ,and it is now too late for remedy4 ,if it were not1--if there were any hope that ,i could help to save you1 by clinging to you1--,i think ,i have the strength and courage to do it4 ,as it is1 ,i should only corrupt myself4 ,indeed1 ,i fear it will be long ere ,i get rid of the virus of doubt and captiousness1 which1 ,i find1 you have already introduced into my mind2 and of which that figure 7she pointed to the statue of clay7 is the legitimate outcome4 ,you have given a bias to my mode of thought1 which has already shaken my faith to its foundations1--and might1 in time 7but for the scathing commentary of your life upon your opinions71 have destroyed it4 ,leave me now4 ,we have done with each other4 ,perhaps ,dr4 ,remy's good angel1 absent from his side for many years1 hovered1 at that moment1 above his head1 with a wistful--almost a hopeful--face4 ,for1 at last1 the strong man was visibly affected4 ,some chance word of ,astra's had found a joint in his iron armor1 and penetrated to the living flesh4 ,his lip trembled1--it may have been with an unshaped prayer to ,astra to make that effort to save him1 of which she had declared herself capable1--it may have been with a sudden perception of the barrenness of his life1 and the valuelessness of its ends1 disposing him1 for a moment1 to try whether any richer realities were to be reaped from an unselfish human affection and an unquestioning heavenly faith4 ,but not thus easily and quickly was the whole bent of a life to be changed1 not thus the holding of the cords of evil to be loosed6 ,suddenly1 between him and ,astra1 rose a vision of ,bergan ,hall1 with its immense revenues1 its ancient and aristocratic prestige1 the vast power and influence that it would impart to capable hands1 the abundant means and leisure that it would allow for scientific pursuits4 ,for1 if ,doctor ,remy lived for anything besides himself1 it was for science4 ,he had managed to persuade himself that the interests of the two were identical4 ,he had embodied his selfishness1 as it were1 in a theory2 for the development1 confirmation1 and proclamation1 of which1 he believed that he desired leisure and wealth1 far more than for himself2 and through which he meant to be a benefactor to his race1 as well as to wreathe his own name with undying laurels4 ,on the one hand1 then1 was this wide prospect of wealth1 freedom1 usefulness1 and fame2 on the other1 ,astra1 and a life of restrictions and limitations1 narrowed down to the daily necessity of daily bread4 ,quickly he made his choice4 ,the angel spread his white wings1 and flew upward1--never to return6 ,doctor ,remy turned to ,astra1 and held out his hand4 ,let us part friends1 said he4 ,not so1 replied ,astra2 let us part--as we are to remain--strangers4 ,no need to mock the sacred past with the commonplace civilities of ordinary intercourse4 ,the relation that once existed between us is simply dead1 not changed into something else4 ,as you will1 returned ,doctor ,remy1 after a pause4 ,at least let me wish you a short mourning1 and a bright thereafter4 ,adieu4 ,he went out as he spoke1 closing the door behind him4 ,in his excitement1 he used more force than he was aware of1 and it fell to with a clangor that reverberated loudly through the large1 uncarpeted room1 and jarred painfully upon ,astra's nerves4 ,she shivered1 and her eyes fell upon the clay figure4 ,apparently1 it was trembling with sympathetic emotion2 it even bent toward her1 as if suddenly endued with life2 for one moment1 the old fable of ,pygmalion seemed coming true1 in her modern experience4 ,then1 the limbs gave way1 the trunk fell forward1 down went ,bearer and ,child together1 the faces of each giving her one last1 distorted look of malign meaning1 ere they crushed into fragments on the platform4 ,it is not the only ruin that he has left behind him1 murmured ,astra to herself1 with a sad and bitter smile4 ,in another moment1 she too began to sink4 ,the long fever of suspense was ended2 the excitement that had carried her through the late trying interview was over2 the inevitable time of reaction and depression had come4 ,the thought of the terrible blank left in her heart and life1 of the woful loss of affection1 faith1 and hope1 that she had suffered1 of the miserable waste in her past1 and of the chaotic emptiness in her future1 came over her with awful force4 ,slowly she sank1 as if an invisible weight were pressing her to the earth4 ,settling upon her knees1 she leaned her head on the ruins of her statue1 and shook with sobs of tearless agony4 ,she knew not how long a time went by thus2 it seemed to her to stretch its slow length over an age4 ,but it is a merciful provision that acute sorrow soon exhausts itself4 ,the mind1 like the body1 has beneficent limits to its power of endurance4 ,in due time1 ,astra exchanged the anguish of wretchedness for its torpor4 ,her sobs died away1 the convulsive trembling of her frame ceased1 she sat up and looked around her with a face of quiet misery4 ,perhaps it was a little hard1 too4 ,her pride was coming to her aid in bearing the burden for which1 she told herself1 she was largely accountable1 and must therefore struggle along with as best she could4 ,it was miraculously heavy1 it would tax all her strength and resolution1 she saw that plainly enough2 but she forgot to look into it for any sign of divine origin1 or promise of divine help4 ,the baleful effect of ,doctor ,remy's influence still followed her1 making ,god an overhanging ,law1 instead of a surrounding ,love4 ,she could not even read aright the lesson of her own fragments of clay6 ,she was struggling up to her feet1 when ,mrs4 ,lyte hurriedly entered1 holding an open letter in her hand1 and looking both frightened and bewildered4 ,perhaps nothing could have been better for either mother or daughter1 at that moment1 than to see the other's troubled face4 ,in both countenances1 there was a quick change of expression1--something of sorrow and anxiety gone1 something of loving sympathy in its place1--as each uttered the eager inquiry2-- ,what is the matter8 ,fortunately1 ,astra was not obliged to answer4 ,mrs4 ,lyte instantly discovered the fallen statue1 and connected it1 though not without a degree of surprise1 with her daughter's woe-begone face4 ,for ,astra had been wont to bear disaster with more fortitude6 ,still1 this was the largest work that she had yet undertaken2 besides1 she had seemed so far from well1 of late6 ,mrs4 ,lyte's heart thrilled with motherly sympathy4 ,i am so sorry6 she said1 pityingly4 ,is it an utter ruin8 ,utter1 replied ,astra1 with dreary emphasis4 ,but never mind about it now4 ,what has happened to distress you8 ,mrs4 ,lyte put the letter into ,astra's hand4 ,read that1 said she1 and see what you can make of it4 ,it was not without difficulty1 under the pressure of her own misery1 that ,astra made herself comprehend the purport of the document before her1 through the disguise of the legal terms wherein it had duly been couched by the lawyer employed by ,major ,bergan4 ,with enlightenment1 however1 strange to say1 came a quick sense of relief4 ,here1 at least1 was a necessity for action2 and the trouble which is attended by that1 is never so great as one which calls only for patient endurance4 ,besides1 how glad would she be to leave ,berganton at this juncture1 to escape at once from its curiosity1 its sympathy1 or its censure1 to be spared the pain of meeting ,doctor ,remy's altered face1 and the irksomeness of going on with the old life1 in the old scene1 after it had lost all the old color and substance4 ,her face brightened so much1 as she looked up from the letter1 that ,mrs4 ,lyte gave a sigh of relief4 ,then it is not so bad as ,i thought1 said she4 ,astra's heart smote her for her selfishness4 ,she reflected what grief it would cause her mother to be thrust out from the home endeared to her by so many and sacred associations4 ,her face fell1 and her heart sank again4 ,covering her eyes with her hands1 she burst into a sudden passion of tears1--a softer agony than had shaken her before1 but still so plainly an agony disproportionate to the occasion1 that ,mrs4 ,lyte's eyes suddenly opened to the perception of some hitherto unsuspected sorrow4 ,she put her arms round her daughter1 and drew her head on to her bosom1 as in the days of her childhood4 ,what is it1 darling8 she asked4 ,the soft tone1 the affectionate touch1 the motherly sympathy1 were irresistible4 ,before she well knew what she was doing1 ,astra was pouring forth all her sad story4 ,oh1 mother6 she moaned1 as she finished1 if we could only go away1--just for a time1 at least1 until ,i have recovered myself a little6 ,if we could only go at once1 too1 without explanations or farewells6 ,we will1 my child1 returned ,mrs4 ,lyte1 soothingly1--that is1 if ,i can manage it4 ,then followed a long consultation4 ,,viii4 ,a ,,business ,,letter4 ,from ,astra's studio1 ,doctor ,remy went to his office1 and devoted an hour to the task of writing a letter2 which seemed to make an unusual demand upon his skill1 either of composition or penmanship4 ,three different sheets were defaced and destroyed1 ere the work was accomplished to his mind4 ,the epistle was addressed to ,mrs4 ,lyte1 enclosing what purported to be the amount of an old1 outlawed debt to her deceased husband2 of which the debtor1 having recently met with a stroke of good fortune1 was glad to relieve his conscience4 ,in good time1 after making a short dtour1 it arrived at its destination2 and played an important part in events1 by furnishing ,mrs4 ,lyte with an opportune sum of ready money4 ,five days afterward1 as ,major ,bergan was about to sally forth for his customary morning visit to his beloved rice fields1 a letter was put into his hands4 ,it ran as follows3 ,,dear ,,major ,,bergan3 ,i duly received your notice of foreclosure1 and ,i thank you for the measure of forbearance that you have hitherto exercised toward me4 ,as you are doubtless aware1 ,i have no means of paying off the mortgage1 except by the sale of the property which it covers4 ,as ,i am about to leave ,berganton1 for a time1 on account of my daughter's health1 ,i hereby surrender my house and grounds into your hands1 to be sold1 or otherwise disposed of1 as you may deem best for our mutual interests4 ,if they sell for more than the amount of the mortgage 7as ,i hope they will71 ,i know ,i may safely trust to you1 as a man of honor1 and a good friend of my late husband1 to hold the balance subject to my order4 ,you will find the house in charge of my old and faithful servant1 ,cato2 whom ,i also venture to commend to your kind care1 until ,i shall be able to send for him4 ,i cannot find it in my heart to sell him2 besides1 he is too old to be of much value1 though still quite able to earn his bread1 on your plantation4 ,this is not a man's way of doing business1 ,i am well aware2 it is only a woman's way of shirking responsibility1 in matters that she does not understand4 ,i know that my interests are safer in your hands than in my own4 ,as soon as ,i am comfortably settled anywhere1 ,i will let you know my address4 ,till then1 believe me1 ,very truly yours1 ,,catherine ,,lyte4 ,it will be seen that this epistle was a masterpiece of diplomacy1 in its way4 ,though it proved ,mrs4 ,lyte to be a most unbusiness-like woman1 it none the less evinced her thorough knowledge of the one-sided and contradictory character of the man with whom she had to deal4 ,grasping and impracticable as ,major ,bergan would be sure to be1 with a surly and obstinate debtor who met him squarely on his own ground1 she believed that he would not fail to show himself scrupulously just1 and even generous1 to the woman who1 without a word of reproach or remonstrance1 quietly resigned herself and her affairs into his hands1 to be dealt with according to his good pleasure4 ,in this conclusion1 she was justified by the event4 ,a more astonished and disgusted man than ,major ,bergan1 after he had mastered the contents of her letter1 it would be hard to find4 ,for once1 even his brandy bottle was empty of comfort4 ,he could only partially relieve his mind1 while his horse was being saddled1 by pouring forth volley upon volley of curses2 distributed1 impartially1 at first1 among ,mrs4 ,lyte1 ,doctor ,remy1 his nephew1 his frightened servants1 and himself4 ,later1 his wrath began to concentrate itself on ,doctor ,remy4 ,that personage had undoubtedly influenced him to the commission of the act which he now stigmatized1 in his most emphatic manner1 as unworthy a ,bergan and a gentleman4 ,in return1 he threatened to break every bone in the doctor's body1 and grimly consigned the fragments to a place of deposit always much in favor with men of his habits4 ,finally1 he mounted his horse1 and trotted rapidly toward ,berganton4 ,his first visit was1 of course1 to ,doctor ,remy4 ,with the most imperturbable good humor1 that gentleman listened to the flow of his oaths and objurgations1 until it had partially exhausted itself by its own fury4 ,he then assured the ,major that his surprise and regret at ,mrs4 ,lyte's departure were fully equalled by his own4 ,the thing had been managed so quietly and adroitly1 that he had not suspected it1 until his attention had been attracted by the deserted look of the house4 ,at the same time1 he must acknowledge that it was only a short time since he had advised ,mrs4 ,lyte to try a change of air1 both for herself and her daughter2 and doubtless that had had its share in influencing her action4 ,besides1 it was on the whole the best thing that could do to take ,miss ,astra out of the way1 until the present cloud of gossip had blown over4 ,finally1 he threw out a suggestion that the twain had possibly gone to join ,mr4 ,arling4 ,hereupon1 ,major ,bergan's wrath broke out afresh4 ,it was not in human nature--certainly not in that particular species of human nature represented by the ,major--to hear with equanimity that the very measure which he had taken to prevent what he considered to be an unsuitable marriage1 had possibly availed to hasten it forward4 ,the walls of the doctor's office trembled with the oral thunderbolts launched at the offenders4 ,in due time1 however1 these also subsided into the low growl of the exhausted tempest2 dying away1 at last1 in muttered imprecations upon that curious turn of events--the grim humor of which the ,major was now quite capable of appreciating--which had made him the trustee of ,mrs4 ,lyte's affairs1 and the guardian of her interests4 ,to the ,major's credit be it spoken1 that he was incapable of betraying the trust thus committed to him4 ,quitting ,doctor ,remy's office1 he went in search of old ,cato1 put the premises in his charge during the absence of his mistress1 promised him an occasional visit of inspection 7and a sound thrashing if all was not found in complete order71 made due provision for his maintenance1 and then took himself grumblingly home1 to drown the remnant of his chagrin in the ,lethean glass that had already swallowed up so many of his better thoughts1 impulses1 and characteristics4 ,of course1 ,mrs4 ,lyte's departure--or flight1 as it was not infrequently termed--made the nine days' wonder of ,berganton4 ,some few gentle1 charitable souls there were1 no doubt1 who1 judging their neighbor by themselves1 saw no harm either in the fact or the manner of her going4 ,she was ill2 so was her daughter2 they had neither time nor heart for leavetakings4 ,but there were others1 wise in the crooked ways of the human heart through much practice therein1 who scrupled not to find motives and objects for the course of the pale-faced widow and her gifted daughter1 with which it is not necessary to stain this page4 ,there was the more room for this1 inasmuch as ,major ,bergan1 partly out of consideration for ,mrs4 ,lyte1 and partly out of shame on his own account1 had taken care that the existence of the mortgage should not transpire4 ,yet ,mrs4 ,lyte had depended upon the ultimate disclosure of this fact1 to furnish that explanation of her departure which she had shunned to give herself1 and to turn the current of popular sympathy in her favor4 ,in yielding to ,astra's morbid desire not only to leave the scene of her untoward love behind1 but to do it in such swift and silent wise that neither curiosity1 nor sympathy1 nor malevolence1 could immediately follow them1 to inflict their various torture upon her sore heart1 ,mrs4 ,lyte had looked confidently forward to this forthcoming justification of her step4 ,her old friends1 she thought1 would be sure to understand the feeling that led her to flee from the sight of the sale of her lifelong home 7it might be under the auctioneer's hammer71 and to shut off all means of communication between herself and the painful transaction1 until time had given her strength to bear it4 ,next to ,major ,bergan1 the person who felt most aggrieved at the fact and manner of her departure was ,carice4 ,astra1 to be sure1 had not failed to send her friend a brief note of farewell2 but it was couched in such vague terms1 owing to the confusion and distress of mind in which it had been written1 as to afford little satisfaction to the reader4 ,she could only gather from it that1 in one way or another1 ,astra's happiness was very seriously compromised2 so much so as to make a change desirable1 though it were only a change of pain4 ,and1 in ,carice's present circumstances1 this was either too much or too little4 ,the rumors which had filled ,berganton had found their way to ,oakstead also2 and1 for the first time in their lives1 parents and daughter were divided in sentiment1 and alien in sympathy4 ,mr4 and ,mrs4 ,bergan--terrified that their idolized child should have given her heart to a man persistently held up to view as a thin mask of outward morality over an inward rottenness of intemperance1 indebtedness1 and unscrupulous trifling with affection--could think of no better way of correcting the mischief than by continually repeating in her unwilling ears the various dark rumors in circulation1 together with such facts and theories as tended to confirm them4 ,carice1 on her part1 turned from them all with the instinctive disgust of a pure mind1 and the generous faith and confidence of a true affection4 ,and she was right4 ,trust1 as long as it is in anywise possible1 is the heart's deepest wisdom1 as well as its surest instinct4 ,nevertheless1 it was hard to find her parents arrayed against her1 with all the rest of the world4 ,duty1 decorum1 forbade her to set up her own opinion in opposition to theirs2 often she had but to listen in silence to statements and inferences which she could neither admit nor disprove4 ,she would have been glad1 therefore1 had ,astra's note furnished one scrap of evidence in support of her own convictions2 on the contrary1 its testimony went quite the other way4 ,she could only neutralize its effect upon herself by supposing that ,astra had given her affections to ,bergan unsought1 and was now suffering from a disappointment none the less bitter that she had brought it upon herself4 ,but ,carice was too delicate and generous to breathe this suspicion aloud2 at the same time she knew that it would have no weight with minds so deeply prejudiced as those of her parents4 ,carice's worst trial was1 however1 her growing wonder why nothing was heard from ,bergan4 ,his last words to her had been a promise to write immediately1 both to her father and herself1--to the former by way of frankly avowing his love1 and asking for permission to address his daughter2 to the latter1 as a necessary sequence to that brief interview by the singing river1 the thought of which was ,carice's one subject of delightful contemplation4 ,but no letter came1 not so much as a word of regret or excuse for necessary delay4 ,as time dragged its slow length along1 a touching look of wistfulness1 mingled with a sorrowful patience1 came into the face that had lately been so serenely happy1--a look over which ,mr4 and ,mrs4 ,bergan scarcely knew whether most to lament or to rejoice1 it was grievous to behold it there2 and yet1 if ,bergan would only keep silent1 she must eventually give him up6 ,alas for ,carice6 there was no doubt whatever that ,bergan would keep silent--or seem to do so4 ,her parents' minds would have been set at rest on that point1 if they could invisibly have followed ,doctor ,remy into the ,berganton ,post ,office some weeks previous1 and listened to his conversation with the pale1 slight1 weak-looking young man in charge4 ,one month before1 he had so obstinately and successfully fought death at the bedside of this young man's newly wedded wife1 as to call forth an unusual amount of gratitude4 ,to this fact he now alluded4 ,well1 ,jekyll1 said he1 ,i have come to make trial of that eternal gratitude which you swore to me1 not long ago4 ,i am glad of it1 sir1 responded ,jekyll1 warmly4 ,what can ,i do for you8 ,the question is rather1 what will you do for me8 returned the doctor1 with marked emphasis4 ,anything1 anything1 that is not wrong1 replied ,jekyll4 ,right and wrong are relative terms1 replied ,doctor ,remy1 quietly4 ,if you had understood the nature of the drugs which ,i gave your wife the other night1 you would have said that ,i was trying to poison her2--yet1 you see1 ,i saved her life4 ,it is the motive which determines the character of the act4 ,y-e-s1 sir1 rejoined ,jekyll1 considerably bewildered2 but1 nevertheless1 feeling quite certain that so learned a man as ,doctor ,remy must understand these matters a great deal better than he did4 ,and so1 continued the doctor1 suavely1 what ,i am about to ask you to do1 is not really wrong1 though it may seem so at first sight4 ,it is only a quiet method of averting a great deal of trouble and scandal from a very worthy family4 ,should you recognize this handwriting1 if you were to see it again8 ,jekyll looked at the paper held towards him1 and answered1--,yes1 certainly2 it is-- ,never mind whose it is1 interrupted the doctor2 it is just as well not to know anything about that4 ,well1 ,jekyll1 what ,i want you to do1 is simply to keep a sharp lookout for any letters1 in that handwriting1 which may come to ,godfrey ,bergan1 or his daughter1 or his wife1 and hand them over to me4 ,jekyll opened his eyes wide with surprise and terror4 ,good gracious6 he exclaimed1 it's a penitentiary business6 ,not at all1 replied ,doctor ,remy1 calmly4 ,in the first place1 no one will know anything about it but you and me4 ,in the second1 you are not doing this thing for your own advantage1 but just to help me to save certain excellent people from sore sorrow and trouble4 ,jekyll did not answer1 but he still looked dismayed and unconvinced4 ,if it will ease your scruples any1 pursued the doctor1 after a pause1 ,i don't mind telling you1 in confidence1 that ,mr4 ,godfrey ,bergan very much desires the suppression of these letters1 though he does not want to appear in the matter himself4 ,and you must admit that he has a right to control the correspondence of his own household4 ,but why does he want his own letters stopped8 asked ,jekyll4 ,for the best of reasons1--he does not want to receive them4 ,he prefers to be able to say that he hears nothing1 and knows nothing4 ,therefore1 you will readily understand that nothing is to be said1 or even hinted1 to him4 ,he puts the matter in my hands1 and you are responsible to me only4 ,it is unnecessary to trace the conversation to the end4 ,its results are already patent to the reader4 ,doctor ,remy was specious and plausible2 ,jekyll was weak and grateful2 the yielding of the pliant nature of the former to the stronger one of the latter1 could only be a question of time4 ,,ix4 ,,smoother ,,than ,,butter4 ,no sooner was the way made clear1 by the removal of ,bergan and ,astra1 than ,doctor ,remy began to visit assiduously at ,oakstead2 taking good care1 at first1 that the object of these visits should seem to be anything but ,carice4 ,he came to discuss local politics or town hygiene with ,mr4 ,bergan2 or he sought to interest his wife in some newly discovered object of charity4 ,by and by1 it was a mere matter of pleasant habit1 apparently1 that he stopped at ,oakstead four or five times a week1 as he came and went on his professional rounds4 ,if ,carice was absent1 on these occasions1 he never asked for her2 if she was present1 he rarely addressed his conversation to her2 nevertheless he weighed every word1 and shaped every sentence1 with artful reference to its effect upon her ear and mind4 ,every resource of his tact and skill was exhausted1 in his effort to attract and keep the attention of the fair1 silent girl1 sitting in the shadow1 with the drooping head1 and the patient1 preoccupied face4 ,it was long ere he could congratulate himself upon any measure of success4 ,the little that ,carice had hitherto known of ,doctor ,remy1 she had intuitively disliked4 ,she now acknowledged that she had scarcely done him justice in her thought2 or he had changed since then4 ,occasionally1 in his mention of his poorer patients1 there peeped out traits of thoughtful kindness and generosity1--or something that looked like them1--for which she would never have given him credit4 ,she was glad to know that he was better than he had seemed4 ,but here the matter ended1 so far as she was concerned4 ,she did not care for him1 personally2 she shunned his visits1 as much as possible2 when compelled to be present1 she oftenest sat a little apart1 thinking her own thoughts over her embroidery or her drawing1 and letting the brightest flow of his conversation pass by her unheeded4 ,but so consummate a social strategist as ,doctor ,remy was not thus to be baffled4 ,one day1 he took fitting occasion to bring ,bergan's name into his talk1--speaking of him quietly and unconcernedly1 as it was natural to speak of a man with whom he had been intimately associated for some months1--and speaking of him kindly1 too1 as of one for whom he entertained a real regard4 ,carice turned away her head1 and tears sprang to her eyes4 ,it was so long since she had heard ,bergan's name spoken in a friendly tone1 and unaccompanied by a disparaging commentary6 ,when she ventured to look at ,doctor ,remy1 it was with a soft1 grateful expression1 which he did not fail to detect and understand4 ,there was a certain wistfulness1 also1 as of a flower which1 having been refreshed by one little drop of unexpected dew1 opens its petals for more4 ,this1 too1 the doctor understood1 and was too wise to disappoint4 ,by the way1 said he1 turning to ,mr4 ,bergan1 perhaps ,i can give you the latest news from your sister1--,i had a letter from ,mr4 ,arling this morning4 ,carice's heart gave a great leap1 of mingled pleasure and pain4 ,at last she was to hear something2--yet1 certainly1 it ought not to be in this roundabout way4 ,it will be the earliest news as well as the latest1 responded ,mr4 ,bergan1 drily2 ,i have heard nothing1 as yet4 ,is it possible6 exclaimed ,doctor ,remy1 with well-feigned surprise2 ,i had no idea of that4 ,still1 severe sickness is an engrossing guest in a house1 as ,i often have occasion to notice2 outside friends are apt to be forgotten1 or rather ignored1 except as they can be made useful4 ,probably1 ,arling would not have written to me1 if he had not wanted something supplementary to certain medical suggestions with which ,i furnished him1 when he left1 and which seem to have been of use4 ,anyway1 ,i am glad to be able to tell you that the fever has passed the crisis4 ,i am glad to hear it1 returned ,mr4 ,bergan1 heartily enough1 yet with an evident dislike of the subject4 ,carice being present1 he could not forget that talking of ,mrs4 ,arling was the next thing to talking of her son4 ,mrs4 ,bergan1 however1 was more alive to the demands both of kinship and of courtesy4 ,is our sister out of danger1 then8 she asked with interest4 ,except as there is always danger of a relapse1 answered ,doctor ,remy4 ,still1 judging from ,mr4 ,arling's letter1 ,i should say that there is good reason to hope that his mother's convalescence will be sure and swift4 ,in that case1 we may look for him back among us1 ere long4 ,mr4 ,bergan frowned2 ,carice turned away her face1 that her gladness might not be seen shining in her eyes4 ,this1 then1 was the reason why ,bergan had not written to ,oakstead4 ,at first1 there had been engrossing anxiety and fear2 then1 finding that he should soon be able to come and plead his cause in person1 he had not thought it wise to commit it to the colder advocacy of a letter4 ,there were many advantages in a face-to-face discussion2 especially where1 as he doubtless suspected1 prejudice was to be met and overcome6 ,and he could not honorably write to her1 until he had written to her father4 ,nor would she admit1 even to herself1 that this explanation did not quite cover every point1 that it hardly excused ,bergan for subjecting her to so long a strain of expectation and suspense4 ,she was so glad1 poor child6 to discern even the outline of a reasonable solution of the mystery that had so oppressed her6 ,and1 for the rest1 was he not coming soon1 to make everything smooth and plain8 ,might he not be here in a few days1--a week1--a fortnight1--at farthest8 ,or1 suppose it should be a month3--well1 no need for her heart to sink thus1--could a month ever seem long again1 in comparison with that which was just past8 ,perhaps it may be well to offset the foregoing scene with one or two veritable paragraphs from ,bergan's letter3-- ,the crisis of the fever1 ,doctor ,trubie thinks1 was passed a week ago4 ,but my mother does not rally1 in the least4 ,we just succeed in keeping her alive--if anything so like death can be called life--by the means which you suggested4 ,if she does live1 we shall owe it1 under ,god1 to you4 ,the great obstacle to her recovery1 now1 is the ulceration mentioned above2 ,doctor ,trubie warns us that it may terminate fatally1 any day4 ,if you have any further suggestions to offer1 ,i need not say how gratefully we shall accept them4 ,can you tell me if they are all well at ,oakstead8 ,i wrote some time ago1 but have heard nothing4 ,the second of these paragraphs1 ,doctor ,remy had dismissed with a single reading and a sinister smile2 but1 over the first1 he had knitted his brows into their sternest1 deepest lines of thought1--the look of a man hurling all his reserved force into the fight1 and determined to wring victory from defeat4 ,she must not die6 he muttered to himself1--that would set ,arling free too soon4 ,the longer and slower her convalescence1 the better1--but she must not die6 ,and the return mail carried back to ,mrs4 ,arling's bedside--where the battle seemed wellnigh over--the strong reinforcements of ,doctor ,remy's science and experience1 to carry on the fight4 ,from all of which1 it will easily be seen that ,carice's days of suspense were not yet over4 ,doctor ,remy had artfully lifted her a little way into the sunshine1 first1 as a means of commending himself to her favor1 and next1 in order that her lapse into the shadow should be the more complete4 ,in the first of these objects1 he was measurably successful4 ,carice no longer shunned him4 ,he was certain to see her1 soon or late1 whenever he came to ,oakstead4 ,with the current of feeling setting so strongly against ,bergan1 in every other quarter1 she could not afford to lose any kindly mention of him1 in this one4 ,though she still sat a little apart1 it was plain that she lost no word of his conversation4 ,her face1 as she listened1 had the same look of patient interest1 with which a solitary prisoner might watch for the flight of a bird across the small square of blue sky which is his only prospect4 ,her parents noticed the change1 and rejoiced in it1 inasmuch as they did not suspect its cause4 ,for it must be confessed that ,doctor ,remy acquitted himself marvellously well of the delicate task of mentioning ,bergan in terms at once pleasant to the daughter's ears1 and void of offence to those of the parents4 ,he understood perfectly the art of constructing two-sided sentences1 which gave ,carice the impression that he was the young man's stanch1 if undemonstrative1 friend1 at the same time that ,mr4 and ,mrs4 ,bergan found in them abundant confirmation of their prejudices4 ,of course1 neither party discussed these impressions with the other4 ,carice1 feeling the uselessness of the task1 had long since ceased to defend ,bergan2 her parents1 believing that his silence was operating more powerfully against him than any arguments of theirs could do1 had ceased to attack him4 ,nor will it seem any paradox to say that1 while they were unspeakably glad of his omission to write1 it was1 on the whole1 his worst fault1 in their eyes4 ,they resented the slight to their daughter none the less1 because it hastened the end which they ardently desired4 ,to have sought her love was bad enough1 but to have flung it aside so quickly1 as a thing of no value1 was a thousand times worse4 ,godfrey ,bergan gnashed his teeth1 whenever he thought of it1 with an indignation for which he had no words4 ,one day1 ,doctor ,remy1 to his great gratification1 found ,carice alone in the library2 and at once seized upon the opportunity to speak of ,bergan1 in kinder and fuller strain than he had ever yet ventured to do1--though not in a way to suggest that he was aware of any special bond between his listener and his subject4 ,he described his first meeting with the young man1 and its immediate results2 he sketched various pleasant scenes and incidents that had come to pass under ,mrs4 ,lyte's kindly roof2 and he dwelt with hearty admiration upon ,bergan's oratorical and intellectual gifts4 ,carice listened like one entranced4 ,her joy was too perfect to admit of any alloy1 even when ,doctor ,remy went on to speak of ,bergan as a young man whose character was still in process of formation1 whose talents were1 as yet1 far in advance of his judgment1 and whose kindly impulses often led him into error4 ,yet these few words1 of all that had ever been spoken disparagingly of ,bergan1 in her hearing1 were the only ones that had yet effected any lodgment in her mind4 ,so artfully thrown in1 among much that was friendly and encomiastic1 as to be scarcely noticed at the moment1 the time came when these words shot up1 in ,carice's memory1 into manifold thorn-branches of suggestion4 ,at present1 however1 she was inexpressibly cheered by this hour's talk on the subject that lay nearest her heart4 ,she greeted her parents1 upon their return1 with a face so much more like that which had once been the sunshine of their hearts1 that they exchanged looks of surprise and delight4 ,they were looks of questioning too4 ,was this pleasant change owing to ,doctor ,remy's influence8 ,was he beginning to think of ,carice1 in lover's wise8 ,was she beginning to turn unconsciously from the love that had failed her1 to the calm and mature affection that was certain to stand by her8 ,then1 by all means1 let the matter so arrange itself4 ,though ,doctor ,remy was not quite the man whom they would have chosen for ,carice1 he was infinitely better and safer than their nephew4 ,his reputation was fair1 his talents undeniable2 he was certain to win eminence in his profession2 and possibly1 fame beyond it1 as a man of science4 ,if he had seemed a little cold and hard1 hitherto1 love would soften him4 ,who could be otherwise than soft to ,carice6 ,and so1 ,doctor ,remy came and went1 and unlimited opportunities were given him to talk to ,carice1--of ,bergan1 or of anything else1--of which he failed not to make artful use1 with reference both to the present and the future4 ,in due time1 she came to look upon him somewhat as ,astra had once done1--as a man more wise and calm than tender1 more just than genial1 but a man to be greatly esteemed and trusted1 nevertheless2 and1 certainly a true1 if not an enthusiastic1 friend of ,bergan4 ,yet she never thought of him1 strange to say1 as a friend to herself4 ,her instincts were far too fine and clear for that4 ,if ever1 for a moment1 she felt inclined to turn to him for sympathy1 she immediately shrank back from him1 as powerless to give her what she sought4 ,it was precisely the same feeling--though she did not recognize it as such--with which she would have turned away from an image in a mirror1 which1 during a single illusive moment of twilight1 she had mistaken for a living form4 ,and the days came and went1 and another month drew nigh its close4 ,x4 ,a ,,wicked ,,device4 ,carice was strolling languidly along the bank of the creek1 the heaviness of her heart easily discoverable in her absent face and languid step4 ,her eyes rested on the same stream1 her ears were filled with the murmur of the same leaves1 which had witnessed her parting with ,bergan1 nearly two months before1 yet neither made any distinct impression on her mind2 she saw and heard but the flow and murmur of her own troubled thoughts4 ,she had noticed a singular change of tone in ,doctor ,remy1 of late1 with respect to ,bergan4 ,he no longer made the young man the subject of free and frank conversation2 if obliged to mention him at all1 he did it with a certain reserve and caution1 an air of picking and choosing his phrases1 which at first puzzled1 and was now beginning to alarm1 the poor girl1 already worn and nervous with the long sickness of hope deferred4 ,her fears1 however1 took a different direction from what ,doctor ,remy had anticipated4 ,he had intended his alteration of manner to suggest the grave1 stern reserve of a man1 who1 though he had himself lost confidence in his friend1 is still honorably reluctant to injure him in the estimation of another4 ,but from any such suggestion1 ,carice's mind was shielded by her loyal faith in her lover1 as by an armor of proof4 ,dr4 ,remy's change of manner only served to strengthen her growing conviction that ,bergan's failure either to write1 or to appear in person1 could be caused by nothing short of some great and unexpected calamity4 ,as her eyes followed a swift cloud-shadow from object to object of the summer landscape1 so her mind followed the dark shade of her fears from point to point of possible ill4 ,perhaps the fever1 quitting his mother1 had fastened upon ,bergan himself2 perhaps he was ill1 suffering1 unconscious1 dying1 even1 or--the thought shook her like a sudden blow--dead6 ,gasping for breath1 she leaned against a friendly tree1 and closed her eyes1 as if to shut out the agonizing vision1 which1 nevertheless1 rose but the more vividly before her4 ,quickly opening them again1 she saw ,doctor ,remy coming toward her from the direction of the cottage4 ,he had espied her from the piazza1 as he was taking his leave1 after having spent a half-hour with her mother4 ,she was glad to see him4 ,he could set her free from the intolerable chafing of suspense1 though it were but to hand her over to the chill bondage of despair4 ,he would doubtless have done so1 ere this1 but for some request or warning of her parents to the contrary4 ,how far this might have let him into the secret of her relations with ,bergan1 she know not1--neither did she care much1 just now2 how far it might avail to close his lips was a much more important consideration1--still she believed that she could gather something from the expression of his face1 even though he should think it right to evade her questions4 ,she seized upon the first opportunity1 therefore1 to look him1 steadily in the face1 though her own flushed a little1 as she did so2 and to ask1 quietly1--,have you heard anything from my cousin ,bergan lately8 ,doctor ,remy's face underwent a quick change of expression1 none the less effective that it was obedient to his will4 ,yes1 replied he1 sombrely1 ,i had a letter from him two or three days ago4 ,carice could scarcely restrain a cry of joy2 it was such a relief to know that ,bergan was alive1 and able to write4 ,but her immediate perception that something was kept back1 saved her self-possession4 ,and my aunt1 she went on1 as soon as she could1 command her voice1 is she quite recovered8 ,yes1--that is1 ,i inferred so4 ,carice looked a little surprised4 ,it would seem that ,bergan's letter had made no mention of his mother4 ,has the fever attacked any of the others8 she continued4 ,none4 ,and ,bergan is quite well himself8 ,he says nothing to the contrary4 ,satisfactory as were these replies1 in substance1 there was a degree of dryness and brevity about them which was far otherwise4 ,unwilling to quit the subject thus1 ,carice ventured another query3--,then1 ,i suppose he may be expected back very soon8 ,doctor ,remy looked grave even to sternness4 ,no1 ,i think not4 ,carice's heart sank4 ,did he not say when he should come8 asked she1 anxiously4 ,doctor ,remy seemed to become suddenly aware that she really had something more than a conventional interest in the subject1 and to be willing to gratify it1 to the best of his ability4 ,i forget exactly what he said about it1 replied he1 but ,i think ,i have his letter in my pocket-book4 ,he drew forth a closely written sheet1 and glanced rapidly over it1 but seemed not to find what he sought4 ,applying again to the envelope1 he produced a separate bit of paper4 ,ah1 yes1 here we have it1 in this slip of a postscript1 he went on1--',in order to'--um--um--',i think ,i shall postpone my return until after ,christmas4' ,that is all4 ,carice stood as in a dream4 ,bergan well6 ,bergan silent only to her6 ,bergan not coming back for three months yet6--her mind utterly refused to receive three such incongruous ideas4 ,there must be some miserable mistake1--but where8 ,she put her hand to her brow with a piteous gesture of perplexity and bewilderment4 ,doctor ,remy1 meanwhile1 failed not to observe the effect of his words1 though apparently thinking only of refolding and rearranging his papers4 ,it was precisely what he had expected2 and1 feeling quite secure1 for the moment1 from ,carice's observation1 he took occasion1 as he returned ,bergan's letter to his pocket-book1 to let the postscript drop to the ground1 taking care to conceal it with his foot during the remainder of his stay1 which he wisely made short4 ,can ,i do anything more for you8 he asked1 graciously1 as he put up his pocket-book4 ,carice gave a slight start1 and turned toward him1 with an inquiring look4 ,she had heard1 but she had not understood4 ,he repeated his question4 ,no1 thank you1 replied ,carice1 letting her eyes go back to the far1 dark line of the pine forest4 ,then ,i must leave you4 ,i only stopped to say good morning and good-bye4 ,i had already spent my few moments of leisure with ,mrs4 ,bergan4 ,he raised his hat courteously1 and was gone4 ,carice remained1 trying her best to reduce the confusion of her mind to order1 and1 especially1 to discover some clue to the mystery of ,bergan's doings and intentions4 ,she gave up the difficult task1 at last1 with a weary little shake of the head1 and a smile of pity at her own helplessness4 ,it is too deep for me1 she said to herself1 but ,bergan will be sure to explain it all4 ,i must just go on trusting till he comes1 or writes4 ,he shall never be able to say that my faith in him was conquered by the first difficulty6 ,there was something quieting and strengthening in the mere resolve4 ,trust has its own special delight1--a far subtler and sweeter thing than any satisfaction of the understanding4 ,carice's face was almost bright1 as she turned to go home4 ,a folded paper lay directly in her path4 ,mechanically she picked it up2 mechanically she read it almost through1 before her mind1 busy with other thoughts1 began1 even vaguely1 to grasp its meaning4 ,it ran thus3-- ,p4,s4 ,i cannot understand how my foolish engagement to ,astra ,lyte should have leaked out4 ,with all due respect for your opinion1 ,i cannot think of fulfilling it2 indeed1 ,i wrote to break it off immediately after coming home4 ,i should never have entered into it1 but for a mistaken notion that it would advance my interests in a certain quarter4 ,finding that it was likely to do just the opposite1 there was nothing for it but to take the shortest cut out of the scrape4 ,never fear for ,astra1 she does not belong to the ,ophelia order of women1 she has pride and pluck enough to carry her through a worse disappointment2 besides1 hearts are never broken except in novels and plays4 ,i am much obliged to her for leaving ,berganton1 the affair will blow over the sooner4 ,in order to give it time to do so1 ,i think ,i shall postpone my return until after ,christmas4 ,yours1 ,b4,a4 ,twice did ,carice read the paper's contents through1 before she began to understand what it was1 and whence it came4 ,she had seen ,bergan's handwriting a few times1 in notes addressed to her mother2 and she remembered enough of its peculiarities to recognize them in the lines before her1 as soon as her mind was able to grasp the fact that1 in this heartless production1 she beheld the postscript which she had seen in ,doctor ,remy's hand1 and which he had doubtless dropped accidentally1 while replacing his papers in his pocket-book4 ,that it should have been deliberately forged1 and designedly put in her way--a sort of moral torpedo1 loaded with mischief--was a depth of wickedness1 of which1 in her innocence1 she could never have conceived4 ,she could scarcely make herself comprehend the evil tenor of the words before her eyes4 ,she read them over again1 with a feeling that either their form or their purport must change1 if she only studied them carefully enough2 it was impossible that she had read them aright4 ,no1 they would not alter4 ,her efforts only served to brand them more deeply on her mind4 ,she looked up1 at last1 with a kind of wonder that the earth was still firm under her feet1 and the sky's arch entire above her head4 ,it would have seemed more in keeping to have beheld the universe crashing backward into chaos4 ,not that she suffered very keenly yet4 ,she was too much stunned to realize the extent of her wounds and bruises4 ,she picked herself up1 as it were1 after the fall and the shock1 and walked mechanically homeward4 ,her strength did not give way until she found herself in her room1 shutting her door behind her1 and felt what a different being had gone out of it only a little while before4 ,an hour after1 ,mrs4 ,bergan found her lying on her bed1 white and still1 more like a corpse than a living1 suffering girl4 ,carice6 she cried1 appalled1 but not without an intuitive perception of the truth1--,carice1 my child6 what is the matter8 ,i don't know--don't ask me1 replied ,carice1 turning her face to the wall4 ,mrs4 ,bergan burst into tears1 and stole softly away4 ,here was a grief in which even she could only intermeddle as a stranger4 ,she could simply commend her child to tenderer1 wiser hands than hers4 ,a day or two went by1 and ,carice was down-stairs again1 white2 still1 patient2 filling her old place1 and doing her old tasks1 with a sad composure that was more affecting than any abandonment of sorrow4 ,her woe seemed to take the form of torpor1 rather than of anguish4 ,it was that chill and heavy misery1 that dismal realization of the actual presence and power of evil in the world1 which never comes to us except through the sin of some cherished1 trusted friend2 standing hitherto as the representative of all that is good and true1 the earthly type of the ,divine perfection4 ,falling1 he falls not alone1 but drags down with him the supports of every earthly confidence1 and even makes the foundation of our heavenly faith to tremble4 ,such grief is dumb and tearless2 it coils itself round the heart in cold1 serpent-like folds1 chilling the blood1 and oppressing the breath2 but it makes no single1 special wound1 to call forth cries and sobs of pain4 ,meanwhile1 the yellow fever1 as foreseen long ago by ,doctor ,remy1 made its silent entry into ,berganton4 ,one day a single case was reported in the outskirts of the town2 another week1 and there was scarcely a threshold which it had not crossed1 either to strike or slay4 ,the town put on sackcloth and ashes2 business was suspended1 except the business of nursing the sick and burying the dead2 the streets were deserted1 except by hearses and doctors4 ,or1 it would be truer to say1 a doctor2 for ,doctor ,gerrish1 being unacclimated1 was one of the earliest patients2 and ,doctor ,harris1 being old and infirm1 quickly sank exhausted2 so ,doctor ,remy was soon left to face the pestilence alone1 and multiply himself as best he could1 to meet the demands of a whole people4 ,let us do him ample justice4 ,all that an iron frame1 a steady courage1 admirable executive ability1 profound medical skill1 and deep scientific interest1 could prompt or do1 he did4 ,he organized and instructed a corps of nurses1 and made them do effective work2 he scattered printed suggestions and directions broadcast over the town1 for the behoof of sick and well2 he was himself constantly in the thickest of the fight1 animating the workers1 cheering the sick1 wellnigh raising the dead1--doing everything but comfort the mourners1 for that he had neither time nor talent4 ,the town rang with praises of his energy and skill2 his presence had brought back hope to many a house whence it seemed to have flown forever1 joy into many a heart that had only made itself ready for sorrow4 ,even ,carice1 as her private grief half-sank1 for the time1 under the great wave of public calamity1 was moved to a degree of respect and admiration for the doctor1 of which1 two or three weeks before1 she could not have believed herself capable4 ,there was still a hero1 and room for heroism1 in the world6 ,by and by1 ,mr4 ,bergan fell ill1 not of the fever1 but of one of the sympathetic diseases1 which often go hand in hand with it4 ,there were a few days of intense anxiety1 during which the wife and daughter lived1 as it were1 on the words of ,doctor ,remy's mouth1 and the look of his eyes4 ,after these came slow weeks of convalescence1 of exacting feebleness and irritable complaint4 ,it was during these that ,doctor ,remy spoke4 ,is it necessary to describe the conflict1 or designate the result8 ,on the one side were parental wisdom1 love1 and authority1 with the strong sanction of recent danger and present feebleness2 on the other1 filial respect1 affection1 and obedience1 and a great self-distrust4 ,for ,carice remembered that she had taken her own way before1 and whither it had led2 now1 ought she not to submit to the guidance ordained of ,god8 ,october found her bound fast by a promise1 held irrevocably to a day4 ,the outward conflict was over2 but the inward struggle1 she found1 was scarce begun6 ,under that1 she paled and wasted2 sleep and appetite forsook her2 her eyes grew to have the pathetic1 pleading look of a dumb animal taken in a net4 ,finally1 worn-out nature took refuge in apathy that nothing seemed to disturb4 ,,xi ,a ,,clue4 ,a chill ,november day was drawing near its close4 ,with the evening dusk snowflakes filled the air1 and began to whiten the swells and slopes of the ,arling farm1 and lay the foundation of future drifts beside the doorstep and under the eaves of the ,arling homestead4 ,this structure had begun life as a log cabin1 but had grown1 by the simple and natural process of adding on a room or a wing1 as fast as it was required and could be afforded1 into a large1 and somewhat picturesque1 cluster of roofs and gables2 beneath which there might easily be not only room for the fullest1 heartiest flow of domestic and social life1 but also means and influences to a considerable degree of refinement and culture4 ,toward it1 a stout1 broad-shouldered personage was making his way1 through the dusk and the snow1 with a cheery face and an energetic tread1 that plainly minded neither4 ,tramp1 tramp1 went the brisk footfalls up the gravel walk1 the bright brass knocker was made to send a note of warning through the house1 and the wayfarer admitted himself into a lighted hall1 through which he strode to the open door of the sitting-room at the farther end4 ,a pleasant family picture was before him4 ,bergan ,arling1 on one side of the crimson-covered centre-table1 looked up1 smiling1 from the book out of which he had been reading aloud4 ,two of his sisters sat near him1 busy with crotchet needles and bright worsteds4 ,still another was drawing at a side-table2 and over her1 giving her the benefit of his criticism1 leaned her brother ,hubert1 scarce two years younger than ,bergan1 and so strikingly like him1 that one was often taken for the other1 outside the family circle4 ,at one side of the fire-place sat the master of the house1 a tall1 noble-looking man1 with eye undimmed and hair unfrosted by the snows of over sixty years4 ,opposite him was the home's true light and centre1 the house-mother4 ,she reclined in a large1 low easy chair1 the paleness on her face half concealed by the glow of the blazing fire1 and her eyes shining with that tender joy and peace which convalescents sometimes bring back from the edge of the grave1--a reflection1 perhaps1 from the paradise that was already opening before the gaze of the half-freed spirit4 ,doctor ,trubie paused for a moment in the doorway1 to master the details of the scene4 ,he has changed but little since he was introduced to the reader1 fourteen years ago1 in his medical ,alma ,mater4 ,his figure has gained in breadth and strength1 and his features in character1 but it is the same frank1 genial face1 and the same good-humored smile4 ,no one that knew him then1 could fail to recognize him now4 ,in a moment1 he caught sight of ,mrs4 ,arling1 and hastened toward her with outstretched hand4 ,i don't know whether to congratulate or to scold you1 he began1 smiling1 yet shaking his head with mild disapproval4 ,hubert ,arling came forward to ,bergan's side4 ,i can settle the question for you1 said he4 ,congratulate her1 and scold us4 ,we brought her down1 chair and all2 she did not touch foot to the floor in the transit4 ,then ,i will save my scolding until it is needed4 ,it seems little less than miraculous to see you here1 he went on1 turning to ,mrs4 ,arling1 when ,i think how things seemed to be going1 a few weeks ago4 ,it has been a hard pull1 and a long one4 ,and a strong one1 and a pull altogether1 added ,hubert ,arling1 merrily1 by way of arresting the tears that he saw starting into his sisters' eyes4 ,the strong pull1 remarked ,doctor ,trubie1 came from my medical brother1 down ,south4 ,you underrate yourself1 replied ,mr4 ,arling4 ,of what avail would ,doctor ,remy's suggestions have been1 without your indefatigable vigilance1 and your professional skill and knowledge to carry them out8 ,that is to say1 returned ,doctor ,trubie1 that a good commander-in-chief can do nothing without good generals4 ,at all events1 ,doctor ,remy is a wonderfully talented fellow4 ,he seems to keep not only abreast of medical science1 but in advance of it4 ,that very suggestion of his1 which proved most valuable to us1 was mentioned in my last medical review1 as the latest discovery at ,paris4 ,there is something about his bold1 yet scientific mode of reasoning which reminds me strangely of an old fellow-student4 ,but ,doctor ,remy1 ,i hope1 is a better fellow than he was4 ,by the way1 he added1 turning to ,bergan1 ,i came near forgetting that ,i have brought you a letter from him1 as ,i judge from the handwriting4 ,bergan tore open the letter1 and with an apologetic bow to the company1 began eagerly to read it4 ,doctor ,trubie seated himself by the table1 picked up the rejected envelope1 and gave it a critical examination4 ,that's what ,i call a good hand1 said he1 a round1 clear1 energetic hand1 that neither tries your eyesight1 nor rouses your distrust4 ,there is no crookedness nor meanness in it2 yet there is plenty of character2 one can see1 at a glance1 that the writer is bold and sagacious as well as profound1 a man of action as well as a man of science4 ,bergan had finished the letter1 which was short2 and he now looked up with a much amused face4 ,i ought to tell you1 said he1 that ,doctor ,remy possesses the rare accomplishment of being able to write with either hand2 he uses the right or the left1 at pleasure4 ,but the two handwritings are entirely distinct4 ,that address was written with his left hand1 and so1 ,i remember1 were the suggestions and prescriptions that ,i handed over to you4 ,but this letter was written with his right hand2 see what you can make of it1 and ,bergan pushed the open sheet across the table4 ,the change in ,doctor ,trubie's face was startling4 ,this6 he exclaimed1 his voice trembling with excitement1 who did you say wrote this8 ,doctor ,remy1 the same man who wrote that address4 ,doctor ,trubie glanced back at the letter1 and his eyes lit with a strange1 stern joy4 ,at last6 he muttered through his set teeth4 ,mrs4 ,arling leaned forward1 and her face grew pale4 ,what is it1 doctor8 she asked1 trembling4 ,what is the matter8 ,doctor ,trubie glanced at her excited face1 and saw what mischief he was doing4 ,nothing1 he hastened to answer1 nothing1 only an old sore pressed on suddenly4 ,this handwriting reminds me of one that--,i never expected to see again4 ,he gave the letter a long1 moody look1 then refolded it1 and handed it back to ,bergan4 ,mrs4 ,arling looked anxiously at her son4 ,does ,doctor ,remy give you any special news8 she asked4 ,not much4 ,uncle ,godfrey is better1 and the fever is over4 ,business is still dull4 ,then you will not need to hurry back8 ,bergan knelt by his mother's side4 ,my dear mother1 he whispered1 you know it is not for the sake of my business that ,i am anxious to return1 as soon as ,i may4 ,i must see ,carice1 and satisfy myself that nothing is amiss4 ,mrs4 ,arling smiled1 yet she sighed1 too4 ,ah1 yes1 ,i remember1 said she1 and you are quite right4 ,doctor ,trubie rose1 and came to the other side of ,mrs4 ,arling's chair4 ,i am glad to see that ,i am not wanted here any longer1 he began1 pleasantly2-- ,but you are wanted1 interrupted ,mrs4 ,arling2 you are always wanted1 as a friend4 ,thank you2 but ,i am wanted elsewhere as a physician2 so ,i must take my leave1 for the present4 ,he shook hands with ,mrs4 ,arling1 and gave ,bergan a meaning glance1 as he did so4 ,the young man rose4 ,i will walk a little way with you1 if you like1 said he4 ,i have a boyish delight in the first snow1 and ,i did not see any last winter1 you remember4 ,the two gentlemen were hardly outside the gate1 before ,doctor ,trubie asked2--,what do you know of this ,doctor ,remy's antecedents8 ,bergan narrated the facts which he had gathered1 from time to time1 from ,doctor ,remy's conversation4 ,so1 he would have us believe1 said ,doctor ,trubie1 contemptuously1 that he transformed himself from a poor lawyer into a scientific physician1 in a year and a half1 by the help of a friendly doctor1 and a course of lectures6 ,there is falsehood on the face of it4 ,he had a genius for the study1 replied ,bergan4 ,aye1 ,i'll warrant6 that is the saving grain of truth in the whole story4 ,do you remember the circumstances of your elder brother's death8 ,not very distinctly4 ,i was so young1 at the time2 and then1 you know1 mother could never bear to hear any allusion to them4 ,you know that he was murdered8 ,bergan looked surprised4 ,i know there was talk of suicide1 said he1 but ,i thought it was decided that he was poisoned by mistake4 ,he was murdered1 asserted ,doctor ,trubie1 getting his teeth1 foully murdered by the man who professed to be his friend1--a man who wrote a hand as much like this ,doctor ,remy's as one side of your face is like the other4 ,i charged him with it1 at the time1 and ,i have always believed that ,i should live to see the charge proven4 ,and he finished by giving a succinct account of the circumstances attending ,alec ,arling's death4 ,bergan listened attentively and critically1 as became his legal training4 ,i do not understand why the finding of the diamond was such conclusive evidence of guilt1 said he1 when the doctor paused4 ,because ,roath swore1 at the inquest1 that he did not touch either bottle or glass1 and did not even go to that end of the table4 ,that was where he overreached himself2 without that1 the stone in the glass would not have been such a damning circumstance4 ,he recognized it as such himself2--else why did he fly8 ,well1 you may be right about the murder1 said ,bergan1 after a little consideration1 but ,i think you have mistaken the man4 ,let us see1 said ,doctor ,trubie4 ,he is about my height8 ,yes1--perhaps a little taller4 ,he stoops a little8 ,not at all1 he is uncommonly erect4 ,he has dark hair8 ,it may have been so1 it is prematurely gray4 ,doctor ,trubie looked a little discomfited4 ,give me a sketch of his character1 said he4 ,bergan hesitated4 ,it was a difficult thing to do1 on the instant4 ,his impressions of ,doctor ,remy's character had varied1 as he remembered4 ,on second thought1 said ,doctor ,trubie1 ,i will give you one4 ,all of him1 that is not intellect1 is ice4 ,in religious matters1 he is an utter sceptic4 ,socially1 he is brilliant2 but he has no intimate friends1 and he makes no confidants4 ,men and women1 to him1 are subjects of study1 not objects of affection4 ,he cares for nothing but himself and his profession4 ,and no one cares for him--much4 ,they may admire1 but they cannot love4 ,bergan looked considerably startled4 ,your sketch tallies well with some impressions of mine1 which ,i did my best to rid myself of1 said he4 ,but ,doctor ,remy has befriended me1 from the first1 and you yourself say that he has been largely the means of saving my mother's life4 ,he has had his own reasons for both2 ,edmund ,roath never did anything without a reason1 and a selfish one4 ,has he anything to gain by keeping you out of the way8 ,nothing1 that ,i can imagine4 ,when do you return to ,berganton8 ,mother has consented that ,i shall start on ,monday1 if she is no worse4 ,she will be much better4 ,do not delay longer than that4 ,i will accompany you2 ,i want to see this ,doctor ,remy4 ,seeing is believing4 ,but1 mind1 not a word of my coming1 to him or any one else4 ,now1 go back to your mother1 or she will be alarmed4 ,good night4 ,bergan walked back slowly and thoughtfully4 ,without being fully convinced of the truth of ,doctor ,trubie's suspicions1 he was strangely disturbed and startled4 ,reaching the gate1 he turned his face south-eastward1 and gazed across the white meadows1 toward the dim outline of the distant hills4 ,his thoughts overleaped even that far barrier1 and took an air line to ,oakstead and to ,carice4 ,her face rose vividly before him1 not1 strange to say1 as he had seen it last1 rosy and bright1 but pale and piteous1 and gazing toward him with a look that besought sympathy and succor1 plainer than any speech4 ,his eyes grew moist1 his breath tremulous2 his heart swelled with passionate love and longing4 ,i will beg my mother to consent to my going at once1 said he to himself4 ,i cannot wait another day4 ,the next afternoon1 he was on his way to ,berganton1 whither ,doctor ,trubie was shortly to follow him4 ,,xii4 ,,too ,,late4 ,in those days1 there was a pleasant spice of uncertainty about ,southern journeyings4 ,cars1 steamboats1 and stages ran in happy independence of each other and the time-table4 ,the traveller never knew at what point of juniper swamp1 or pine barren1 or cotton plantation1 he would be set down to while away some hours in botanical or ethnological investigations1 if his mind were sufficiently at ease1 or in chewing the bitter cud of impatience1 if it were not4 ,defective machinery and lazy officials labored mightily together to miss connections1 and wherever human inefficiency came short1 down swept a hurricane from the skies1 and strewed the roads with prostrate trunks of trees1 through which the cumbrous stage coach had literally to hew its path4 ,more than one such delay attended ,bergan's progress southward4 ,under their teasing friction1 the shadowy anxiety with which he had set out1 increased to a positive weight of alarm4 ,reaching ,savalla on the twelfth evening1 he stopped neither for rest nor refreshment1 but looked up a horse1 flung himself into the saddle1 and set off toward ,berganton at a rapid rate4 ,outside the city limits1 however1 he was forced to slacken his pace4 ,the night was dark1 no faintest gleam of moon or star tempered the black obscurity of the tree-arched and swamp-bordered road4 ,compelled thus to feel his way1 as it were1 it was near midnight when he came upon the outlying fields of ,oakstead4 ,reluctantly he told himself that an interview with ,carice1 to-night1 was out of the question2 she and all the household were certain to be fast asleep1 it was doubtful if even the faintest outline of the darkened dwelling would be discernible through the murky night4 ,he had no choice but to ride on to ,berganton4 ,scarcely had he reached this conclusion1 when a radiant window shone vision-like through the trees2 a little farther on1 and the cottage1 though yet distant1 came full into view through an opening in the forest1 brilliantly illuminated from roof to foundation as for a festivity of no ordinary magnitude4 ,even the surrounding lawn was lighted up into the semblance of day2 and in its remotest corner1 a group of negroes1 dancing to some strain of music inaudible to the wondering spectator1 looked fantastic enough for the unsubstantial images of a dream4 ,for a moment or two1 ,bergan suspected his jaded senses of playing him false1 as a step preparatory to taking leave of him altogether4 ,there was something too incongruous to be real1 between this gay scene of festivity and the picture presented by ,doctor ,remy's last letter1--a dull1 silent house1 its master a feeble1 exacting convalescent1 its mistress and daughter worn out with anxiety and watching4 ,an intuition of some unlooked-for calamity seized him4 ,putting spurs to his horse1 he dashed over the mile that intervened between him and the cottage1 at a scarcely less furious rate than that with which ,vic had borne him over the same road--how well he remembered it6--just one year ago4 ,he did not suspect that he was now to taste the bitterest consequences of that ride4 ,in a very few moments1 he rode through the open gates of ,oakstead4 ,here1 he found the avenue to the house encumbered with teams and saddle-horses1 tied to every tree and post4 ,the every-day aspect of these sleepy animals was like a bucket of cold water to his excited imagination4 ,strains of dancing music1 too1 came to his ear1--flutes and violins1 none too well played1 sent forth the notes of a popular air4 ,plainly1 he had been a fool to connect the thought of calamity with anything so exceedingly common-place as an evening party4 ,if ,godfrey ,bergan chose to call in his friends and neighbors to dance over his restoration to health1 who should gainsay him8 ,convalescents had their fancies1 and must be humored4 ,in this cooler frame of mind1 it naturally occurred to ,bergan that he was in no fit condition to face a festal throng4 ,his appearance1 thus way-worn and travel-stained1 would be scarcely more timely than that of the ,ancient ,mariner to the wedding guest4 ,it would look as if he1 too1 had a tale of horror to impart1 and ,carice might be unpleasantly startled1--,carice1 who little imagined him so near to her6 ,at the thought1 a strange1 indefinable thrill and shiver passed over him1 hard to define as either pleasure or pain4 ,after a moment's consideration1 he dismounted1 and walked quietly round to the spot where the negroes still kept up their lively dance4 ,one of them1 ,bruno by name1 stood a little apart1 a smiling spectator of the merriment that he was too old to join4 ,it was easy to touch him on the shoulder1 without attracting the notice of the rest4 ,the negro turned1 and instantly recognized ,bergan2 but his exclamation of surprise was cut short by the young man's significant gesture1 and he silently followed him to a spot equi-distant between the cottage and the dancers4 ,all well1 ,bruno8 was ,bergan's first inquiry4 ,all bery well1 ,massa ,arling4 ,you's welcome back1 sah4 ,but ,i'se sorry you's too late for de weddin'4 ,the wedding1--the word fell almost meaninglessly on ,bergan's ear1 so intent was he upon satisfying himself that his late anxieties had been groundless4 ,and ,miss ,carice1 he went on1 is she quite well1 too8 ,bruno smiled4 ,yes1 massa1 ,i 'spec so1 tho' she do look mighty pale and peaked1 dese yere last weeks4 ,but dey mostly look so1 at sich times1 ,i s'pose4 ,she'll be better when de weddin's ober1 an' all de fuss and flurry4 ,this second mention of the wedding penetrated to ,bergan's understanding1 and awakened a faint emotion of surprise4 ,the wedding6--whose wedding8 he asked4 ,bruno opened his eyes wide in astonishment4 ,why1 don' you know1 sah8 ,i thought you'd come on purpose4 ,miss ,carice's weddin'1 to be sure4 ,it was ,bergan's turn to look more than astonished1 confounded4 ,miss ,carice's wedding6 he repeated1 as doubting the trustworthiness of his own ears4 ,yes1 sah1 to ,doctor ,remy1 sah4 ,dey had-- ,bruno stopped short in alarm4 ,bergan's face had grown deadly pale1 his blank stare was that of a man who neither saw nor heard4 ,for a few merciful moments1 he was simply stunned with the suddenness and severity of the shock4 ,too soon his benumbed senses began to revive1 he put his hand to his head1 where a dull1 heavy pain was beginning to make itself felt2 mechanically he sat down on the grass1 and his breath came hard like that of a man stricken with apoplexy4 ,with a delicacy not uncommon in his race1 ,bruno turned his eyes away4 ,a trusted servant of the household1 he had seen ,bergan and ,carice together enough to be able to divine something of the state of the case4 ,slowly1 one by one1 ,bergan's thoughts came out of chaos1 and ranged themselves into something like order4 ,this1 then1 was the reason why ,doctor ,remy had so persistently discouraged his earlier return to ,berganton1 and allayed his anxiety with plausible statements respecting ,carice and her father1--that he might supplant him in her affections4 ,but why8 ,it must be taken as evidence that he had estimated the doctor's character more correctly than he knew1 that it never once occurred to him as possible that love for ,carice had been the doctor's motive2 yet1 considered solely as holding the reversion of the ,oakstead estate1 her hand was scarcely worth the labor and treachery it had cost4 ,there was so little to reward investigation in this direction1 that ,bergan's thoughts came back to his own blighted hopes1 and here he was pierced with the sharpest pain that he had yet felt4 ,the treachery of the doctor was as nothing to the faithlessness of ,carice4 ,two months1--yea1 two days ago1 he would have staked all his hopes for time and eternity on her truth4 ,fair and delicate as was the cast of her beauty1 and sweet and gentle as was her manner1 there had always been a certain quiet steadfastness about her1 which was one of her most potent charms4 ,all hearts felt intuitively that they might safely trust in her4 ,what subtle or powerful influence could have been brought to bear upon her1 to make her so belie herself6 ,he looked up4 ,bruno1 how long has this been going on8 ,the negro did not quite understand1 but made shift to guess what was meant4 ,de engagement1 sah8 since ,october1 ,i b'lieve4 ,and how long has ,doctor ,remy visited here8 ,oh1 a good while1 'bout eber since you went away4 ,but after massa was took sick1 he come oftener1 ob course--ebery day1 sometimes two1 tree times a day4 ,massa got so--'pendent on him1 like1 he couldn't bear to have him out ob de house1 one time4 ,bergan fell into thought again4 ,he began dimly to understand something of the sort of pressure to which ,carice had been subjected1 and the motives that had governed her1--not that he held her exonerated1 by any means--only she was a little less culpable than she had seemed1 at first4 ,but if she had sinned1 poor child6 how miserably she would be punished6 ,what a sterile soil1 what a chill1 unfriendly climate1 awaited this delicate flower1 in ,doctor ,remy's hands6 ,it was as if a lily should think to root itself in a rock1 or a rose expect to bud and blossom on an iceberg4 ,besides--why had he not thought of it before8--to-morrow1 perhaps1 in two or three days1 at farthest1 ,doctor ,trubie would be here1 with authority1 if it seemed good to him1 to take this man1 her husband1 into custody as a murderer6 ,bergan's was the fine1 strong temperament1 which rises to the greatness of a crisis4 ,with the necessity of action1 the chaos of his mind began to clear itself4 ,bruno1 he asked1 suddenly1 does--,miss ,carice love this man8 ,bruno looked surprised1 as well he might1 at the question2 but there was something in ,bergan's tone that made him answer at once1 and frankly2 ,i don' know1--de servants do say she done it to please her father4 ,bergan laid his hand impressively on the old negro's shoulder4 ,bruno1 ,i must see her at once4 ,her happiness--more than her happiness1 the honor and peace of the whole family--is at stake4 ,find some way to let her know1 quietly1 that ,i am here1 and that ,i must see her for one moment4 ,hurry6 there's no time to waste4 ,bruno was so thoroughly mastered by ,bergan's earnestness1 that he started swiftly toward the cottage1 without a word4 ,as he ascended the piazza steps1 however1 he began to be appalled at the difficulty of the task that he had undertaken4 ,looking into the window1 he saw ,carice standing at the farther end of the long parlor1 with her bridesmaids clustered around her4 ,he could neither get at her1 nor she escape1 without challenging a good deal of wondering observation4 ,while he stood hesitating1 ,godfrey ,bergan came out into the hall1 and caught sight of his troubled face4 ,well1 ,bruno1 what do you want8 ,i--jes' wanted to speak to ,miss ,carice1 stammered the negro4 ,the request was an odd one1 at that moment2 still1 ,mr4 ,bergan might have been moved to grant it1 as the whim of an old and faithful servant1 if the negro's disturbed face and faltering tone had not excited his suspicions that something unusual was on foot4 ,what is the matter8 he asked4 ,what do you want to speak to her for8 ,bruno was wholly unprepared for this question4 ,vainly he racked his brains for a plausible answer1 but nothing better rewarded his efforts than1--,i jes' wanted to speak to her1 dat's all2--a reply so little congruous with his frightened face and voice1 that ,mr4 ,bergan's suspicions were confirmed4 ,he stepped out on the piazza1 and closed the door behind him4 ,how1 ,bruno1 said he1 sternly1 ,i want to know what this means4 ,come1 no shuffling2 tell the truth4 ,bruno's self-possession gave way entirely4 ,i--,i--,i--it's only ,mr4 ,arling4 ,mr4 ,bergan started4 ,my nephew1 ,bergan ,arling1 do you mean8 ,yes1 massa4 ,what--where8 ,out dar1 under de larches1 massa4 ,and he--he dared to ask for my daughter8 ,mr4 ,bergan's voice shook with anger4 ,bruno tried to explain1 not very coherently4 ,he didn't mean no harm1 massa1 ,i'se sartain4 ,he said her happiness and all you'se happiness1 was at de stake4 ,did he6 muttered ,mr4 ,bergan1 scornfully4 ,hark you1 ,bruno1 not a word of this to anybody--to anybody1 mind you6 ,now1 go back to your dance1--,i'll see ,mr4 ,arling4 ,bergan's impatience had brought him from under the larches to a point commanding a view of the path to the cottage4 ,he was both surprised and disappointed to see his uncle instead of ,carice2 nevertheless1 he came frankly forward to meet him1 holding out his hand4 ,mr4 ,bergan took no notice of the friendly offer4 ,how dare you show yourself here8 he began1 his voice quivering with rage4 ,how dare you insult my daughter with your presence1 at this time8 ,have you not done harm enough already8 ,uncle1 replied ,bergan1 gently1 ,i know not what you mean4 ,i have never harmed ,carice1 that ,i know of1 and now ,i came here to save her1 if it be not too late4 ,oh6 uncle--and here his calmness began to fail him1 and his voice grew eager--do not1 do not let this marriage proceed1--at least1 not until you have heard my story1 and have satisfied yourself of the real character of this ,doctor ,remy6 ,what have you to say against his character8 demanded ,mr4 ,bergan1 icily4 ,bergan felt the full disadvantage of his position4 ,it was a heavy charge that he had to make against a man of ,doctor ,remy's standing1 without documents or witnesses1 nothing to substantiate it but his single assertion4 ,besides1 to say truth1 there was nothing to allege against ,doctor ,remy but ,doctor ,trubie's suspicions4 ,he hesitated1 and his hesitation was not lost upon his uncle2 neither was the want of assurance with which he finally spoke4 ,uncle1 there is great reason to believe--or1 at least to suspect--that ,doctor ,remy is a--murderer1--the murderer of my brother ,alec4 ,godfrey ,bergan stood in silent scorn4 ,the accusation struck him as too extravagant1 too baseless1 to be seriously discussed4 ,his nephew must be drunk1 or mad1 to make it4 ,and1 now that he looked at him more narrowly1 his face was haggard and his dress disordered enough to befit either condition4 ,bergan saw the impression that he had made1 and a cold1 sick despair crept over him4 ,i beg of you1 uncle1 he exclaimed1 vehemently1 as you value your own future peace of mind1 put a stop to this unhappy business1 ere it be too late4 ,it is too late now1 said ,mr4 ,bergan1 impatiently1 ,carice is already married4 ,must she1 therefore1 be left in the hands of a murderer8 ,save her1 at least1 from further contamination4 ,if you will do nothing else1 call her1 and let her decide the matter for herself4 ,impossible1 answered ,mr4 ,bergan1 decidedly4 ,carice has already borne and suffered too much2 her nerves are in an exceedingly sensitive state2 this story would kill her1 ,i verily believe4 ,if you really have her happiness at heart1 go away quietly1 and leave her to the care of the husband she has chosen4 ,chosen8 repeated ,bergan1 bitterly1--has she chosen him1 or has she only been forced to wed him8 ,godfrey ,bergan's eyes lit4 ,you forget to whom you are speaking1 said he1 coldly4 ,enough of this1 my patience is exhausted4 ,i have listened to your drivel longer than it deserves4 ,the quicker you take your leave1 the better4 ,bergan drew himself up haughtily1 and his eyes flashed back an answering flame4 ,my patience is also exhausted1 said he4 ,i have begged and pleaded long enough4 ,i tell you now1 uncle1 that ,i will not go1 until ,i have seen ,carice1 if ,i seek her out among the wedding guests4 ,godfrey ,bergan set his teeth hard4 ,will not8 he repeated angrily4 ,will not6 ,i will have you to understand1 young man1 that there is neither will1 nor will not1 on these premises1 but mine4 ,on my soul1 if you do not go1 and quickly1 ,i will call my servants1 and have you put off from the place as a drunkard and a vagabond4 ,at this threat1 the hereditary temper1 scotched in ,bergan's heart1 but not yet killed1 reared its evil head aloft1 and sent its deadly poison burning through all his veins4 ,call them1 he retorted1 in a voice deep and low as a distant thunder peal1 and lifting his clenched hand on high1--call them1 if it so pleases you6 ,their blood be on your head1 not mine4 ,godfrey ,bergan was no coward1 yet he might well stand aghast at the unexpected fury of the tempest that he had evoked4 ,moreover1 to put his threat in execution1 he now saw1 to court that publicity which he specially desired to avoid4 ,he stood irresolute1 questioning within himself how best to deal with the emergency4 ,he was saved the trouble of a decision4 ,while he still hesitated1 ,bergan's hand fell by his side1 his eyes softened1 and a spasm of anguish passed over his face4 ,god forgive me6 he murmured1 shudderingly1--,i1 too1 was a murderer--in heart6 ,he bowed his head on his hands4 ,woful was the inner conflict4 ,within his soul1 the black ,bergan temper was gasping out its last venomous breath1 with the clutch of a firm hand on its throat4 ,agonizing were its death-throes4 ,they ceased at last4 ,it would never trouble him more4 ,godfrey ,bergan1 standing by1 saw something of the struggle1 yet did not understand it in the least4 ,a drunkard's aimless wrath6 he said to himself1--quenched in its own fury4 ,so carelessly does the world construe the deeper soul-conflicts that come under its observation6 ,bergan lifted his head1 and his face was ashy pale4 ,i go1 uncle1 said he1 hoarsely1 since that is your wish4 ,in all that ,i have said1 though said never so unwisely1 ,i assure you that ,i have had only ,carice's happiness at heart2 and ,i pray ,god that you may not have cause to rue it1 to your dying day1 that you did not listen to me6 ,he turned and plunged into the darkness1 not knowing whither he went4 ,,xiii4 ,,escaped4 ,godfrey ,bergan stood motionless for some minutes4 ,his nephew's persistency had irritated his nerves1 if it had not convinced his understanding4 ,nor was he altogether unimpressed by the solemnity of the young man's parting words4 ,though he had not condescended to state the fact to ,bergan1 it was still true that he had exacted what he considered to be very complete and satisfactory evidence1 touching the correctness of ,doctor ,remy's antecedents1 before giving him his daughter4 ,yet it was only after he had recapitulated this evidence to himself1 point by point1 and had also taken into account the doctor's late brilliant achievements1 present high standing1 and promising prospects for the future1 that he could rid himself of a certain chill weight of responsibility1 which seemed somehow to have been flung upon his shoulders by ,bergan's last sentence4 ,on entering the cottage1 he met ,carice in the hall1 encircled by her bridesmaids4 ,he was half pleased1 half startled to see that the singular listlessness1 amounting to a degree of apathy1 which had characterized her for some weeks1 had given place to a certain tremulous agitation4 ,a round red spot burned on either cheek1 where of late the bloom had been both rare and faint2 and her eyes were bright and wistful almost to wildness4 ,with a sudden impulse of tenderness1 he put his arms round her1 and pressed her to his heart4 ,father1 she whispered1 with her lips close to his ear1 am ,i dreaming or mad8 ,i have heard a voice in the air--,bergan's voice4 ,i was standing by the window1 and ,i heard it distinctly1--no words1 only tones1--pleading1 pleading1 until ,i thought they would break my heart4 ,then all at once1 they changed to anger1--fierce1 bitter anger6 ,and they ended in despair6 ,father1 what could it mean6 ,my child1 said ,godfrey ,bergan1 after a pause1 and there was a perceptible tremor in his voice1 you are very weak and nervous1 and these wedding gayeties have been too much for you4 ,go to rest1 and sleep away your fatigues and your fancies together2 joy cometh in the morning4 ,the wife of ,felix ,remy will hear no voices in the air4 ,good-night4 ,he unclasped his arms1 and her bridesmaids1 again clustering round her1 led her upstairs in triumph4 ,but no sooner had they freed her from her bridal garniture1--the veil's soft mistiness1 the robe's heavy1 satiny folds1 the fragrant orange blossoms1 already beginning to fade6--than she put them gently aside4 ,bid me good-night1 now1 she said1 with quiet decision4 ,i am very tired1 and ,i want to be alone for awhile4 ,rosa will do the rest4 ,there was something in her tone which forbade remonstrance2 quickly the door shut out the fresh1 young faces1 and snowy1 fluttering robes4 ,was she1 as she had desired to be1 alone8 ,alas6 no4 ,the image evoked by that voice in the air1 had followed her across the threshold1 and still faced her with sad1 upbraiding eyes4 ,instinctively1 she threw herself upon her knees to exorcise it by the spell of prayer4 ,though no intelligible word might come to her trembling lips1 though not a coherent thought might shape itself in her dizzy brain1 she was1 nevertheless1 prostrate at the foot of the cross1 and the ,saviour would understand6 ,and so--let us not presume to doubt it--,he did1 and1 moreover1 answered4 ,but the ways of ,providence are utterly inscrutable2 and the answer came in no shape that would have been likely to present itself to her mind1 had she been capable of definite thought4 ,she rose from her knees but little comforted4 ,for the delirious disquietude that had taken possession of her1 had its physical1 not less than its mental1 side4 ,the long overstraining of the delicate nerves1 the long overburdening of the heart that knew its own bitterness1 were fast reaching the point beyond which must needs come fever1 or insanity1 or death4 ,nature--often the wisest of physicians1 when left to herself--had sought to work restoration by means of the apathy aforementioned1 wrapping her mind and heart as with quilted armor2 but the events of this night had pierced quite through the soft sheathing1 and set every nerve quivering with pain4 ,unable to remain long in one position1 she soon began to pace restlessly up and down the room4 ,she was dimly aware that ,rosa had come in1 and was waiting her commands2 but she never once looked to see with what a disturbed and doubtful face the young negress was regarding her4 ,getting weary1 at last1 of her monotonous march to and fro1 she went to the window1 and leaned out to bathe her fevered temples in the cool night air4 ,suddenly she cried out2-- ,rosa1 see6 ,is not that a light in the old ,hall8 ,yes1 ,miss ,carice1 it's just that1 answered ,rosa1 impressively4 ,it's in ,mr4 ,arling's room4 ,he's here4 ,here6 ,carice started1 and turned round with eager1 expectant eyes4 ,no1 no1 ,rosa hastened to say1 not here1--at least1 not now4 ,not now1 repeated ,carice1 wonderingly4 ,when was he here1 then8 ,rosa hesitated for an instant1 and then flung herself at her mistress's feet4 ,i will tell you1 she cried1 vehemently1--master may kill me1 if he likes1 but ,i will tell you6 ,mr4 ,arling was here not much more than half an hour ago4 ,carice smiled1--a strange1 wan smile1 with no spirit of mirthfulness in it1 but something of gentle triumph1 as well as relief4 ,it was no fancy1 then1 she murmured1 softly4 ,rosa went on4 ,i was walking down by the river--with ,tom1 you know--when ,i thought it must be getting late1 and you might want me1 and so ,i took the short cut through the larches4 ,and who should ,i see standing there but ,mr4 ,arling1 and your father coming to meet him6 ,so ,i slipped back behind the trees1 meaning to come round the other way2 but ,i caught a few words1 and then ,i listened2--,i couldn't help it1 ,miss ,carice1 if ,i'd died for it4 ,for ,mr4 ,arling began to beg and plead that your father wouldn't let your wedding go on1 if he cared anything about your happiness4 ,he said there was something dreadful against ,doctor ,remy1--oh6 ,miss ,carice1 ,i don't like to say it1 but ,i think you ought to know1--he said he was a--sinking her voice almost to a whisper--a murderer4 ,carice's eyes dilated with horror4 ,a murderer6 she gasped1--oh6 no1 no1 ,rosa2 you could not have heard him right6 ,indeed ,i did1 rejoined ,rosa1 firmly4 ,that's the very word he used1--more than once1 too4 ,at least1 he said there was great reason to believe so2 and he begged your father to wait until he could make sure about it4 ,oh6 ,miss ,carice1 ,i never did like ,doctor ,remy1 but ,i always liked ,mr4 ,arling1 and ,i don't believe he'd say a word that wasn't true4 ,do pray wait1 as he said1 until you can find out the whole truth1 before you have anything more to say to the doctor4 ,lock your door1 and say you're sick--,i'm sure you look as if you might be--and ,i'll promise to keep him out1 if he were ten ,doctor ,remys4 ,and ,rosa set her teeth and clenched her hands1 in a way that promised much for her valor in the cause of her young mistress4 ,carice put her hand to her brow1 and tried to think1 but merely succeeded in bewildering herself with images of horror4 ,that frightful word1 murderer1 continually sounded in her ears1 to the effectual hindrance of anything like connected thought4 ,only one idea presented itself to her confused brain with even tolerable distinctness1--,bergan was near1 ,bergan was in possession of knowledge that might yet relieve her1 to some extent1 from a burden too heavy to be borne1--a burden which she ought never to have consented to take upon herself1 nor ever would have done1 had she not first been bound fast with a torpor that benumbed both feeling and will4 ,still1 having so consented1 she would have tried1 but for ,rosa's terrible revelation1 to endure it patiently4 ,now1 it seemed to her1 this was no longer possible4 ,again she fixed her eyes upon the gleaming light from the old ,hall2 the only star of hope or suggestion that had yet risen upon her darkness4 ,what could she do1 in her mortal terror and bewilderment1 but follow it8 ,rosa1 she said1 suddenly1 ,i am going to the ,hall4 ,i must see ,bergan1 and hear what he has to say2 then ,i can decide what it is right to do4 ,and so ,i would1 rejoined ,rosa1 approvingly4 ,just let me slip this dark wrapper on you1 and wind this scarf round your head1 and well over your face1--so2--why1 your own father wouldn't know you1 if he were to meet you6 ,now1 we'll be off4 ,carice hesitated4 ,no1 ,rosa1 that will never do2 our absence would be quickly discovered4 ,you must stay and keep the door4 ,but1 ,miss ,carice1 you can't go alone6 ,i can1 and must4 ,it is the only way to prevent discovery4 ,remember1 no one is to be let in1 upon any consideration1 until ,i return4 ,let me alone for that1 responded ,rosa1 emphatically4 ,and having seen ,carice safely down the steps from the upper piazza1 and watched her light form till it was lost among the trees1 ,rosa returned to mount guard over the door of the deserted chamber4 ,godfrey ,bergan had been unaccountably shaken by that brief meeting and parting with his daughter1 in the hall4 ,watching her slender form as it toiled up the staircase1 with the languid step that betrays a heavy or a reluctant heart1 he sighed to think with what a graceful alacrity she had used to flit upward1 as if lifted on invisible wings1 her happy smile seeming to make a little illuminated space about her1 like the light which is seen irradiating angelic forms1 in old pictures4 ,a sudden burden of despondency fell upon his heart1 whereof he understood neither the purport1 nor whether it bore reference to her or himself1 but only knew that it quite unfitted him for playing the part of a gay and gracious host to his guests4 ,seeing ,miss ,ferrars coming toward him1 with her stereotyped smile1 an impulse of flight seized him2 and hastily stepping through one of the long windows1 he soon found himself once more under the sighing trees1 which were swaying to and fro under the first breathings of a rising wind4 ,the night was no longer dark4 ,here and there1 a star looked through the broken clouds1 and lighted him to the river's bank1 down which he walked slowly2 torturing himself1 as he went1 with that weary after-birth of doubts and questions1 which often follows hard upon the accomplishment of a cherished purpose4 ,had he done well in wedding ,carice to the doctor8 ,had he not done wrong in refusing to listen to ,bergan1 at least with courtesy and calmness8 ,was it barely possible that there could have been some small grain of truth at the bottom of the young man's turbid story8 ,what was the meaning of that odd1 wild look in ,carice's eyes8 ,had he been thrusting himself1 as it were1 into the awful place of ,providence1 only1 by reason of his human short-sightedness1 to work irremediable ruin8 ,at that moment1 a dark1 slender woman's figure hurried past him1 toward the ruined foot-bridge1 which was near at hand4 ,one of my brother's servants1 who has stolen over to dance with mine1 he said to himself1 turning idly to watch her progress4 ,to his utter amazement1 at the further end1 he seemed to see her cast herself deliberately into the water6 ,godfrey ,bergan was a practised swimmer1 and1 after the first motionless moment of astonishment1 he threw off his coat1 plunged into the stream1 which1 at this point1 was neither rapid nor deep1 and swam rapidly toward the spot where he had seen the body disappear4 ,here1 the water was scarcely up to his armpits2 in a few moments1 he had caught the floating garments1 and borne the lifeless form to land4 ,the heavy head fell back on his arm2 the scarf trailed away from the white features2 he recognized ,carice6 ,with a thick1 muffled cry of horror1 the father sank upon his knees1 not so much of devotional intent1 as crushed under the double-weight of his physical burden and mental anguish4 ,oh1 ,god6 have mercy upon us6 he ejaculated1 brokenly1--,i have driven my child to suicide6 ,,xiv4 ,,the ,,way ,,stopped4 ,bergan ,arling1 on quitting his uncle1 had flung himself into the surrounding darkness1 without aim1 without hope2 conscious only of an intolerable burden of grief and despair4 ,coming to the river1 he had mechanically strode down its bank4 ,mechanically1 too1 he had crossed the foot-bridge1 when it came in his way2 and was scarcely aware that its last rotten plank1 on the ,hall end1 had given away under his feet1 and that he had narrowly missed being precipitated into the water4 ,in due time1 he found himself standing before the deserted mansion1 looking up to its dark front with eyes just beginning to be capable of intelligent vision1 and acknowledging to himself that1 though his path had been but blindly chosen1 it had brought him to a fitting goal4 ,a ruined home1 and a ruined life1 he murmured1 with a kind of bitter mournfulness1--they will suit each other well6 ,the door was locked1 but there was a dilapidated flight of steps leading to the rotten upper piazza1 and the window of his old room yielded readily to pressure4 ,the lamp1 too1 was in its remembered place1 and1 having lighted it1 he threw himself into a chair1 to sum up the record of his past life1 and strike the balance4 ,not that he did this consciously4 ,although he felt intuitively that he had reached a turning-point in his path1 from whence its course and circumstance1 if not its aim1 might well be changed1 it was with the future only--the consideration of the question what to do next--that he purposed to occupy himself4 ,but the sight of the familiar room1 and the ancient furniture and ornaments wherewith he had filled it1 having inevitably recalled the period of his first occupancy1 and the occasion of his sudden departure1 he could not fail to see how all his life since had seemed to hinge on that one deplorable incident4 ,had he resisted ,major ,bergan's will in the single particular of entering that vile tavern1 or refused1 first as well as last1 to drink at his bidding1 doubtless he would have lost his favor all the same1 but he would scarcely have been so completely subjugated by his own fierce temper1 he would not have commenced his career in ,berganton under such a cloud1 he would not have been left to drift in so inauspicious an intimacy with ,doctor ,remy1 his ,uncle ,godfrey would not have become so deeply prejudiced against him1--possibly1 even1 the course of his love might have run smooth1 despite the verdict of the immortal poet1 nor yet have vitiated its claim to be a true one4 ,what a pregnant commentary was all this upon that wonderful text of ,mr4 ,islay's memorable sermon4 ,how tightly had he been holden with the cords of his sins to a long and wearisome discipline1 and a final mystery of retribution1--a retribution involving1 alas6 the innocent not less than the guilty4 ,poor1 poor ,carice6 how much easier would it be to bear his own portion1 if only hers could be remitted6 ,hark6 was not that a cry from the direction of the river8 ,he leaned out of the window1 and listened attentively2 but the sound--if sound it were1 and not the simple product of his own disordered fancy--was not repeated4 ,nothing was to be heard save the low sough of the rising wind1 and the melancholy voices of the trees1 as one solemn old oak-top leaned toward another1 and talked mysteriously of some woful event that it had witnessed--perhaps a century ago1 perhaps later--or recounted drearily the long list of human sorrows and sins and retributions stored up in its dreamy old memory4 ,there might have been heard1 too1 in its further talk1 if only the ear were fine enough that listened1--something of patience born of sorrow1 and blessedness wrenched from the hand of suffering2 of lofty hopes blossoming out of the ashes of despair1 and fair1 new temples1 vocal with the anthem of glory to ,god and good will to man1 built over and out of heaps of ruins4 ,a few words1 too1 might have been added of love--human love--as the crowning grace and gladness of a man's life1--the delicate carving beautifying the arches1 capitals1 and pinnacles of the temple1 the thick greenery softening its sharp outlines1 and the odorous blossoms rooting themselves in its angles and hollows2 but neither its strong foundations1 its majestic walls1 nor the upward spring of its spire1--and never1 in any sense1 the object of its rightful worship4 ,perhaps ,bergan heard something of all this2 at any rate1 that cry from the river1 whether real or imagined1 had broken the thread of his review of the past1 and brought back his mind to the question of the future4 ,what was to be done8 ,leave ,berganton1 of course4 ,the place was not wide enough to hold ,carice and himself1 with comfort to either4 ,if her marriage had been brought about in the way that he suspected1 the sight of him would scarce conduce to her peace2 while the sight of her1 in her new relation1 could only cause him useless pain4 ,moreover1 he had seen1 from the first1 that ,berganton afforded little scope for talent2 none whatever for ambition4 ,and1 now that his life seemed likely to be limited to its public side1 and to have no sweet1 compensating domestic one1 he felt the necessity of directing its course to some quarter where there was room for proper expansion4 ,happily1 the way was open4 ,only a short time ago1 he had received a most favorable offer1 which he still held under consideration1--an invitation to enter into partnership with an eminent lawyer of ,savalla1 beginning to succumb to the infirmities of old age1 and likely1 ere long1 to surrender to him all the active business of the firm4 ,nothing could suit him better4 ,here was scope for all his talent1 employment for all his energy4 ,he would be near enough to ,berganton1 too1 for any good name that he might win to reach thither1 and clear away whatever prejudice against him still lingered there2 yet not near enough to be necessarily brought into contact with its inhabitants4 ,so much for the future2 what of the present8 ,first1 he would see ,mrs4 ,lyte and ,astra1 bid them farewell1 and arrange for the removal of his effects4 ,then he would hasten to ,savalla1 to do the last kindness that it was in his power to do for ,carice1 even though it would seem to justify her father's late incredulity and contemptuous treatment1--namely1 meet ,doctor ,trubie1 and dissuade him from any further proceedings against ,doctor ,remy4 ,there was still room for a doubt that the latter was the murderer of ,alec ,arling2--let it remain forever a doubt6 ,no weapon should be lifted against him1 that must needs fall most heavily upon ,carice6 ,it was gray dawn when this conclusion was reached4 ,the stars were fading from the sky1 as a hint that it was time to extinguish his lamp4 ,the ,east showed a broad rim of light1--only a silver one now1 but with some mystic intimation of the gold to which it would soon be transmuted4 ,was any similar change beginning to show itself in ,bergan's heart8 ,if so1 he was in nowise conscious of it4 ,his mind having attained to a comparative degree of composure1 his body began to press its claims upon him with some pertinacity4 ,it was twenty-four hours since he had taken food1 and nearly double that time since he had slept2 this1 too1 on the end of a long1 tedious journey1 and while undergoing sore anxiety and distress of mind4 ,no wonder that his head was aching furiously at the temples1 and seemed to have a ponderous weight on top1 nor that he had a sensation of dizziness at times1 while a blinding mist came before his eyes4 ,he prepared to leave ,bergan ,hall4 ,that1 too1 was to be henceforth1 so far as he was concerned1 a thing of the past4 ,it had given him needful solitude and shelter1 in his hour of deep despair2 it had been the fittest possible place wherein to take leave of the old life and its shattered hope2 but for the new1 it had nothing to offer1--except1 perhaps1 a warning4 ,the stream of active1 expansive1 beneficent life must forever flow away from its faded splendor1 its crumbling massiveness1 its dusty traditions and aristocratic genealogies1 and its corrupt feudal laws and customs1 as well as from that moral ruin1 its selfish1 tyrannic1 besotted master4 ,together1 they might well be likened to a half-buried1 decomposing corpse2 showing still1 through the overspreading mould and fungi1 some faint trace of its former grace and nobility of shape and feature1 but chiefly impressing the spectator with the carelessness of its exposure and the unsightliness of its decay4 ,and yet1 how strong a hold1 after all1 had both master and mansion upon his heart6 ,some time1 surely1 when he should have won fame and fortune enough to be above all suspicion of self-seeking1 he might come back to visit them1 and see what could be done for both4 ,with this thought in his mind1 he was about to quit the room as he had entered it1 by the window1 when a light knock on the door arrested his attention4 ,almost immediately1 ,rue entered1 and bade him good morning4 ,how did you know ,i was here8 was ,bergan's first startled inquiry4 ,i heard you when you came1 she answered1 quietly1 and ,i knew your step4 ,i always spend this night in the old house2 it is the anniversary of your mother's wedding2 and she comes back to me in all her youth and beauty1 and the rooms light up1 and flowers sweeten the air1 and there is music and dancing1 and the sound of gay young voices2 and then1 all goes out1 and ,i remember that earth grows dim as heaven draws near4 ,yes1 ,master ,bergan1 ,i heard you when you came1 and ,i should have come to you at once1 only that there was something in your step which told me you came with a heavy heart1 and would not like to be disturbed4 ,it is lighter now8 ,a little1 maumer2 though it is heavy enough yet4 ,and nothing will lighten it but time1--and that means the ,lord1 for time is the ,lord's servant1 and does ,his will4 ,you know1 then1--began ,bergan1 and stopped1 unable to finish the sentence4 ,i know much1 ,master ,bergan2 more than you think4 ,many voices come to whisper in the old blind woman's ear4 ,do you know1 asked ,bergan1 suddenly1 why ,doctor ,remy has married ,carice8 ,certainly1--to make himself master of ,bergan ,hall4 ,the more fool he6 ,rue could have told him it was written on the stars that it should have another and a better master2 and the stars do not lie4 ,but ,i am sorry for ,miss ,carice2 ,i would have saved her if ,i could1 but there the stars were silent4 ,i could have helped the stars in that matter1 if ,i had known1 thought ,bergan4 ,but he only asked1 doubtfully2--,how should ,doctor ,remy expect to get the ,hall by marrying ,carice8 ,because your ,uncle ,harry has made his will1 giving it to her4 ,never doubt me1 ,master ,bergan1 ,i know what ,i am talking of2 and when ,i tell you that you shall yet own ,bergan ,hall1 and all the gold that is hidden in it1 and every foot of land that belongs to it1 you may believe it as implicitly as if it were written in your ,bible4 ,bergan shook his head2 the ,hall had ceased to have any value in his eyes1 as a possession of his own1 or any place in the future that he proposed to himself4 ,apparently1 ,rue understood his silence as well as if he had spoken1 for she did not press the subject4 ,she next inquired into his plans1 and he explained them to her1 as far as they concerned himself4 ,it is well1 she said1 after a moment of reflection4 ,you could not stay here1 of course1--you would be eating your heart out in this dull place4 ,do your duty in the path that lies so straight before you1 and trust ,god for the rest4 ,as he quitted the old ,hall it occurred to him how strangely events were repeating themselves4 ,once more1 ,rue stood in the doorway1 in the gray light of the dawn1 and promised him its future ownership2 once more1 he took the road to ,berganton1 leaving behind him one phase of his life1 and entering upon a new one4 ,arrived at the hotel he learned that the horse1 which he had left at ,oakstead on the previous evening1 had been sent to the stables1 with strict injunctions that he should be notified accordingly1 immediately on his arrival1--the friendly act1 no doubt1 of old ,bruno4 ,here1 too1 he first learned the absence of ,mrs4 ,lyte and her family2 a piece of information which he received with much unmistakable surprise and wonder1 that the landlord1 who1 like most of the ,berganton folk1 had suspected him of some connection with their departure1 was constrained to believe him innocent4 ,there being now nothing to detain him in ,berganton1 he ordered his horse for an immediate return to ,savalla4 ,first1 however1 he went to the breakfast-room1 but found that he was unable to eat2 food was like ashes in his mouth2 the most that he could do was to swallow a cup of coffee4 ,that ride to ,savalla remained always a horrible nightmare in his memory4 ,sometimes he was riding through the darkness of infinite space2 sometimes through whirling trees1 over a road heaving as with the throes of an earthquake1 and seemingly interminable4 ,now and then1 his senses seemed slipping entirely from his grasp1 and were only dragged back by the convulsive effort of an iron will4 ,reaching the office of the ,pulaski ,house1 where he was well known1 he just managed to hold them together long enough to scratch a few lines on a sheet of paper1 and give directions for its delivery4 ,then1 with a wan smile of relief1 he relaxed his hold1 and let them slide swiftly away into oblivion4 ,two days later1 ,doctor ,trubie1 arriving at the same hotel1 according to previous agreement1 was met by the information that ,mr4 ,arling was lying dangerously ill with that fever which guards1 like a flaming sword1 the gates of the sunny ,south2 and the letter was put into his hands4 ,tearing it open1 he read3-- ,i charge you1 by everything that is sacred1 to take no further step in the business that brings you here1 until ,i recover1 and we can consult together2 and1 if ,i die1 ,i charge you1 as you would have me rest quietly in my grave1 to take none at all4 ,,bergan4 ,doctor ,trubie flung down the letter with a most disgusted face4 ,to think that ,roath should escape me thus6 he exclaimed1 discontentedly4 ,that is1 to be sure1 if ,bergan does not recover4 ,he shall recover6 ,upstairs he sprang1 two steps at a time4 ,but1 once in ,bergan's chamber1 his heart failed him4 ,the patient lay in a stupor that seemed very near of kin to death4 ,two physicians stood by the bed1 and the first words that met his ear were1--,no hope4 ,,part ,,fourth4 ,a ,,new ,,field4 ,i4 ,,alive ,,in ,,famine4 ,rarely does a man go down to the verge of the grave1 and look into its profound and pregnant depths1 without carrying from henceforth traces of the journey4 ,his views of life will be truer1 if not sadder1 forever afterward4 ,the laws of moral perspective1 though they do not change1 will be better understood2 so that objects at a distance are no longer dwarfed to the understanding1 however they may appear to the eye4 ,character becomes the central point of sight1 toward which duty continually draws converging right lines1 by the aid of which happiness1 fame1 and wealth1 fall into their proper places1 and assume their true proportions4 ,bergan ,arling was seated in his office at ,savalla4 ,at first sight1 it might seem that he was little changed1 but a closer inspection would have awakened some surprise that the lapse of little more than a year could have changed him so much4 ,the youthfulness had gone out of his face1--that half-eager1 half-wistful look which says so plainly1 ,the world is all before me1 where to choose2--it was now the face of a man among men1 who had found his place and his work1 who had grappled with many hard problems1 and solved some1 who was accustomed to deal with serious subjects in a serious way1 and who had withal1 a definite rule and object of life4 ,in short1 it was informed with a positive and noble individuality1 born out of suffering1 and not yet wholly oblivious of the pangs that had given it birth1 but certain1 in good time1 to attain to the fulness of an inward joy1 which1 having a deep wellspring of its own1 would be little dependent upon the ebb and flow of outward circumstance4 ,nor had the year been fruitless of exterior results4 ,scarcely had ,bergan mastered the details of his new office1 when his partner1 ,mr4 ,youle1 was taken sick1 and he was left to conduct its affairs pretty much alone4 ,several cases of importance being in hand1 he was thus afforded a rare opportunity to achieve a rapid fame4 ,his reputation already overshadowed that of many of his legal brethren who had greatly the advantage of him in years and experience4 ,from the first1 he had made it an invariable rule never to speak against his clear convictions of right2 and it was curious to observe what an influence the knowledge of this fact was beginning to have upon the community4 ,the cause which he embraced1 however hopeless its aspect1 always commanded a degree of respect1 and was watched with a certain reservation of judgment1 in consideration of his acknowledged integrity of purpose2 while1 as a necessary sequence 7from which ,bergan1 in his humility1 would have been glad to escape71 the cause which he was understood to have declined was apt to be pronounced suspicious in the popular judgment1 however it might go in the courts4 ,so certain is the talent which is known to be conjoined with a pure aim and an upright life1 to win1 soon or late1 high place and strong influence1 even in a world that disallows its very principle of being6 ,the visible fruits of righteousness commend themselves to all lips1 whatever is thought of the root from whence they spring4 ,bergan's desk was littered with papers1 but his eyes were studying only the opposite wall1 half in abstraction1 half in perplexity4 ,nor did their expression alter much when the door opened1 and he rose to greet ,mr4 ,youle1 who came in slowly and feebly1 leaning on a cane4 ,he was of medium height1 with gray hair1 a thin face1 and a kindly blue eye2 and it was easy to see1 was on the best of terms with his talented young partner4 ,no room in that ripe intellect and gentle nature for so ignoble a passion as jealousy6 ,there1 that will do1 ,arling1 he said1 humorously1 when ,bergan had helped him carefully to a chair2 the old gentleman is as comfortable as he's likely to be1--or deserves to be1 for that matter4 ,well1 how goes on our case8 ,bergan shook his head1 with a faint smile4 ,very badly1 ,i should say1--if anything can be said to go badly1 which is so entirely in the hands of ,providence4 ,i confess that ,i can make nothing of it4 ,mr4 ,youle looked grave4 ,i warned you in the beginning1 said he1 that there was not a reasonable peg to hang a line of defence on4 ,but ,i believe the man to be innocent1 rejoined ,bergan4 ,and1 he added1 smiling1 ',i warned you1 in the beginning1' that ,i should never advocate a cause which seemed to be unrighteous1 nor refuse one that seemed to be just1 though the one should offer me a fortune in fees1 and the other not a cent4 ,yes1 yes1 ,i know1 replied ,mr4 ,youle4 ,and ,i must admit that your two rules have worked miraculously well thus far2 we have lost but one case1 ,i believe1 since you came into the office4 ,well1 well1 such a vein of good luck cannot be expected to last forever1--after the nugget1 the rock or the sand4 ,but ,i don't see how it is that you are so strongly persuaded of ,unwick's innocence4 ,you would easily understand1 if you had looked into his face once2 it is a clean passport to confidence4 ,besides1 there is the unvarying testimony of his past life1 as set forth by everybody that knows him4--sober1 honest1 frank1 kind1 religious1 everything that is desirable4 ,a man does not become a murderer in cold blood1 all at once2 he has to prepare himself for it by vice1 or intemperance1 or a course of hard1 cold1 selfish living4 ,there is always a downward slope1 before the final plunge4 ,granted2 but ,i doubt if you can make the jury see it clearly enough to ground a verdict of acquittal upon it1 in the face of all that terribly strong circumstantial evidence4 ,bergan mused for a little time without answering4 ,i cannot rid myself1 he said1 at length1 of a conviction that that son of the murdered man could throw some light on the subject1 if he chose4 ,mr4 ,youle stared4 ,i did not know that he had been suspected1 for a moment1 said he4 ,nor has he4 ,but he is the one who profits most by the murder1 since he is heir-at-law4 ,and what a reckless and disobedient youth he has been6--always on bad terms with his father1 when he was at home1 and doing nothing but write letters for money1 while he was in ,europe4 ,by the way1 ,i can't help wondering if he was in ,europe1 all this past year2 though really1 ,i don't know why ,i should doubt it4 ,well1--rising and looking at his watch1--it is time to go to court4 ,and1 as ,i am feeling better to-day1 ,i think ,i'll go along1 said ,mr4 ,youle4 ,since you seem to think that ,providence has the case very specially in ,his hands1--indeed1 ,i don't mean it irreverently1--,i'd like to see how ,he conducts it4 ,i am glad to think that ,he is conducting it1 said ,bergan1 in a low voice2 else ,i should be utterly discouraged4 ,the trial dragged its slow length through the greater part of the morning1 without any incident of interest4 ,one witness after another came upon the stand1 was examined1 and dismissed2 each adding something to the weight of evidence against the prisoner1 ,unwick4 ,the son of the murdered man1 ,varley by name1 sat nearly opposite to ,bergan1 by the side of the prosecuting attorney2 and being of a restless temperament1 as well as gifted with extraordinary facility in the use of a pencil1 he busied himself1 as he listened to the monotonous drone of a witness1 with mechanically sketching the faces of the witnesses or the spectators1 or scenes and places that he had visited1 recalled to his mind by the evidence1 or by his own roving thoughts4 ,one of these caught ,bergan's eye1 and he furtively watched its progress1 while seeming to be occupied with his papers4 ,when finished1 it was carelessly dropped on the floor1 like those which had preceded it2 and the skilful pencil quickly set to work on a new subject4 ,in a moment or two1 ,bergan dropped one of his papers1 in a way to take it well under the table1 and immediately stooped to get it4 ,when he reappeared1 a close observer might have noticed that the look of patient watchfulness1 which his face had worn so long1 was gone2 but the keenest eyes would have been puzzled to read his present expression4 ,was it triumph1 or thankfulness1 or perplexity1 or a mixture of all8 ,mr4 ,varley was now put upon the stand1 to furnish some small link in the chain of evidence that the prosecution was drawing so skilfully around the prisoner4 ,the little that he was desired to say being said1 the opposing counsel politely inquired if ,mr4 ,arling had any questions to ask4 ,one or two1 if you please1 answered ,bergan1 quietly2 and rising1 and turning toward the witness1 he said3-- ,i believe you stated1 ,mr4 ,varley1 that you had never seen the place where your father died8 ,no2 he bought it1 and removed to it after ,i went abroad4 ,have you visited it1 since your return8 ,i have not4 ,i only got here just before the commencement of this trial1 and ,i have been kept too busy since to find time for the trip4 ,then you have never seen the room where your father came to his death8 ,no1 certainly not1 returned the witness1 beginning to look a little startled by this unaccountable persistency4 ,has it ever been very minutely described to you8 ,varley hesitated2--more1 it was evident1 to consider what could be the possible drift of the question1 than to search his memory for a correct answer4 ,he finally ventured to say that to the best of his recollection he had been favored with no such description4 ,according to my notes of the evidence taken during this trial1 pursued ,bergan1 the only facts about the room brought out with much distinctness1 were the positions of the bedstead and the window near it2--does your memory serve you with any additional particulars8 ,n--o1 faltered the witness1 with symptoms of growing uneasiness4 ,then1 said ,bergan1 with very distinct and deliberate emphasis1 if1 as you say1 you never have seen this room1 nor heard it minutely described1 how is it that you have been able to make so accurate a representation of it as this which ,i hold in my hand8 ,there was a breathless silence1 while ,bergan held up a small1 but distinct1 pencil sketch to the view of the pale and trembling witness4 ,this sketch1 continued ,bergan1 after waiting a few moments for the answer that did not come1 as ,i can vouch1 and as many of these witnesses can testify1 is an exact representation of the room in question1 as it would appear from the head of the bedstead2--the very spot in which1 it will be remembered1 the prosecution has assumed that the murderer must have been concealed2 and where1 doubtless1 he remained long enough to fix all the details of this sketch in his memory4 ,here is the peculiar double window1 facing the east1 and wreathed round with vines1 which is so marked a feature of the room1 yet which there has been no need to mention1 during this trial1 except in the most casual way2 and here1 on the right1 are the round table and large armchair1 where ,mr4 ,varley wrote1 and1 on the left1 an old-fashioned chest of drawers1 with a plaster cast of ,shakespeare on top2--all in their proper places1 just as ,i saw them when ,i visited the room1 after undertaking the defence of this case4 ,how is it1 ,i ask again1 he went on1 turning to the witness1 how is it that you could make this sketch1 if you never saw the room8 ,who says he made it8 demanded the opposing counsel1 sharply4 ,i say it1 calmly replied ,bergan4 ,i saw him draw it1 not half an hour ago1 on a piece of the same paper that you are using for your notes1 as you can satisfy yourself1 if you choose to compare them4 ,besides1 he added1 looking keenly at the witness1 ,mr4 ,varley will not deny that he made it4 ,no1 plainly he would not1 for he was physically incapable of speech4 ,he was shivering as with an ague fit1 his knees knocked together1 his lips trembled convulsively1 but no articulate sound came forth4 ,in another moment1 he fell forward heavily on the rail that divided the witness-stand from the lawyers' table4 ,carry him out6 ,give him air6 cried a dozen voices2 he has fainted4 ,yes1 carry him out1 said ,bergan gravely1 and not without a touch of compassion in his voice2 since he is not on trial1 we have no further need of him4 ,but let me recommend that he be not lost sight of1 till this present trial is over4 ,and it was over very quickly4 ,the influence of the scene just witnessed was not to be ignored nor overcome4 ,prosecution and defence were alike glad to waste no time on the road to a foregone conclusion4 ,the summing up1 on both sides1 was brief almost beyond precedent1 the judge's charge was correspondingly so1 and the jury returned a verdict of ,not ,guilty1 without leaving their seats4 ,well1 exclaimed ,mr4 ,youle1 when he and ,bergan had finally succeeded in escaping from the gratitude of ,unwick1 and the congratulations of friends4 ,i must say1 ,i never saw such a sudden turn of events as that1 in all my legal experience4 ,and after a moment1 he added1 with unusual gravity1 ,it does seem as if the blessing of ,god were with you1 and your two rules1 ,arling4 ,i hope so1 rejoined ,bergan1 quietly1 for ,i have learned that ,i can do nothing worth doing1 without it4 ,i really think1 mused ,mr4 ,youle1 if ,i were to live my life over again1 ,i would adopt your plan4 ,i am afraid that ,i have helped to save many a scoundrel from deserved punishment1 as well as to rob an honest man1 now and then1 of his just rights2 and when one comes to look back on it all1 from the stand-point of my age1 it does seem as if one might have been in better business4 ,yes1 ,i believe you are right1 ,arling2 and you have my cordial consent from this time forth1 to keep on as you have begun4 ,i confess ,i thought it was a freak1 a whim at first1 that would soon give way to the temptations--what we usually call the necessities--of actual1 steady practice2 but ,i see that you have a solid principle at the bottom which there's no shaking4 ,nevertheless1 ,arling1 you can't expect that your judgment is going to be infallible1--that you will never mistake the guilty man for the innocent one1 and vice versa4 ,i do not expect it1 answered ,bergan1 seriously4 ,errors in judgment1 ,i take it for granted that ,i shall make1 being mortal2 but errors in will1 ,i mean to do my best1 with ,god's help1 to avoid4 ,a plain carriage1 with a trim ,african on the box1 was in waiting when the two gentlemen descended the courthouse steps4 ,come1 ,arling1 said ,mr4 ,youle1 in a tone of command rather than invitation1 go home and dine with me2 there are several things ,i want to talk to you about4 ,bergan hesitated2 it was easy to see that the plan did not commend itself to his taste4 ,never rack your brain for excuses2 they won't serve1 pursued ,mr4 ,youle1 with good-natured peremptoriness2 ,i mean to take you with me1 whether you will or no4 ,it is time for you to overcome your morbid dislike of society2 besides1 you will see no one but my own family4 ,thus urged1 ,bergan could only take a seat in the carriage1 and be driven off2 albeit1 in direct contravention of his inclinations and habits4 ,for1 although1 on coming back to life and health from the borders of death1 he had been quick to hear1 and to heed1 the plain1 stern call of ,duty to work while it is yet day1 there had been no gracious response in his heart1 as yet1 to that softer voice wherewith she enjoins brotherly kindness1 as well in gentle1 social courtesies and amenities as in deeds of benevolence4 ,life had become too serious a thing1 he thought1 to be wasted in trifles such as these4 ,busy at the centre of the circle1 he had lost sight of the circumference2 intent upon the weightier matters of the law1 he forgot the tithes of mint1 anise and cummin1 which yet1 said the ,master1 ought not to be left undone4 ,but it was a natural mistake1 under the circumstances2 and there was still time for him to learn that1 in every well-ordered life1 there is a place for little things1--little courtesies1 little duties1 little friends4 ,,ii4 ,,new ,,acquaintances4 ,well1 ,coralie1 said ,mr4 ,youle1 an hour later1 as he preceded ,bergan into the drawing-room of the fine old family mansion that had been the home of the ,youles for many years1 bring out your laurels1 ,i have brought you a conquering hero4 ,oh6 it is ,mr4 ,arling2 he is very welcome4 ,and ,coralie1 who had seen ,bergan two or three times in her father's office1 greeted him with marked cordiality1 and gave him her small1 soft hand4 ,it is odd how strong a resemblance can co-exist with perfect dissimilarity of features and complexion4 ,though she was very lovely--this ,coralie ,youle--and with a blithesome and bewitching loveliness all her own1 ,bergan had never been able to look upon her1 nor could he see her now1 without some deep1 keen pain1 as from an unhealed wound4 ,there were tones in her voice which reminded him of one that he would hear no more2 and she had ways and gestures which continually awakened memories not yet softened by distance into lines and tints of perfect purity and peace4 ,and yet1 what an irresistible1 subtle charm in her was this very power to pain him6 ,you said that ,mr4 ,arling was a conquering hero1 papa1 she went on1 turning to ,mr4 ,youle4 ,have you gained the case1 then1 after all8 ,that is wonderful indeed6 ,how did it happen8 ,tell me all about it4 ,nothing loath1 ,mr4 ,youle gave a sufficiently graphic account of the scene in the court-room1 taking occasion to lavish no small amount of hearty encomium upon ,bergan's share in it4 ,how ,i wish ,i could have been there to see6 exclaimed ,coralie1 when the recital was ended1 her cheeks glowing with sympathetic excitement2 it sounds like a chapter out of a novel1 rather than a bit of real life4 ,mr4 ,arling does1 in truth1 deserve the laurels of victory2 and1 by the way--,diva6 where are you8--here is some one who is worthy to give them to him4 ,no one had noticed1 until now1 that a lady was standing in the window1 half concealed by the curtain4 ,but1 as she came forward everything else seemed to fade out of sight1 for the moment1 and leave only her1 standing there alone in the clear1 cold light of her marvellous beauty4 ,before this1 ,bergan's ideal of proud and queenly beauty had been painted with dark hair and eyes2 he now saw reason to change it at once and forever4 ,the lady was the most perfect blonde that he had ever seen4 ,her hair was of the palest brown1 with only a faint gold light in it2 her eyes were blue or gray1 he could not tell which1 at the moment1 nor would he have been less puzzled after a much longer acquaintance2 and her complexion was fair and colorless1 almost1 as marble2 yet never had he beheld anything so stately1 so proud1 so calm1 and--it must needs be said--so cold4 ,she came forth from the shadow of the curtain as ,galatea might have done1 had she been endowed with life only1 not with love4 ,worthy she might be to crown a victor1 in right of her queenliness1 but the laurels from her hands1 ,bergan thought1 would be very chill6 ,miss ,thane6 exclaimed ,mr4 ,youle1 why this is a surprise1 and a most pleasant one4 ,it is seldom that you allow any of us to see you here1 except ,coralie4 ,because my visits are usually morning visits1 replied ,miss ,thane1 in a low1 yet singularly musical monotone1 that harmonized perfectly with her face1 when ,i know that you are sure to be better engaged than in gossipping with me4 ,mr4 ,youle slightly raised his eyebrows1 in good-humored recognition of the possibly careless1 possibly studied1 ambiguity of this explanation2 but he let it pass without comment1 as ,coralie hastened to present her guests to each other4 ,bergan bowed low1 with the graceful deference which always marked his bearing toward women2 but ,miss ,thane was guilty of no waste of civility4 ,she slightly inclined her head1 vouchsafed him a single glance out of her wondrous eyes1 and coolly turned back to the window1 to lose herself1 a moment after1 in a fit of abstraction4 ,miss ,youle--,mr4 ,youle's maiden sister1 and the mistress of his household since his wife's death1 many years ago--now appeared1 clad in a thick1 black silk that rustled like a field of corn in the wind1 and dropped ,bergan her stately1 old-time courtesy4 ,and ,coralie immediately began to repeat the story of the trial to her1 aided and abetted by ,mr4 ,youle2 from which embarrassing iteration ,bergan would have been glad to escape1 by joining ,miss ,thane at her window1 had not her manner seemed to indicate so clearly that she was amply sufficient to herself1 and did not care to be anything to anybody else4 ,but the eloquence of ,coralie and ,mr4 ,youle finally came to a pause1 if not to an end2 ,miss ,thane roused from her abstraction2 and the party went down to dinner4 ,bergan was inclined to be somewhat silent1 at first4 ,lonely dweller in offices1 hotels1 and restaurants1 that he had been1 for the year past1 he had half lost the habit of conversation2 besides1 ,coralie's tones continually swept the chords of association in a way to thrill him with a sombre mixture of pain and pleasure1 and keep his mind confusedly vibrating between the present and the past4 ,but he was too conscientiously courteous to allow himself long to remain a dead weight upon his hosts2 and1 though it cost him an effort1 he was soon talking with the old ease and fluency1 enriched by a profounder thoughtfulness1 and a subtler play of imagination4 ,in his hands1 commonplace subjects discovered hidden treasures2 while loftier themes gleamed and glowed like stained windows seen against a golden western sky4 ,miss ,thane lost something of her apathetic manner1 after awhile1 and paid him the compliment of listening with attention1 if not with interest4 ,and opposite to him was ,coralie's listening1 speaking face1 full of such quick comprehension and sympathy1 that he could scarcely help being beguiled into a fuller1 freer expression of thought1 opinion1 and feeling1 than he would have believed possible1 an hour before4 ,but was it not ,miss ,thane's subtle management1 rather than ,coralie's sympathy1 which finally led the talk into the sombre channels dug by human disappointments1 losses1 and failures1 and kept it there until they had returned to the drawing-room8 ,then ,bergan said1 by way of dismissing the subject3--,but all these things are to be looked at as materials1 not results4 ,happy the prophetic vision which sees the perfect form of the ,future rising from the chaos of past and present6--as a sculptor sees before him1 not a rough block of marble1 but the finished statue1--an architect1 not shapeless heaps of stone and mortar1 but the grand completed temple4 ,let him but look far enough1 rejoined ,miss ,thane1 and he can behold a sadder phase1--the statue broken and defaced1 the temple overthrown and prostrate2 once more a rough block of marble1 and shapeless heaps of stone4 ,nay1 replied ,bergan1 it is at that very point that ,prophecy should spread her whitest wings1 and soar to the temple not made with hands1 and the jewelled walls of the city let down from the clouds4 ,miss ,coralie1 he continued1 glancing at the open piano1 do you sing8 ,not much2 ,i play mostly4 ,but ,miss ,thane does4 ,dear ,diva1 won't you sing for us8 ,miss ,thane looked at ,bergan1 but he said nothing4 ,if he had added a word to ,coralie's entreaty1 the chances are that she would not have sung4 ,but since she had only ,coralie to oblige--,coralie1 who alone seemed to have found the deep way to her heart1 and to whom she rarely refused anything--she went straight to the piano1 took the first music that presented itself1 which happened to be ,rossini's ,cujus ,animam1 and began to sing1 not only with perfect method--that might have been expected--but with exquisite feeling4 ,her voice was a rich contralto1 deep and broad as a river flowing to the sea1 and bearing the listener whither it pleased4 ,there were tears in the eyes of her auditors1 when she had finished1 and would have been1 doubtless1 had she sung anything else1 for the quality of her voice touched that point of perfection1 which1 in this world1 gives a pleasure closely akin to pain4 ,she waited a moment1 but no one spoke2 then she put her fingers again on the keys1 and1 looking far out into the evening dusk1 sang a dismal1 hopeless dirge1 which ,bergan felt intuitively to be her own2 and which wrung his heart with passionate longing and pain4 ,she would sing no more4 ,yet no one could talk after those heartbreaking strains4 ,so ,bergan quietly took his leave4 ,coralie wound her arm round her friend's waist1 and drew her to the window1 to watch him down the street4 ,what do you think of him8 she asked4 ,i think--that he has a genius for conversation1 replied ,miss ,thane1 coolly4 ,oh1 ,diva1 you know that is not what ,i mean6 ,how do you like him8 ,i like no one--but you4 ,i think ,i might respect him in time4 ,as for you1 little one1 take care you do not like him too well4 ,why8 asked ,coralie1 blushing4 ,because he has buried his heart--the best part of it--in somebody's grave4 ,,iii4 ,,farview4 ,diva ,thane1 it is perhaps needless to say1 was a child of the ,north4 ,her peculiar type of beauty blossoms only out of soil1 which1 for half the year1 withdraws its warmth into its deep heart1 and wraps itself in a chill1 white robe of snow4 ,she had made her appearance in ,savalla1 about a twelvemonth before1 unheralded and unknown1 had rented the parlor of a decayed aristocratic mansion as a studio1 and had tacked on the door a card signifying to the public that she was a painter in oils4 ,she had thenceforth been an example of that freedom and independence of life which ,art makes possible for its votaries1 of either sex1 as a compensation1 in some sort1 for the sacrifices that they are bound to make to her4 ,it soon became known that the ,youles endorsed ,miss ,thane to the fullest extent1 both socially and financially2 else society might have given her a cool reception4 ,but it could scarcely1 in its haughtiest mood1 have meted out to her a fuller measure of scornful indifference than she accorded to it1 when1 in due time1 it made up its mind to hold out a condescending hand to her4 ,she declined its invitations1 she took no notice of its calls1 she would none of its patronage4 ,just in proportion as it grew more eager1 piqued by her indifference1 and curious to penetrate the mystery which surrounded her1 she became colder and more distant4 ,finally1 society was compelled to understand that the sole favor which she would accept at its hands1 was forgetfulness of her existence4 ,nor was the public treated much better1 in her capacity of artist4 ,visitors at her studio found free admission1 and opportunity to examine1 at their leisure1 the pictures1 sketches1 and studies1 which crowded the walls2 but rarely did she turn from her easel1 to give them more than the briefest glimpse of her statuesque beauty1 or the most concise of answers to their questions4 ,generally1 she found some reason for declining their orders2 and fully one half of the pictures on her walls were labelled1 ,not to be ,sold1 while the sale of the remainder was plainly a matter of the profoundest indifference to her4 ,it must needs be inferred that she had means of subsistence other than her art1 amply sufficient for her quiet1 inexpensive mode of life4 ,nevertheless1 she worked with indefatigable industry1 as well as undeniable talent4 ,if her pictures evinced some lack of technical skill1 they were endued with a force and feeling which more than atoned for its absence2 since the one would address itself chiefly to connoisseurs1 while the other went straight to the universal heart4 ,they covered a wide range of subjects1 yet a profound observer would have traced a certain connection and sequence in them all4 ,the earlier and cruder efforts of her pencil were pleasant outdoor scenes1--children wading in a sunshine brook1 farm youths and maidens tossing about new-mown hay1 and village girls dancing under wide-spreading boughs1--scenes so perfect in their idealization as to seem familiar to every eye1 yet never without that inestimable something added or eliminated1 which constitutes the difference between the picturesque and the commonplace4 ,after these came works not only marked by greater skill of design and felicity of color1 but informed with a deeper feeling2--yet so delicately indicated that none but the finest instinct would have perceived how softly ,love illumined the landscape1 or shone in the smile of the youth1 or looked up to the maiden from her own downcast eyes reflected in the water4 ,then came a sudden change1--pictures and sketches wherein the artist's pencil must have been driven by some terrible intensity of feeling1 to have wrought with such sombre power2--such as an illimitable desert1 with a man riding fast toward a wan1 setting sun1 and his long1 backward shadow falling upon a woman's outstretched1 yearning hands1--or the black silhouette of a drifting and dismantled ship1 seen against a blood-red moon1 setting in a dun and angry sea1--or a deep and dismal cavern1 with a female figure lying bruised and broken at the bottom of a fissure1 and a man1 also torn and bleeding1 seen at the end of a long vista1 searching for what he will not find4 ,these pictures affected the spectator like a nightmare2 there was such a fell shadow of immitigable fate in them all1 and so notable an absence of anything like hope or faith1 that while he acknowledged their power1 he shuddered at their spirit4 ,of course1 ,rumor could not help busying herself with a subject so inviting as the artist1 though so bare of definite results4 ,she was variously reported to be an escaped nun1 a bride that had nearly lost her life at the hands of an insane bridegroom1 a widow--barely one month a wife--seeking to throw off an intolerable burden of grief by the help of new scenes1 new faces1 and a new manner of life1 and an heiress1 fled from the importunities of harsh guardians and an unwelcome suitor4 ,it will serve as an indication of the occasional correctness of the popular instinct1 that not one of these conjectures cast any shadow upon the whiteness of her fame4 ,not more inevitably did her face suggest snow1 marble1 and whatever was at once white and cold1 than her demeanor suggested their chill purity4 ,moreover1 notwithstanding that she led so unfettered and independent a life1 as compared with the majority of her sex--dwelling under her own guardianship1 and ordering her day's routine to her own liking--the closest scrutiny could not detect anything therein1 that was not austere1 lonely1 and laborious enough to suit the cell of an anchorite4 ,yet1 though there was so little in her way of living to suggest affluence1 it soon became known that her hands were open1 and her purse deep1 to any claim upon her benevolence4 ,while it never appeared that she set herself to seek out objects of charity1 to such as came to her1 either in person or by proxy1 her bounty was generally far in excess of the demand4 ,the only grace which it lacked1 was that subtle element of the giver in the gift1 which imparts a sympathetic warmth to the silver or the gold1 as it is dropped in the outstretched hand2 augmenting1 to a degree incalculable by any known arithmetic1 its power of relieving the distressed heart4 ,though ,miss ,thane gave generously1 she gave none the less carelessly and coldly4 ,the only person whom she distinguished by any mark of affection1 or measure of confidence1 was ,coralie ,youle4 ,the two had been classmates at a ,northern boarding-school1 where the native girl had first soothed and petted the stranger through a severe attack of homesickness1 and then had been devotedly nursed1 in her turn1 during a trying dispensation of scarlet fever2 in consequence of which a friendship of more than ordinary warmth and tenacity had grown up between them2 manifesting itself on ,coralie's part1 by a half worshipping admiration1 and on ,diva's1 by the strong1 yearning clasp of a nature that puts forth no slender1 fragile tendrils1 but clings only in virtue of a bend or coil of its own tough fibre4 ,to ,coralie she was never cold1 never unresponsive2 the girl knew that there was no veiled1 inner chamber of her friend's heart to which she had not some time penetrated1 and which she would be allowed to enter again1 whenever her presence could throw one ray of light across its dusk4 ,with that she was satisfied4 ,one thing the two possessed in common--the most absolute trust in each other4 ,still1 though ,diva always received ,coralie at her studio with deep-lit eyes of welcome1 and a hand-clasp into which she had the power of putting more tenderness than ordinary women would express by a close embrace1 and though she often joined her in long walks through the city and suburbs1 it was rarely that she could be persuaded to visit her in her own home4 ,if she did so1 it was usually at an hour when she would be little likely to meet the other members of the family4 ,it was as a great favor1 therefore1 that she had consented to stay to dinner1 on the day when ,bergan had met her4 ,nevertheless1 when ,coralie really set her heart upon anything in her friend's power to give1 she always gained her point4 ,and so it came to pass that1 a few weeks later1 when the family left for their summer residence of ,farview1 in the hill-region of the ,state1 she carried ,diva with her1 for a visit of a fortnight4 ,thither1 also1 after awhile1 came ,bergan2 yielding to ,mr4 ,youle's entreaty that he would close the office1 for at least a day or two1 and give himself a breath of fresh air4 ,secure in his dearly bought acclimation1 he had not purposed to leave the city2 anticipating no worse effect from its summer atmosphere than a kind of dreamy languor1 which1 in his present state of mind1 was perhaps more to be desired than any bracing of his energies4 ,nevertheless1 he had come to feel for ,mr4 ,youle a degree of filial affection2 and he would not pain him by a churlish disregard of his kindness4 ,he reached ,farview about sunset4 ,for the last three or four miles1 he had seen the low roof and broad piazzas of his goal looking down upon him from the hill top1 as he journeyed up the valley1 and when he finally stood on the green and flowery lawn1 he felt as if his own being were suddenly and sympathetically magnified an hundred degrees1 so wide was the lovely and luxuriant ,southern landscape outspread before him4 ,field and forest spotted it with various verdure2 a river drew a bright1 wavy line across it2 here1 the yellow sunshine brought out clearly every line and tint2 there1 the clouds dimmed it with patches of shadow2 and all around was a massive framework of sunset-gilded hills4 ,half involuntarily1 ,bergan took off his hat4 ,how good are the works of ,god1 and how harmonious in their relations to one another1 when we get high enough to command a wide view of them6 he reverently thought4 ,so1 too1 ,i doubt not1 ,i shall find it with the dealings of ,his providence1 when once ,i have climbed to a proper standpoint whence to view them as a whole4 ,till then1 let faith accept the truth which is hidden from sight6 ,a larger party than he had expected to see1 was gathered in the dining-room4 ,a legal brother1 who had received a general invitation from ,mr4 ,youle to visit him during the ,summer1 had hit upon this occasion2 one planter from the neighborhood was present by appointment1 and another by accident2 and there was also a lady friend of ,miss ,youle1 with her young daughter1 ,nina1 besides ,miss ,thane4 ,the latter signified her remembrance of ,bergan by a cool bow2 but it was not until dinner was over1 and the evening tolerably well advanced1 that he found himself in her immediate vicinity4 ,coralie had been led to the piano1 leaving him in a somewhat isolated position1 near one of the long windows2 and1 while the notes of a fairy-like waltz seemed to be dropping from her slender fingers1 as they flitted up and down the ivory key-board1 he thought he might venture to step out on the moonlit piazza1 for a few moments1 without being missed4 ,suiting the action to the thought1 he discovered that ,miss ,thane had made her escape before him4 ,she was leaning against a pillar1 looking out over the moon-silvered valley with a weary and wistful expression scarcely in keeping with the calm1 icy indifference of her wonted aspect4 ,with a brief apology for interrupting her1 he was about to retire1 when she spoke1 in a tone that seemed to accord him permission to stay if he chose4 ,coralie's music sounds sweeter outside than within4 ,bergan drew near to her1 not to let his voice penetrate to the parlor4 ,that is true1 ,i suspect1 of many things in life4 ,to feel their full sweetness1 one must get a little out of their immediate sphere4 ,is that true of persons1 also8 she asked1 with a keen glance4 ,some moments elapsed before ,bergan could answer4 ,compelled by the question to make a sudden1 rapid investigation into the deeper things of the heart1 he was confounded at the unexpected result4 ,too truthful1 however1 to attempt to hide it1 he finally answered1 thoughtfully2-- ,in some measure1 ,i think it is4 ,miss ,thane1 did you ever experience quite that deep delight in the presence of a friend1 which you sometimes 7please remember1 ,i say only1 sometimes7 derive from the thought of him or her in absence8 ,she did not answer the question4 ,she only said1 in a tone of cool irony2--,you do not flatter your friends1 ,mr4 ,arling4 ,but in another moment1 she exclaimed1 with a sudden1 startling intensity of passion and longing2--,is there1 then1 nothing1--neither love1 nor friendship1--absolutely nothing1 which answers expectation1 and satisfies desire8 ,horrible1 horrible thought6 ,i do not think so1 replied ,bergan1 gently2 though ,i confess that ,i was troubled1 at first1 by the necessity of answering your question as ,i did4 ,but ,i now recognize the fact thus revealed to me as very satisfactory evidence that our affections1 our friendships1 are to know a richer and lovelier development than they can ever attain to on this earth4 ,in heaven there must be room for every lofty ideal4 ,then1 with a sudden deep intuition of the real necessities of the soul beside him1 he went on to say2--,yet there1 as here1 ,i suppose1 the one satisfying1 completing thing will be the love of ,god4 ,the soul was made to look up1 not along a level2 it can only find its highest joy in something superior to itself4 ,she turned1 and looked him intently in the face4 ,do you believe what you say8 she asked1 doubtfully4 ,very solemnly ,bergan answered2--,i do4 ,belief is nothing1 she rejoined1 after a pause1 action is the test4 ,do you live your belief8 ,bergan drew a deep breath4 ,i try to do so1 ,miss ,thane4 ,she went on1 seemingly so intent upon her own train of thought as to be utterly unmindful of the solemn and searching nature of the questions that she was putting2-- ,you feel1 then1 this all-satisfying love of ,god in your heart8 ,in some measure1 ,i trust ,i do4 ,and when the sun suddenly dropped1 or faded1 out of your sky1 and the past became a corpse1 and the present a burden1 and the future a blank1 what comfort did it give you8 ,the comfort of knowing that all things work together for the good of those that love ,god1 responded ,bergan1 not without a momentary wonder at the curious appositeness of the question to his recent experiences1 but quickly divining that she was looking more into her own heart than his1 in asking it4 ,good1 she repeated1 musingly2 you did not say1 happiness4 ,good is a better word than happiness1 in this world4 ,in the world to come1 they will be synonyms4 ,she gave him another long1 penetrating look4 ,then she said1 quite simply1 and evidently with no thought or intention of paying him compliments2--,you have talents1 you have culture1 you have a clear and powerful intellect 7,i heard ,judge ,emly begin an argument with you just now1 and you soon cut the very ground from under his feet71 you have been wonderfully successful1 too1 considering your years1--yet you do not hesitate to bind yourself to these narrow theories4 ,narrow1 do you think them8 ,broad1 rather1 since they link eternity to time1 and give one the long outlook and overlook which alone reveal things in their true relations4 ,no one can construe this world aright1 or even satisfactorily1 without doing it by the light of the next4 ,as for intellect1 ,miss ,thane1 some of the most commanding intellects of the world have been defenders of the 'faith once delivered4' ,and1 if such had been lacking1 there is a certain ,book that ,time has not been able to make obsolete1 nor ,science to nullify1 which tells how1 aforetime1 ,god chose the foolish things of the world to confound the wise3 and ,he can do it again1 when the necessity arises4 ,you are content1 then1 to feel that your intellect1 your learning1 give you no advantage1 in these matters1 over the most ignorant of your neighbors8 ,i am content to know that1 in religion as in most other things1 though books may help1 thorough knowledge is of experience4 ,the man who feels most of the ,spirit of ,god in his heart1 and makes it most clearly manifest in his life1 is the man most competent1 other things being equal1 to analyze its operations and effects4 ,political economy1 ,miss ,thane1 is not the only subject about which men may prate very learnedly1 and know very little4 ,coralie's music ceased suddenly4 ,there was a little stir in the parlor1 and a murmur of voices1 as if some subject of interest were under discussion4 ,go1 commanded ,miss ,thane1 they will be looking for you4 ,i will follow you in a few moments4 ,he stepped back through the window4 ,coralie came toward him4 ,we are talking1 said she1 of going down to the negroes' camp-meeting1 a little below here2 ,mr4 ,sypher was just telling us that it is a sight well worth seeing1 by night4 ,will you go8 ,i am entirely at your service1 replied ,bergan1 courteously4 ,and ,diva6--where is she8 ,oh1 there she comes4 ,bergan turned4 ,miss ,thane was standing between the curtains1 with her usual expression of calm indifference4 ,coralie explained what was wanted4 ,would you like it8 she inquired1 twining her arm round her friend4 ,there will be some fine artistic effects4 ,miss ,thane looked down upon her1 with a softness that ,bergan had never before seen in her face1 and which gave it a marvellous beauty4 ,i like whatever you like1 child1 she answered1 evasively4 ,in the hall1 she stopped1 and took a shawl from the rack4 ,oh1 ,diva1 exclaimed ,coralie1 you will not need that1 it is so warm4 ,miss ,thane stood doubtful1 with the shawl in her hand4 ,bergan took it from her quietly1 and threw it across his broad shoulder4 ,it is always safe to carry a shawl1 if not to wear it1 said he1 lightly4 ,there was no formal arrangement of the party4 ,the path lay through the fields1 and was often too narrow to admit more than one person2 at other times1 partnerships of two or three were formed or broken1 very much by chance4 ,a broad glory of moonshine not only lighted them on their way1 but surrounded them with enchantment1--softening lines1 and deepening shadows1 and turning the whole earth into a new creation of silver and ebony4 ,,iv4 ,a ,,word ,,in ,,due ,,season4 ,ere long1 the shadowy wood-line was reached1 and very soon a red twinkle of light became visible through the trees1 broadening and brightening as they advanced4 ,the sweet and solemn notes of a hymn1 sung by many voices1 next pervaded the air2 and in a few minutes more1 they were standing on the edge of the camp-ground1 interested observers of a singularly picturesque scene4 ,opposite to them was the speaker's stand1 well lighted1 covered with evergreen boughs1 and affording accommodation to a goodly company of preachers1 but too distant to be unpleasantly prominent4 ,between them and it1 the whole vast space was crowded with negro worshippers2 some sitting1 some kneeling2 here1 an uncouth figure bowed in an attitude of absorbed meditation 7or1 it might be1 indulging in a peaceful sleep72 there1 a dusky1 upturned face1 intent1 or agonized1 or rapturous1 according as the owner was devoutly receptive1 torn with conviction of sin1 or blissfully assured of pardon4 ,from among them the brown trunks of the forest trees rose straight and shapely as the pillars of a vast temple2 and overhead1 the under surfaces of the leaves showed gray and spectral against the sombre night sky4 ,here and there1 lanterns were fastened to the trees1 but the place was chiefly illuminated by great fires of pitch pine1 whence clouds of smoke arose ever and anon1 and hung trembling in the tree-tops2 and the flames of which1 as they rose and fell1 cast alternate glow and gloom upon the upturned faces1 and seemed to work corresponding changes of expression1--sudden transitions of joy and sorrow for which there was no apparent cause4 ,outside of these fires1 scattered groups of spectators now came out into bold relief1 and now lost themselves in shadow2 strong profiles caught the eye1 and then vanished2 here and there1 too1 white faces offered an effective contrast to their darker neighbors4 ,altogether1 it was a picture to delight an artist's eye2 yet ,miss ,thane seemed scarcely to enjoy it4 ,on the way hither she had been silent1 shut up within herself1 neither seeking nor giving amusement2 and she now stood a little apart1 letting her eyes rove absently from point to point1 but without appearing to take intelligent cognizance of any6 ,yet she seemed to be listening1 after awhile1 to the voice of the white-haired negro preacher who occupied the stand1 and talked of the comfort of religious faith in a way to argue profound personal knowledge of the subject1--albeit1 his phraseology was illiterate1 and occasionally absurd1 calling a smile to some faces in the party4 ,but ,diva did not smile2 her thoughts were evidently far below the surface of the subject1 in depths where the gleaming ripple of the comic was unfelt and unseen4 ,the party was considerably scattered4 ,miss ,youle and her friend1 tired with their walk1 had found a seat on the outermost of the benches1 watched over by ,judge ,emly2 the youthful ,miss ,nina and one of the planters had gone round to get a view from the other side2 ,coralie stood near a fire1 listening to the low comments of ,mr4 ,sypher2 and ,mr4 ,youle and ,bergan were quite in the background1 silent spectators1 for the most part1 of what was going on4 ,the white-haired speaker brought his brief address to a close2 and a number of negroes quitted the benches and came up the path4 ,mechanically1 ,coralie stepped back to make way4 ,take care1 exclaimed ,mr4 ,sypher1 in a warning voice1 you will catch fire4 ,but he was too late4 ,she had moved within reach of the draft1 and her light muslin robe was wafted into the blaze4 ,instantly1 she felt the heat1 saw over her shoulder a rising tongue of flame1 and with the insane impulse which usually seizes upon those in like peril1 turned to flee from the danger which it was so impossible to distance4 ,but scarcely had she taken a step1 before ,bergan's strong arm caught her1 and flung her1 face downward1 on the ground2 with a deft movement of the other hand and arm1 ,miss ,thane's shawl was shaken out and thrown over her2 and1 in spite of her frantic struggles1 she was held fast by one knee1 while he applied both hands to the task of smothering the flames4 ,miss ,thane was the first to come to his aid2 then the rest of the party woke from their momentary stupor of alarm1 and joined their efforts to hers4 ,in very brief space of time1 the work of extinguishment was complete1 and ,coralie1 being lifted to her feet1 still enveloped in the friendly shawl1 was found to be comparatively uninjured4 ,her floating curls were singed at the ends1 one arm was slightly reddened and smarting1 and her nerves were considerably shaken--that was all2--all ,i where there might so easily have been death1 or torture and disfigurement worse than death4 ,the whole thing had taken place so suddenly and swiftly1 that only such persons as were in the immediate vicinity had been aware either of the peril or the rescue2 so that it was by chance1 as it were1 that the whole vast multitude now burst forth with the solemn old ,doxology2-- ,praise ,god from whom all blessings flow4 ,the great wave of sound flowed round and over the little breathless party1 and charitably veiled or soothed its emotions4 ,mr4 ,youle1 standing with his arm round his daughter1 bowed his face on her head1 and a large tear glistened on her soft curls2 ,miss ,youle sank on her knees by the bench where she had been sitting1 and wept silently2 others of the party bent their heads1 or lifted their hats2 ,diva ,thane held one of ,coralie's hands close clasped in hers1 but her face was turned away4 ,suddenly1 she threw her voice into the last line of the ,doxology1-- ,praise ,father1 ,son1 and ,holy ,ghost1 with a richness and power that were like the swell of an organ4 ,it appeared to pervade and sustain the whole chorus of voices1 and impressed them inevitably with its own character2 which1 to ,bergan's ear1 seemed not so much an expression of thankfulness1 as the irresistible outbreak of a feeling that would gladly have given itself the more effectual relief of moaning aloud1 had the opportunity been afforded it4 ,a bystander now considerately offered ,mr4 ,youle the loan of his horse and buggy1 and ,coralie and her aunt were swiftly driven homeward4 ,the remainder of the party walked back as they had come1 ,miss ,thane and ,bergan being in the rear4 ,as they turned into the narrow wood-path1 she motioned him to precede her2 and he quietly obeyed1 understanding1 better than she knew1 her desire to feel herself free from observation4 ,yet he failed not to listen for the sound of her light footsteps behind him1 and to adapt his pace to hers4 ,meanwhile1 his mind busied itself1 almost against his will1 with a new and serious question4 ,in the little interval before the starting of the buggy1 ,coralie had taken his hands in hers1 and thanked him for the service rendered her1 with a look that haunted him still4 ,there had been nothing in that look but what was most delicate and maidenly1--an involuntary attempt to help out with her eyes the broken words which yet expressed her gratitude so well2 nevertheless1 it had been possessed of some indefinable quality which had touched him deeply at the time1 and now set him gravely to question within himself whether he had any right to be the object of a second look of the kind2 at least1 while the past was still a desolate grave1 over which no grass yet grew green1 no flowers bloomed4 ,trained to look difficult questions in the face1 stripping them of all confusing or meretricious appendages1 it did not take him long to arrive at an emphatic ,no1 as the only possible answer to this one4 ,fortunately1 he had not committed himself to any particular length of stay at ,farview1 and the sudden recollection of an important paper that he had locked up in his desk1 instead of committing it to the safer guardianship of the fire-proof safe1 suggested itself as an excellent excuse for a speedy departure4 ,he decided that he would take his leave early in the morning1 and see ,coralie no more until he had determined that the past had become so far a dream as to admit of a new dream of the future4 ,this honorable decision being reached1 his mind was sufficiently at ease to allow him to notice that his pace had gradually become a very slow one1 in half unconscious conformity to the lagging footsteps behind him1--footsteps which spoke so unmistakably of a troubled mind or an exhausted frame4 ,it even appeared that ,miss ,thane stopped altogether1 now and then1 by reason of absorbing thought1 or from the necessity of taking breath4 ,bergan hesitated for a moment1 divided between the fear of being intrusive1 and the kindly impulse to afford timely help2 but the latter prevailed1 and1 the path having widened somewhat1 he turned and offered her his arm4 ,she shook her head absently1 at first2 then seemed to become suddenly aware that support was needful1 and accepted it4 ,we are privileged to be silent1 ,i believe1 said ,bergan1 as they moved on together1 only in the presence of strangers or friends4 ,count me in either category1 as you please1 and do not trouble yourself to talk4 ,i see you are tired4 ,thank you1 returned ,miss ,thane1 in a cool tone of acquiescence4 ,across the next two fields1 their own linked shadows1 sliding slowly over the ground in advance of them1 were not more silent than they4 ,the voices of their companions1 who had far outstripped them1 reached their ears only in subdued and harmonious murmurs4 ,the moonlight lay over the earth like a visible blessing of peace2 and even threw a kind of reflected brightness into ,miss ,thane's heart1 by the aid of which she was better able to try to find some pathway out of its shadows4 ,in that one terrible moment1 when she had seemed to see ,coralie wrapped in flames1 a swift vision of herself1 left standing alone in the world--without relative1 without friend1 without human affection1 hope1 or solace--a lonely1 empty1 unsatisfied heart--had risen before her1 and left her appalled1 even in the midst of her thankfulness that it was only a vision as yet1 and not a reality4 ,for1 how easily1 through the agency of a boat or an engine1 a fever or a chill1 a thousand every-day accidents1 it might still become a reality6 ,with what was she then to supply ,coralie's place in her heart and life8 ,awhile ago1 she would have answered confidently1 ,with ,art4 ,now1 she knew better4 ,for two years she had been testing ,art's capacity to fill and satisfy an empty human heart1 and her soul was exceeding bitter with the unexpected result4 ,she had painfully experienced the truth 7though she could hardly be said to understand it as yet7 that he who embraces ,art with a thought of self and not of service1 will find it turn to ice or to ashes in his arms4 ,in itself1 it has neither balm for affliction1 nor skilful surgery for remorse1 nor sunshine to throw athwart the black gloom of despair4 ,out of this bitter knowledge ,miss ,thane finally spoke1 apparently recurring in thought to their previous talk on the piazza2-- ,mr4 ,arling1 how is one to love ,god1 if one does not8 ,it was perhaps the most difficult of all questions to answer4 ,how are the blind eyes to be opened1 and the deaf ears unstopped8 ,how is the frozen heart to be softened1 and the slumbering affection to be wakened into leaf and bloom8 ,how is the ,father to be made acceptable to the children that are insensible of ,his goodness1 and will none of ,his reproof8 ,and how is the ,saviour to be presented unto those to whom ,he has hitherto been without form or comeliness1 in such beauty as that they shall desire ,him8 ,i think1 where it is not spontaneous1 ,bergan answered1 after a moment's consideration1 that such love is most surely to be attained through prayer and service2--a frequent lifting up of the heart to ,him whom it would fain love2 a constant endeavor to do ,his will1 as the best means of developing and manifesting love4 ,miss ,thane looked down thoughtfully4 ,i have known--a man1--she began slowly1 with a shade of irrepressible sadness in her tone1--a man not less gifted with talent and intellectual power than yourself1 and with a somewhat longer and more varied experience in the use of his gifts1 who would have laughed at the idea of any virtue in prayer1 except as affording a pleasant illusion to a weak mind4 ,i1 too1 have known such a man1 replied ,bergan1 the image of ,doctor ,remy rising irresistibly before his mind1 and causing a dull ache in his heart2 but was he--was this man of whom you speak--or had he ever been1 in the devout1 habitual use of prayer8 ,she shook her head4 ,i do not know2 probably not4 ,miss ,thane1 you would scarcely need to have me warn you that no man is to be accepted as authority1 in law or medicine1 who is not thoroughly conversant with the subject1 both by study and practice4 ,so those1 and those only1 who pray themselves1 humbly1 devoutly1 persistently1 have any right to pronounce upon the efficacy of prayer4 ,she looked up at him quickly and keenly4 ,pardon me1 but--have you the right to speak with authority8 ,in some small measure1 yes4 ,i can certify you that the medicine is good1 because ,i have taken it2 that the staff is strong1 because ,i have leaned upon it2 that the weapon is efficient1 because ,i have fought with it4 ,allow me to hope that you do not need the certification4 ,her eyes fell1 and her cheek flushed slightly1 but she answered with her usual straightforward candor3--,i was never taught to pray2--my mother died when ,i was born1 and my father believed none of these things4 ,i have no habit of prayer4 ,does no one pray for you8 ,i don't know--,coralie1 perhaps4 ,bergan looked down upon her1 and a sudden moisture dimmed his eyes4 ,his heart was taken complete possession of1 for the moment1 by a vast1 sorrowful pity for this beautiful and gifted woman1 who masked so empty and aching a heart with so cold a demeanor1 impelling him irresistibly to help her1 as he could4 ,when you are next asked that question1 said he1 and there was a deep1 rich melody in his voice1 do not say that you 'don't know1' for ,i promise to put up a prayer for you daily1 from henceforth1 until you send me word that you have learned to pray habitually and gladly for yourself4 ,hereafter1 when you lie down to rest1 remember that another--claiming no title of friend1 but simply that of neighbor--has asked forgiveness for your day1 protection for your night1 and every strength that you need for your morrow4 ,the proud heart was touched at last4 ,that is to say1 ,bergan's words were the effectual last drop in the full cup of the evening's varied emotions1--comparatively insignificant perhaps in itself1 but none the less inevitably productive of overflow4 ,miss ,thane's lips parted with a kind of gasp1 scarcely distinguishable as sound1 but profoundly suggestive of pain2 and a perceptible tremor ran over her from head to foot4 ,suddenly releasing ,bergan's arm1 she sat down on a fallen tree by the side of the path1 and covered her face with her hands1 while tears1 dripping through her slender fingers1 glistened gem-like in the moonlight4 ,yet it argued much for her power of self-control1 that she made no sound1 nor shook with any sob4 ,grief must be content to exercise over her limited1 not absolute dominion4 ,bergan withdrew to a little distance1 and waited silently1 looking out over the shadowy valley to the fair1 flowing outline of the moon-silvered hills4 ,those womanly tears1 he was certain1 would afford most safe and seasonable relief to whatever pain and excitement1 whatever distressful memories or dismal forebodings1 had resulted from the evening's events4 ,for himself1 comparative stranger as he was1 he had no right to give ,miss ,thane more than the silent sympathy of a heart itself not unacquainted with sorrow4 ,suddenly1 the deep silence was broken by the soft whirr of wings4 ,a bird1 flying as straight over the moonlighted fields as if let loose by an unseen hand for that purpose1 alighted in the boughs over the two motionless figures1 and shook down upon them a shower of liquid notes1--sweet1 clear1 and joyous1--a very prophecy of hope4 ,the song being sung1 the bird soon spread its wings and flew back to its nest and its mate4 ,then ,diva rose1 and held out her hand to ,bergan4 ,i accept your offer1 said she4 ,something tells me that the time will come when ,i can repay you in degree1 if not in kind4 ,and ,bergan1 as he took the white1 cool hand--empty now1 except perhaps of a half-reluctant gratitude1 and a moderate measure of good-will--had a singular intuition that some day it would be held out to him with an inestimable gift in it4 ,v4 ,,intercepted4 ,you are up early1 said ,diva ,thane1 when she entered ,coralie's room on the morrow1 and found her standing by the window1 enjoying the fresh1 fragrant air1 and the innumerable sweet and cheery sounds of the summer morning4 ,i thought that you would sleep late after your accident1--or what came so near to being one4 ,how could ,i sleep late1 when ,i was ordered off to bed so early8 rejoined ,coralie1 smiling brightly1 and turning her clear brown eyes on her friend4 ,besides1 ,i had so much to think about1 she added1 softly and gravely1 letting her glance go back to the flower-beds on the lawn4 ,but it was evident that her reflections1 though possibly not without an occasional deep bass note of solemnity1 had for the most part sung her a very siren's song of pleasantness and hope2 none the less entrancing because a song without words of definite purport4 ,the smile and the flush1 with which she had listened1 still brightened her face2 and a corresponding light was seen shining from what seemed an interminable depth in her eyes1--eyes never so deeply illumined till now4 ,indeed1 it struck ,diva with a kind of vague amaze and sadness1 that she had never seen this ,coralie before6 ,there was an unfamiliar freshness and softness about her1 as if she were newly created4 ,the brightness of her face1 too1 was such as to make her seem more nearly akin to the summer sunshine falling on her through the window1 than to mortal shadows and sorrows4 ,in truth1 ,diva found herself fancying that the sunshine was a good deal the brighter for the happy glow that it caught from her features4 ,surprised1 ere long1 at ,diva's silence1 ,coralie lifted her eyes1 and encountered her friend's intent gaze4 ,immediately she seemed to become aware that a wonderfully subtle and delicate insight was making1 not her face only1 but her heart1 the subject of its deep regard4 ,the moment before1 she did not know that there was anything in either which she cared to hide4 ,now1 as if the existence of some secret were suddenly suggested to her by the fear of another's perception of it1 she let her eyes fall1 and a deep flush overspread her features4 ,diva turned away with a sigh4 ,she felt scarcely less lonely than she had seen herself in the vision of the preceding evening1 when ,coralie had seemed to be passing swiftly beyond her reach and ken1 in a chariot of flame4 ,nor was her sadness wholly for herself4 ,she was gifted with a singular clearness of intuition1 in regard to the relations of others2 and ,coralie's face affected her much as it would have done to find a rose suddenly budding out on a sunny winter's day1 and mistaking it for the beginning of summer4 ,still1 as is often the case with persons thus endowed1 she did not fully trust her own intuitions1 for the reason that they could give no clear account of themselves to her intellect4 ,she now told herself1 therefore1 that her impressions were doubtless wrong1 inasmuch as they were destitute of solid basis2 she was even glad to believe so1 quickly losing the thought of herself in that of her friend4 ,or it might be that she was seized with a diviner selfishness1--the certainty that1 if any winter's night of frost and dusk were in store for ,coralie1 she herself must needs partake largely1 through sympathy1 of its chill and gloom4 ,as the friends stood thus silent1 each busy with her own impressions 7for they were of much too thin a consistency to be called thoughts71 certain sounds from below1 coming up to the window1 attracted their notice4 ,a horse was brought round to the side door1 and1 soon after1 ,bergan's voice was distinctly heard1 speaking to ,mr4 ,youle4 ,that will do1 thank you4 ,i shall quite enjoy my ride through the valley1 this lovely morning4 ,present my adieux to ,miss ,coralie2 ,i trust that her night's rest has obliterated every trace of her last evening's experience4 ,good-bye4 ,why1 that is ,mr4 ,arling6 exclaimed ,coralie1 in sudden consternation4 ,what can have happened to take him away so suddenly8 ,i heard him telling your father1 last night1 answered ,diva1 calmly1 that he would be forced to return to town early this morning on business of importance4 ,and he did not bid me good-bye6 murmured ,coralie1 discontentedly4 ,besides1 ,i have not half thanked him for saving me from those dreadful flames1--and she shuddered at the recollection4 ,oh1 ,i must speak to him1 before he goes4 ,she leaned out of the window1 apparently with the intention of calling to him1 but it was too late2 he was already trotting down the avenue1 followed by the groom who was to bring back the horse4 ,she looked after him with a wistful gaze1 and her eyes filled with tears4 ,diva watched her thoughtfully1--intent1 it would seem1 upon some deeper and more perplexing phase of the matter than that immediately presented to her4 ,finally1 she said1 as if struck by a sudden thought3-- ,if you want to speak to him so much1 there is a way4 ,you know the shorter path through the shrubbery to the entrance gate2 we can intercept him4 ,oh1 no6 ,i could not do that1 exclaimed ,coralie1 shrinking back and blushing deeply1 he would think--that is1 it would look like thrusting myself in his way4 ,he would think nothing1 affirmed ,diva1 coolly1 except that we are out for a morning walk1 as we have a good right to be2 there never was a lovelier sky or earth to tempt one forth4 ,come1 we must be quick4 ,and1 without waiting for consent1 or listening to remonstrance1 ,diva seized ,coralie's hand1 and hurried her down the stairs1 and out through a different door from that by which ,bergan had taken his departure1--where ,mr4 ,youle still lingered1--so that they reached the shrubbery unobserved4 ,here1 ,diva slackened her pace a little1 though she still kept hold of her half reluctant1 and nearly breathless companion4 ,they reached the gate before ,bergan came in sight4 ,let us go back a little way1 pleaded ,coralie2 ,i don't want to be found waiting here4 ,why not8 asked ,diva1 composedly1 seating herself on a low1 broad stump by the way-side4 ,mr4 ,arling is not a vain man1 he will never suspect us of waiting for him4 ,but if you must have an excuse for lingering here1--why1 there are some exquisite ferns yonder1--gather them for your parlor vases4 ,coralie hesitated1 doubtful whether to stay or flee4 ,diva plucked a dainty leaf of wood-sorrel1 and put it between the perfect curves of her own lips4 ,coralie1 she suddenly asked1 how old am ,i8 ,despite her perplexity1 ,coralie could not help smiling at the absurdity of the question4 ,are you losing your memory8 she inquired2 you are two years older than ,i4 ,oh1 is that all8 ,i thought ,i must have been at least a hundred1--it seemed such an age since ,i used to eat this green stuff with relish4 ,but you are certainly young yet1 though you do look a year or two older than you did yesterday4 ,coralie quickly stooped over the ferns to hide her deeply-diffused cheeks4 ,diva continued1 apparently without noticing her confusion3-- ,however1 if the little plant has lost much to the taste1 it has gained more to the eye4 ,i never noticed1 in those days1 what a delicately outlined leaf1 and slender1 translucent stem it had1 nor how fresh was its tint of green4 ,if ,mr4 ,arling were here1 now1 he would turn that into a simile1--something about a spiritual sense developed out of an earthly one1 or a refined enjoyment only to be attained through some loss of the capacity for commoner pleasures2--isn't that a little in his style8 ,ah6 there he is4 ,bergan was looking straight before him1 so much absorbed in his own thoughts that he did not see the friends until he was close at hand4 ,he immediately dismounted1 flung his bridle to the groom1 and came toward them with extended hand4 ,so you were going to leave without bidding us good-bye1 said ,miss ,thane1 coolly1 ignoring the offered hand1 but looking him searchingly in the eyes4 ,if ,bergan felt a little embarrassment under that look1 he did not betray it4 ,i supposed that you were not up1 he answered1 with perfect composure4 ,and whoever travels at this season of the year1 had best do it betimes in the morning1 before the sunbeams are hot as well as bright4 ,miss ,coralie1 ,i am glad to see you looking so fully yourself4 ,his sentence ended a little abruptly1 as if whatever else he had intended to say was suddenly put out of his head4 ,he1 too1 had become dimly aware of some subtle change or development in ,coralie1 since the evening before1--a more womanly grace1 a new character of beauty2 which1 however1 only served to bring the image of ,carice vividly before him--,carice1 as he had seen her last1 and would never see her again1 under the shadowy pines1 by the dreaming river1 with the newborn love-light in her eyes1 and the dawn-rose of love in her cheeks4 ,scarce knowing what he did1 he lifted his hand1 to see if1 haply1 he might shut out both images together4 ,coralie's eyes fell on that hand1 which was carefully bandaged from wrist to knuckles2 and the unconquerable shyness which had seized her1 on ,bergan's appearance1 was instantly dissipated4 ,what is that8 she asked2--oh1 ,mr4 ,arling1 were you burned last night in trying to save me8 ,bergan looked at ,diva and smiled4 ,it is nothing1 said he1 lightly1--only your aunt and ,miss ,thane insisted upon binding it up after ,i got home2 and the least that ,i can do is to wear their kindly handiwork for a day or two4 ,oh1 ,diva1 exclaimed ,coralie reproachfully1 the quick moisture coming into her eyes1 why did you not tell me8 ,why should ,i8 replied ,diva1 with somewhat bitter emphasis2 hands heal quickly4 ,miss ,thane is quite right1 said ,bergan2 the matter was not worth mentioning4 ,certainly1 it was not worth one of those tears1 ,miss ,coralie2 you will make me too proud of having gotten a small scratch in the fray4 ,if it were ten times as much1 it would in nowise offset what ,i owe your father4 ,now ,i must bid you farewell1 or ,i shall miss the train4 ,will you not come up again soon8 asked ,coralie1 coloring a little1 but strong in the certainty that she could not err in showing her preserver the most cordial courtesy4 ,it must be good for you to leave the city as often as you can4 ,and you have certainly earned the right to consider ,farview as your home1 whenever it suits you to do so4 ,thank you1 said ,bergan1 bowing in acknowledgment of the kind and thoughtful invitation4 ,but ,i am necessarily a busy and homeless man1 and it is the truest wisdom for me not to stray too far out of my proper orbit1 lest ,i get dissatisfied with it4 ,when ,i become more fully and firmly settled therein1 a day's absence may not matter so much2 and then1 if your invitation still holds good1 ,i shall be only too happy to avail myself of it4 ,it must always hold good1 just as a kindness once done is done forever1 replied ,coralie warmly1 turning a deaf ear to the unseasonable inner voice that cried out against the coolness and reserve of ,bergan's response1 and holding out a tremulous little hand1 by way of signature and seal to her promise4 ,bergan gave the hand a friendly pressure1 and bowed low to ,miss ,thane4 ,a pleasant summer to you both1 said he1 full of flowers and sunshine1 both material and metaphorical4 ,farewell4 ,he lifted his hat as he rode through the gate2 very soon a turn of the road hid him from sight4 ,coralie stood looking somewhat wistfully at the point where he had disappeared4 ,peace go with him6 said ,diva lightly4 ,he was in a great hurry to leave us1 but he said ',farewell' in a way to indicate that he should not be in a hurry to return4 ,fortunately1 we are not the sort of damsels to pine after an unwilling knight4 ,coralie turned instantly1 and1 with heightened color1 signified her readiness to go home4 ,for some days her spirits were fitful and changeable2 nothing now so gay1 nothing now so sad1 as her smile4 ,during this time ,diva watched over her with a silent1 patient1 careful devotion that surrounded her like the atmosphere1 viewless1 but beneficent4 ,she saved her from annoyance2 she shielded her from observation2 she stood between her and her guests1 taking up the burden of their entertainment in a way that would have seemed incredible to those accustomed to see her only languidly indifferent or coldly haughty4 ,though her heart might be narrow1 it was certainly deep4 ,by and by1 ,coralie began to smile naturally once more1 and ,diva was satisfied that1 though the rose could not shut and be a bud again1 it had received no lasting blight4 ,if it could be kept from further harm1 it might be expected to develop naturally into perfection of bloom and beauty1--not the hasty and one-sided maturity that comes of a worm at the heart4 ,she could now think of herself4 ,unselfish anxiety and effort had been very good for her thus far1 there was not a doubt of that4 ,nevertheless1 she was beginning to feel urgent need of quiet1--opportunity to commune with her own heart1 and be still1--time to deal justly and thoroughly with questions seething in her mind ever since her talks with ,bergan4 ,but it was vain to look for quiet at ,farview2 the house was fast filling up with gay guests2 and having once dropped her ice-mantle of reserve1 she could not resume it without giving pain to her hosts4 ,so1 as ,coralie was now quite capable of taking her rightful place as queen of the festivities1 and as she had already stayed twice as long as had been contemplated at first1 ,diva went back to her studio4 ,,vi4 ,,an ,,aimless ,,stroll4 ,late one afternoon1 about a month after ,bergan's return to ,savalla1 he quitted the office1 which seemed to have grown unaccountably barren and dreary of aspect1 and set out for an aimless stroll through the city4 ,the air was fresh and moist from a recent shower1 and the slanting sunbeams were working alchemic wonders in the streets and squares2 turning the polished leaves of the oak and olive trees to silver1 and hanging them with prismatic jewels1 enriching the grass with a vivider green1 and the earth with a rich golden brown1 and imprinting the sensitive surface of every tiny rain-pool with a lovely picture of blue sky1 fleecy clouds1 and pendent sprays of foliage4 ,through all these pleasant sights ,bergan moved slowly and half absently1 occupying himself less with their beauty than with the sober monologue of his own thoughts4 ,yet his gaze was not without occasional moments of intelligence1 and in one of these he noticed a child1 attended by a large dog1 standing with a curiously doubtful1 undecided air1 in the midst of the square that he was crossing4 ,suddenly making up her mind1 it would seem1 she held out her hand to a gentleman coming from the opposite direction1 who took no further notice of the mute appeal than was implied by a shake of the head4 ,the sight was a comparatively strange one in those days1 when begging was resorted to as an occasional resource1 rather than followed as a regular trade2 and ,bergan continued to observe the child with a certain degree of interest1 though not with a wholly unpreoccupied mind1 as he advanced toward her4 ,all at once1 it struck him that there was something oddly familiar about her slender little figure4 ,as for the dog1 he was certainly an old acquaintance1 as could easily be proven2 and ,bergan's lips emitted a low1 peculiar whistle4 ,there was an instant pricking up of the canine ears1 and an inquisitive turning sidewise of the canine head1 but the faithful animal would not leave his young mistress until he was absolutely certain that he recognized a friend4 ,she1 meanwhile1 seemed to notice neither the whistle nor its effect2 nor could she distinctly see what manner of man drew near1 her eyes being dazzled by the level sun-rays1 but she again mutely held out her hand4 ,it was instantly taken possession of4 ,cathie1 said ,bergan1 wonderingly1 what does this mean8 ,she looked at him a moment in blank bewilderment1 but ended by recognizing him and flinging herself into his arms exactly as the ,cathie of a year before would have done2 but with a deep1 long-drawn1 repressed sob1 implying a profounder sorrow than had ever darkened the horizon of even that child of many and incomprehensible moods4 ,yet ,bergan was considerably relieved by her first words2--,oh1 ,mr4 ,arling1 don't tell mamma--don't tell ,astra--please don't6 ,it seemed probable that the episode of the begging was simply one of the child's strange freaks4 ,did you do it for fun1 then8 he asked4 ,fun8 repeated ,cathie1 with indignant emphasis1 do you think it's fun to beg1 ,mr4 ,arling8 ,i don't4 ,i was so ashamed that ,i wanted to hide my face with both hands4 ,then why did you do it8 asked ,bergan1 gravely4 ,the child's lip assumed its most sorrowful curve4 ,to get some money to give ,astra1 she answered4 ,we are very poor now2 the ,bank went and got broke1 with all mamma's money in it2 and she was taken sick1 and ,astra couldn't get much to do1 and we've had to move into a little mean house1 in a dirty little street1 where there are no flowers1 nor trees1 nor anything that's nice4 ,and this morning ,i saw ,astra take the last money out of her purse1 to pay the rent1 and she looked--oh6 ,i can't tell how she looked1--something like that big gray man1 with the little boy on his back1 that she made so long ago2 and ,i did so wish that ,i could do something to help her1 just a little bit4 ,so1 when she sent me out to take a walk with ,nix1 it came into my head that ,i could beg for her1 if ,i couldn't do anything else1 and ,i thought ,i'd try it4 ,was it doing wrong8 ,bergan did not answer except by stooping to kiss the child's upturned face4 ,his eyes grew moist4 ,i know it must be wrong1 pursued ,cathie1 innocently1 if it makes you cry1 ,mr4 ,arling4 ,no1 ,cathie1 replied ,bergan1 smiling reassuringly4 ,i do not think it was wrong1--at least1 you did not mean to do wrong1 and that makes a great difference4 ,but ,i don't think that you will need to try it again4 ,now1 certainly you can do something better2 that is1 take me home with you4 ,on the way1 ,cathie1 secure in the sympathy of this trusted friend of better days1 gave a more detailed account of the misfortunes that had befallen the little family1 since it left ,berganton4 ,his heart ached as he pictured to himself the weary and wasting struggle with poverty that ,astra had maintained so bravely1 yet so hopelessly2 heavily weighted1 on the one hand1 with the burden of disappointed affection1 and1 on the other1 with the anxiety caused by her mother's severe illness4 ,for works of art1 there had been no demand2 for portrait busts and medallions1 there had been only a scanty and fitful one4 ,her last resource had been pupils in drawing1 but these had now failed her1 in consequence of the usual summer exodus of the city's wealthier population2 by reason of which she was reduced to the bitter straits shadowed forth by ,cathie's earlier communications4 ,it was touching1 too1 to see what real nobleness of character had all along been hidden under the child's caprice and waywardness1 as evinced by the fact that she said little of the privations that had fallen to her own lot1 but dwelt chiefly on her mother's lack of accustomed comforts1 and the forlorn face that ,astra wore1 when out of that mother's sight4 ,the house was reached before the story had come to an end4 ,it was a little better than ,bergan's fears1 but far worse than his hopes4 ,it smote him to the heart to contrast it with the comfortable and spacious mansion that had opened its doors so readily to him at ,berganton1 and wherein he had come to feel himself so pleasantly at home4 ,cathie ushered ,bergan into the dingy little room that served both for parlor and studio1 and then rushed through the opposite door1 full of the importance of the news that she had to impart4 ,there was a smothered exclamation of surprise from the adjoining room1 followed by a murmured consultation2 and then ,astra appeared in the doorway4 ,but it was by no means the ,astra of ,bergan's remembrance4 ,the features were the same1 to be sure1 but the light1 the hope1 the energy1 that had animated them1 and informed them with such rich and varied expression1 was utterly lacking4 ,there was a perceptible line between the eyebrows1 as if the brow were wont to be knit over difficult problems2 and the mouth expressed a settled melancholy1 which a smile seemed only to vary slightly1 not to displace4 ,nor could ,bergan help detecting a little hardness in it1--the look of a defeated general1 forced to lay down his weapons1 but still unsubdued in will4 ,what he most marvelled at1 however1 was that it immediately brought ,diva ,thane's face before him1 as if there were some subtle relation between them1 though there was not the slightest resemblance4 ,astra's manner to him was scarcely less altered than her face4 ,it was not exactly cold1 but it lacked much of the old warmth and heartiness4 ,bergan took no notice of it2 he readily divined what chords of painful association were thrilled at the sight of him1 and how inevitably her pride revolted against being seen in her present surroundings4 ,her hand was so cold1 when he took it in his1 that he pressed it between both his own1 with a vague idea of warming it2 then1 stirred by a sympathy too deep for ordinary expression1 he bent over and touched it with his lips4 ,you are not wise1 said ,astra1 with a faint smile2 you should not do homage to a fallen princess4 ,neither do ,i1 rejoined ,bergan1 with a deep music in his voice4 ,she is not fallen1 but holding out most bravely against the time when she may expect succor4 ,succor8 responded ,astra1 with a mixture of pride and mournfulness1--from what or whom could acceptable succor come8 ,bergan smiled1 and pointed upward4 ,from the ,source of all succor1 whatever be the channel4 ,astra shook her head1 and the lines of her mouth grew set and hard4 ,acceptable succor comes in season1 said she1 and through legitimate channels4 ,bergan was confounded4 ,this lack of faith1 this arraignment of ,providence1 argued a more amazing change in ,astra than he had yet suspected4 ,at the same time it afforded him a clue to that mysterious connection1 in his mind1 between her face and ,miss ,thane's4 ,under the hardness of the one and the coldness of the other1 the same scepticism lay hidden1--possibly engendered by similar causes4 ,in ,astra's case1 he had no hesitation in attributing it to ,doctor ,remy's influence2 and he could not but wonder at the singular and fatal power of the man over the minds of those who were brought into close contact with him4 ,was this deadly poison to be also instilled into the pure mind of ,carice8 ,he shuddered at the thought4 ,better for her to lie dead at the bottom of the river1 by which he had last seen her soft1 rapt face4 ,feeling that this was no time to argue with ,astra1 ,bergan turned to the table1 which was littered with drawings and sketches1 plaster reliefs1 and small clay models1 to a degree that implied no lack of patient industry1 despite the want of encouragement1 and the absence of faith4 ,what are you doing8 he asked4 ,nothing1 just now1 she answered1 mournfully4 ,i believe my hands have lost their cunning1--if ever they had any4 ,that is the last4 ,she pointed to a small bas-relief4 ,it represented a child1 skipping lightly down a flowery slope1 trailing a vine behind her4 ,the face was turned so far away from the beholder1 as to show only the rounded outline of the youthful cheek and brow1 but the figure expressed a wonderful joyousness4 ,in more senses than one1 it was plainly1 ,in the ,sunshine2 which title was lightly scratched in the plaster4 ,bergan studied it attentively4 ,it is as fresh as a rose1 said he1 and as sweet4 ,the analogy1 if there be any1 goes deeper than that1 rejoined ,astra1 bitterly4 ,a rose is born out of darkness and dampness and decay1 and this is the offspring of pain and discouragement1 and all that makes the hand weak and the heart sick4 ,and that is probably the secret of its perfection1 remarked ,bergan1 meditatively4 ,the loveliest graces of character--such as charity that thinketh no evil1 and hope that lives by faith1 not by sight--are the legitimate children of suffering4 ,then why not the finer works of art8 ,astra's eyes fell1 and she did not answer4 ,at any rate1 pursued ,bergan1 this ',sunshine' is just what ,i want to brighten my office4 ,i was thinking1 this very day1 that something must be done to make it less dismal4 ,i suppose it is for sale8 ,astra bent her head a little stiffly4 ,she doubted the reality of this new-born desire for office decorations4 ,he took out his purse1 and laid a folded bank-note on the table4 ,he expected that she would not look at it1 until after he had gone1 but she immediately took it up1 opened it1 and tendered it back to him4 ,it is too much1 said she proudly4 ,and her look added1 ,i am no beggar4 ,is it8 inquired ,bergan1 with apparent surprise4 ,i thought it agreed tolerably well with the prices that you used to mention as the least you would receive for your works1 in the future4 ,i have lived to grow wiser1 replied ,astra1 ,it is all the same1 rejoined ,bergan composedly1 ,i was about to say that1 as my mother has long been entreating me to send her some sort of a portrait1 it occurs to me that ,i cannot do better than to get you to make a medallion or a bust of me1 whichever you please4 ,the balance of the note can go toward the first payment4 ,we will arrange for the sittings1 as soon as you are at leisure4 ,astra's lip trembled4 ,put in this way1 the note might be retained2 and no one knew so well as herself what an amount of relief to her1 and of comfort to her mother1 it ensured4 ,but her pride was very sore1 nevertheless1 and her face was little grateful1 as she dropped the note on the table1 somewhat as if it had burned her fingers4 ,bergan hastened to change the subject4 ,i am sorry not to see your mother1 he began2 but ,astra interrupted him4 ,she would like to see you very much1 said she1 if you don't mind coming to her room4 ,it is several days since she has left it2 though ,i really think that she is better to-day4 ,why should ,i mind8 asked ,bergan1 smiling4 ,she used to call me her son sometimes2 though you do take such pains to give me to understand that you utterly repudiate me as a brother4 ,astra turned her face aside1 to conceal the sudden unbending of the set mouth4 ,indeed1 ,i do not1 she faltered4 ,bergan drew her toward him1 just as a brother would have done4 ,then you will help me to persuade her to move into more comfortable quarters1 at once4 ,i promise you that it shall be arranged so carefully as to give her the least possible fatigue4 ,astra shook her head4 ,it cannot be2 it would excite her too much4 ,her disease is of the heart2 and joy kills as surely as sorrow4 ,when ,i moved her here1--being imperatively forced to do so1 because ,i could not afford to stay where we were1--,i determined that1 let come what would1 she should not be stirred again1 until she is a great deal better or--worse4 ,thank you for the kind thought1 but indeed she is best off here1 for the present1--now that ,i have the means of making her tolerably comfortable4 ,in the last sentence1 there was some trace of ,astra's old self2 and1 glad to have gained thus much1 ,bergan followed her to ,mrs4 ,lyte's bedside4 ,if he still cherished any belief in the feasibility of removing her1 it vanished with the first sight of her face4 ,he wondered what could have led ,astra to think her better4 ,even to his inexperienced eyes1 the struggling breath1 the beaded forehead1 the ashy pallor1 indicated but too plainly that the thread of her life was wellnigh spun4 ,yet she was less changed1 in some respects1 than ,astra4 ,her smile had the old sweetness2 her face--when the excitement caused by his unexpected visit was calmed a little1 and she could breathe easier--had the old expression of gentle resignation4 ,it lighted up1 too1 at sight of him2--as he had reminded ,astra1 she had come to regard him with a half-motherly affection1 during his residence in her house4 ,it is very good of you to come to us1 she said1 gratefully2 it seems a great while since ,i have seen any friendly face4 ,if ,i had only known that you were in ,savalla1 ,i should have come much sooner1 answered ,bergan4 ,and if ,i had known that you were here1 she responded1 ,i should certainly have sent for you4 ,it is strange1 ,astra1 that we never happened to hear of him4 ,astra's face flushed a little4 ,we are not in the way of hearing news1 she replied1 evasively4 ,but now that he is here1 to sit with you a few minutes1 ,i will run out and get that prescription filled1 which the doctor left this morning4 ,bergan rose instantly4 ,let me go1 rather1 said he4 ,n-o1 no1 said ,mrs4 ,lyte1 it will do her good to have a little run4 ,besides1 ,i want to talk with you4 ,bergan sat down again1 and ,cathie nestled to his side4 ,nix1 too1 came and lay down at his feet1 quite in the old ,berganton fashion4 ,i am very glad to see you1 continued ,mrs4 ,lyte1 when ,astra had left the room1 but ,i am afraid it is largely a selfish gladness4 ,i am so certain that you will see what can be done for my children after ,i am gone4 ,bergan opened his lips to speak1 but she lifted her hand with a deprecating gesture1 and went on3-- ,let me say what ,i want to say2 ,i shall be so much easier in my mind4 ,do you know how we came to leave ,berganton8 ,i do not2 ,i only heard of it when ,i went back there1 in the ,fall4 ,mrs4 ,lyte briefly explained the circumstances which had led to the removal4 ,she stated1 furthermore1 that she had written to ,major ,bergan1 upon the failure of the ,bank where her money was invested1 and inquired if he had sold the house1 and whether there was any balance in her favor4 ,to which he replied that he had done nothing about the matter1 and proposed to do nothing1 at present2 he only wished that she would come back1 and live in it1 as before4 ,but this was impossible1 she had now no means of maintaining so large and expensive a place4 ,she had1 therefore1 written again1 to the effect that she asked nothing better than the immediate foreclosure of the mortgage1 and the sale of the property4 ,would he attend to it at his earliest convenience1 and forward her the balance8 ,to this letter there had been no reply2 she took it for granted that a purchaser had not been found4 ,what she desired of ,bergan1 in the event of her death1 which she believed to be near at hand1 was to hurry forward the sale of the place1 and secure something for ,astra1 if possible4 ,this he promised to do2 and he added1 in a tone that brought instant conviction to her mind1 and tears of gratitude to her eyes1 that1 however this matter terminated1 neither ,astra nor ,cathie should lack friendly aid1 at need4 ,when he finally took his leave1 ,bergan beckoned ,astra to the door4 ,are you alone here8 he inquired4 ,is there no one to share your labors and your cares8 ,we brought our old ,chloe with us1 replied ,astra2 she would not be left behind1 and indeed1 ,i do not know what we should have done without her4 ,but lately the good old creature has insisted upon going out to do a day's washing1 now and then1 to bring something into the family purse2 she is out to-day4 ,when she is home1 she does all she can4 ,bergan recollected the old slave1 and doubted nothing of her fidelity4 ,but1 in the woful event that he foresaw1 ,astra would need other help1 other sympathy1 he thought4 ,is there no one you can send for1--no relative1 no friend1 in ,berganton1 or elsewhere8 he persisted4 ,none1 replied ,astra4 ,and what accommodations have we for such a friend1 if we had one8 ,there was nothing more to be said4 ,he shook her hand warmly1 told her that he had promised her mother to come again on the morrow1 lifted his hat1 with his usual courtesy1 and went down the street1 in such a maze of pity and perplexity1 that he forgot to notice which way he went4 ,when he became cognizant of his whereabouts1 he was standing before a large1 old-fashioned mansion fronting on one of the principal squares of the city4 ,on the door was a silver plate1 bearing the name of ,,diva ,,thane1 ,,artist4 ,,vii4 ,,ordered ,,steps4 ,bergan was much struck with the fact that his aimless walk--aimless1 at least1 so far as his own intention was concerned--had first led him1 in virtue of his meeting with ,cathie1 to ,mrs4 ,lyte's bedside1 and next to the studio of ,miss ,thane4 ,accepting both these leadings as parts of the same providential plan1 though he could discern but the slightest possible relation between them1 he knocked at the studio door4 ,come in6 was the immediate response1 in ,miss ,thane's clear1 cold monotone4 ,bergan pushed open the door1 which was a little ajar1 and found himself in the presence of the artist4 ,she was standing at her easel1 palette and brushes in hand2 and she waited to give several touches to her work1 before turning toward her visitor4 ,if she felt any surprise at sight of him1 her face betrayed none4 ,yet it seemed to ,bergan that some change had come over that face since he beheld it last--a certain suggestion of weariness under its languor1 of dissatisfaction under its chill pride--which he accepted as a good augury for the task that he had in hand4 ,miss ,thane seemed to divine1 at once1 that his visit had some object other than the pleasure of seeing either herself or her pictures4 ,after a few quiet words of greeting1 she rested one hand upon her easel1 and stood waiting1 calm1 proud1 and exceeding beautiful1 to be informed of its nature4 ,bergan was scarcely prepared to make known his errand so abruptly4 ,he had promptly entered the studio1 in obedience to his first impulse2 but he had counted upon some little time thereafter to arrange his thoughts and feel his way1 some flow of conversation to be duly turned to his advantage1 or some clue to the deep mystery of ,miss ,thane's sympathies1--possibly1 too1 some further light upon the inscrutable design of ,providence1 in sending him hither4 ,after all1 was not the most straightforward course likely to be the best one8 ,miss ,thane1 said he1 gravely1 my own volition has had so little to do with bringing me here1 that ,i scarcely know why ,i am come4 ,but ,i believe that it is to try to interest you in a sister artist--a sculptor--who is in sore need of aid that you might give her4 ,miss ,thane put her hand into her pocket1 and drew out her purse2 but before she could open it1 ,bergan stopped her with a deprecating gesture4 ,pardon me1 said he1 but that sort of aid1 ,i can give myself1 if it be necessary4 ,what am ,i to do1 then8 asked ,miss ,thane1 wonderingly4 ,whatever one delicate1 refined1 large-hearted woman can do for another1 in the way of cheer1 encouragement1 sympathy1 and consolation4 ,miss ,thane gave him a long look out of her deep eyes1 partly surprised1 partly meditative4 ,what put it into your head to come to me on such an errand8 she finally asked1 with a singular1 half satirical emphasis4 ,because when ,i was wondering to whom ,i could go1 answered ,bergan1 ,i found myself standing before your door4 ,because you did me the honor1 two weeks ago1 to ask me a certain question1 and ,i thought that this might be the beginning of a better answer than ,i was able to give you4 ,miss ,thane slowly walked to the other end of the room1 and fixed her eyes on the deep red gold of the western horizon1 whence the sun still shed a soft posthumous influence over the earth4 ,what does it matter1 she murmured to ,herself1 if ,i do surrender somewhat of my freedom8 ,i have had a fair trial of an isolated life--divested of every irksome bond1 burden1 and duty1 shut up to the one friend that ,i trust1 and the one occupation that ,i love--and what has it done for me8 ,absolutely nothing2 except to make me daily colder in heart1 and narrower in mind4 ,is it not time to try something else8 ,she turned back to ,bergan1 and her face1 though it was still weary1 was no longer proud4 ,i am sensible of the honor that you have done me1 said she1 with unusual gentleness2 ,i will try to deserve your good opinion4 ,where am ,i to find the lady of whom you speak1 and in what way can ,i render her the most essential service8 ,bergan quietly placed a chair for her4 ,sit down1 said he1 and let me tell you the whole story2 at least1 as far as ,i know it myself4 ,as he talked1 the gold faded out of the sky1 and the gray twilight shadows crept into the room1 turning the pictures on the walls into pale1 vague outlines1 and giving a wonderful softness to ,miss ,thane's listening face4 ,nor did the story end until the pictures had become indistinguishable masses of shadow1 and nothing was left of the face but its deep1 lustrous eyes4 ,its owner had not once spoken2 and it quite escaped ,bergan's notice1 in the dimness1 that she gave a sudden1 violent start when ,mrs4 ,lyte's full name was mentioned4 ,thus1 you see1 he concluded1 it is not only a disappointed1 discouraged1 anxious heart 7soon1 alas6 to become a mourning one7 that ,i commend to your tender sympathies1 but a sorely wounded faith4 ,if you cannot heal the latter1 do not1 ,i charge you1 help to destroy it4 ,i will not1 answered she1 solemnly2 ,i promise you that ,i will not4 ,how could ,i1 when ,i am half inclined to believe that such faith--unfounded1 illusory though it be--is a better thing than any reality that we exchange it for4 ,bergan slightly lifted his eyebrows4 ,may ,i ask1 said he1 quietly1 to what reality1 or realities1 you refer8 ,you press me hard1 answered she1 bitterly1 after a pause2 none1 none that ,i can think of just now4 ,everything seems vague1 unreal1 unsubstantial4 ,fall back on faith1 returned ,bergan1 smiling4 ,if it be not a reality itself1 it works realities4 ,it fosters real virtues1 and inspires real heroism2 by it men live nobly1 and die courageously4 ,what reality can do more for them1--indeed1 what one does so much8 ,he waited for a moment1 expecting an answer4 ,seeing that none came1 he bowed1 and left her sitting there1 gazing out into the silent night4 ,on the following morning1 ,astra was in her studio1 busily plying her needle1 while her mother slept1 when there came a light knock on the door4 ,opening it1 she found herself face to face with a lady of such rare and remarkable beauty1 that she stood motionless1 lost in wonder and admiration4 ,the stranger bent her head with the stately1 yet friendly1 grace of one princess to another2 and a smile just touched her lips1 and then seemed to sink into her eyes1 shining farther and farther down in their clear depths1 until it vanished from sight4 ,will you allow me the pleasure of looking into your studio8 asked she1 in a voice as perfect as her face2 ,i have heard so much of its marvels1 that ,i am desirous of seeing them for myself4 ,astra mutely made way2 her visitor glided into the room1 cast a quick1 comprehensive glance around1 and sat down in front of the statue of ,mercury4 ,do not let me interrupt you1 she said to ,astra1 but just go on with whatever you are about1 and allow me to study this at my leisure4 ,astra hesitated a moment1 and then took up the work that she had dropped1--one of ,cathie's much-enduring aprons1 that she was trying to darn into some semblance of respectability4 ,but she could not help stealing an occasional glance at the clear-cut profile of her guest1 until1 all her artistic instincts being thoroughly aroused1 she was fain to seize upon crayon and cardboard1 and make sure of the lovely outline1 ere it should vanish1 as she expected it would soon do1 utterly and forever from her sight4 ,the guest1 meanwhile1 studied the ,mercury in profound silence4 ,yet ,astra soon felt that an uncommonly deep and delicate discernment was brought to bear on her work1 capable of accurately measuring both its excellences and its faults4 ,there was something inspiriting in the very thought1--it was so seldom that her sculpture was favored with a really intelligent glance6 ,her eyes brightened1 her hands recovered their cunning1 the crayon sketch grew into lifelikeness without effort1 almost without consciousness1 save when she stopped to marvel1 now and then1 at its exceeding beauty and delicacy4 ,yet it did no more than justice to the original1--scarcely that1 indeed2--where did she get that face1 and who could she be6 ,she had left the ,mercury now1 after a few--a very few words of commendation1 yet spoken so cordially and discriminately as to be worth volumes of ordinary praise to ,astra2 and she was looking gravely into the upturned eyes of the ,cherub4 ,glancing from1 it to its creator1 she said1 with a faint smile2-- ,i wish you could put that look into my face4 ,astra shook her head4 ,i could not put it anywhere now1 she answered1 drearily4 ,the stranger gave her a compassionate glance4 ,i wonder1 said she1 musingly1 whether it is better to have had such faith and lost it1 or never to have had it at all4 ,it is better to have lost it1 replied ,astra quickly1 and with a slight shudder4 ,one can live in the hope of finding it again4 ,the visitor sighed1 and turned to look at the sketches on the wall4 ,by and by1 she slid easily into a discourse about various art-matters2 holding ,astra spellbound1 for awhile1 with the fluent richness of her diction1 and the extent of her knowledge4 ,nor was ,astra allowed to listen only4 ,a certain graphic portrayal of art-life in ,italy having stirred her to the depths1 and kindled the old fire and energy of enthusiasm in her eyes1 she was skilfully drawn on to talk of herself and her work1 her aims1 longings1 limitations1 and needs1 as she had never talked before1 because she had never before met with so understanding and sympathetic an auditor4 ,in the midst of one of her animated sentences1 a low moan was heard from the inner room4 ,excuse me1 said ,astra hurriedly1 amazed to see how completely she had forgotten her cares1 fears1 and griefs1 in the magic of the stranger's presence1--,excuse me1 ,i must go to my mother4 ,mrs4 ,lyte had waked1 as was too often the case1 in a spasm of pain4 ,astra hastened to call ,cathie from the kitchen to assist the laboring breath with gentle wafts of air from a fan1 while she herself measured some drops of a soothing mixture1 and lifted her mother's head on her arm1 to enable her to swallow and to breathe more easily4 ,several anxious moments had passed thus1 in silence broken only by the painful respirations of the invalid1 when a low1 sweet strain of melody stole so gently into the room that ,astra could not tell1 at first1 from whence it came4 ,so soft was it that it melted into the ear without making any apparent demand upon the attention1 yet so clear that not one liquid note was lost4 ,the swollen veins of ,mrs4 ,lyte's forehead subsided2 her chest ceased its agonized heaving2 a peaceful1 happy smile broke over her face4 ,what is it8 she asked1 wonderingly1 when the strain ended1--not abruptly1 but gradually growing fainter1 until it was impossible to tell just at what point sound became silence4 ,astra whispered softly that she had left a strange visitor in the studio1 who appeared to be singing unconsciously to herself4 ,if she would only sing again6 murmured ,mrs4 ,lyte1 wistfully4 ,with her usual impulsiveness1 ,cathie rushed to the studio door4 ,mamma wishes you would sing-- she began1 and then stopped short1 no less surprised and fascinated by the face that met her gaze than her sister had been4 ,the stranger reflected for a moment1 then her voice again pervaded the air1 as with the very soul of restful melody4 ,as she sang1 the child moved slowly toward her1 drawn as irresistibly as the magnet to the loadstone1 till she stood close to her side1 encircled by her arm1 and gazing at her with round1 wondering eyes4 ,as the song ceased1 she slid her hand half-curiously1 half-timidly over her shoulder4 ,have you wings8 she asked1 earnestly4 ,did you fly down8 ,before the visitor could reply1 except by a swift expression of something like pain that flitted across her face1 ,astra appeared in the doorway4 ,mother wishes to see you1 and thank you1 she said4 ,will you step this way8 ,the lady rose1 and moved quietly into the inner room4 ,at sight of her face1 ,mrs4 ,lyte gave a violent start2 the thanks she was about to speak died on her lips2 she could only cry out in amazement2--,who are you8 ,the stranger knelt by the bedside1 and took both ,mrs4 ,lyte's hands in her soft1 cool grasp4 ,i am the daughter of your runaway sister1 ,aunt ,katie1 she answered1 and my name is ,godiva ,thane4 ,but she died1 and she left no child1 said ,mrs4 ,lyte1 incredulously4 ,she died in giving me birth1 returned ,diva1 with convincing positiveness4 ,i have long suspected that my father did not let you know1 he never forgot the opposition to his marriage2 besides1 he was jealous of his only child's affections4 ,you must needs forgive him1--for he is dead4 ,several questions followed1 on ,mrs4 ,lyte's part2 to which ,diva gave long1 detailed answers1 skilfully contrived to satisfy her aunt's curiosity1 tranquillize her emotions1 and bring her1 in a brief space1 to a tolerably peaceful and composed state of mind4 ,can ,i do anything for you before ,i go8 she then asked4 ,nothing1 dear1 unless you will sing to me--a hymn2 there are tones in your voice which are more soothing than any anodyne4 ,diva put her hand to her brow1 and sent her thoughts back--a long1 long way1 it seemed to her--to a period in her childhood1 when she had been under the care of a certain faithful nurse1 afterwards discharged by her father for putting foolish1 superstitious notions--as he averred--into her head4 ,there she found two or three hymns2 keeping tenacious hold of her memory1 in virtue of their early grafting therein2 which she sang in such soft1 even tones1 that ,mrs4 ,lyte was first calmed1 and then irresistibly lulled to sleep4 ,the two cousins stole out of the room together4 ,in the studio1 ,diva put her arms around ,astra and kissed her tenderly4 ,having found you1 my little cousin1 my art sister1 said she1 smiling1 ,i shall never let you go6 ,,viii4 ,,though ,,he ,,slay4 ,miss ,thane had all along understood that a meeting with her mother's only and twin sister1 either by accident or design1 was quite within the scope of possibilities4 ,she had even regarded it as perhaps the brightest prospect which the future afforded her1 in case her present experiment in life should fail to give her satisfaction1 or her heart should suddenly utter an importunate cry for that cup of cold water of human affection1 which is only to be tasted in the society of one's own kin4 ,amid the gray monotony of her existence1 she had often pictured that meeting to herself in a variety of pleasant coloring and dramatic shapes2 but never1 it is safe to say1 in the solemn lights and sober shadows in which it finally took its place among the memorable scenes of her life4 ,yet in no other way could it have operated so powerfully to awaken the instinct of kinship within her1 to melt her reserve1 to draw out her dormant sympathies1--in short1 to call forth whatever was deepest1 richest1 and womanliest in her nature4 ,and certainly1 in no other way could it have brought so strong and subtle an influence to bear upon the sombre doubts and chill infidelities of her mind2 setting over against her cool1 speculative belief in a blind ,chance or an inflexible ,fate1 ,mrs4 ,lyte's calm trust in the goodness of ,god's providence1 against the blighting1 chilling1 unbeauteous effects of suffering on her own heart1 the gracious fruitage of patience1 contentment1 and love1 ripening under its touch in ,mrs4 ,lyte's1 against her own dim outlook into an unknown future1 her aunt's firm expectation of the eternal weight of glory4 ,the contrast was too striking not to be noticed1 its testimony in favor of faith over unbelief too strong to be ignored4 ,daily1 as she watched by her aunt's bedside1 questions that she had once settled1 or laid aside as incapable of settlement1 came up again1 to be examined in new and diviner lights4 ,daily the good work which ,bergan had been instrumental in beginning in her heart1 went forward1--not like the work of doubt1 tearing down what it could not rebuild1 and taking away bread to give a stone1--but bringing order out of confusion1 proportion out of inequality1 solidity out of disintegration4 ,on the other hand1 her advent was no less beneficial1 in its way1 to her aunt and cousins4 ,not to speak of the material comforts and luxuries which she managed so delicately to introduce into the sick-room1 as to make them seem much like direct gifts of ,providence1 without any intervening hand1 she brought into their forlorn1 narrow1 monotonous life an element of variety and interest1 as well as of personal helpfulness1 that was sorely needed4 ,mrs4 ,lyte soon grew to depend upon her constant presence and care scarcely less than upon ,astra's4 ,she never wearied of searching her beautiful face for fitful touches of resemblance to the darling twin sister1 whose runaway marriage and subsequent death had been the great grief of her own earlier years1 nor of drawing out such facts in relation to that sister's short married life1 and ,diva's birth1 as the latter had been able to gather from others1 and store in her memory4 ,she was deeply interested1 too1 in ,diva's own history1--her motherless childhood1 her long sojourn in ,europe1 her art studies1 her reasons for the isolated life that she had been leading of late4 ,especially did she delight in hearing her sing4 ,diva might busy herself in whatever part of the house's narrow precinct she pleased1 if only her voice floated into the sick-room1 and sweetened the air with the notes and words of some favorite hymn of the ages1 or the soft ,italian melodies that she had learned in their native land4 ,while the lovely voice kept on1 ,mrs4 ,lyte lay lapped in smiling content1 or slept in perfect tranquillity1 lulled more effectually than by any anodyne4 ,nor was ,astra any less ready to accept her kinswoman as a timely boon and blessing4 ,it was not only an unspeakable relief to feel a part of her heavy burden of care lifted from her shoulders by hands so willing1 so tender1 and with so undoubted a right to the privilege2 it was also a rare delight to have such thoroughly congenial companionship4 ,as for ,cathie1 her heart was easily won1--all the more that she never seemed to quite rid herself of her first impression that the new-comer was celestial rather than human1 and to be adored accordingly4 ,in short1 ,diva soon found for herself so fit1 definite1 and essential a place in all these hearts and lives as to suggest the idea that it must have been prepared expressly1 and kept waiting for her--she knew not how long4 ,nay1 more1--she must have been prepared for it2 carefully fitted1 by many sad and stern circumstances1 for this exchange of helpful influences1 for her part in that solemn symphony of events which was rolling its profound harmonies through ,mrs4 ,lyte's sick-chamber4 ,for the invalid did not rally4 ,after one week of apparent pause1 her life's lapse went steadily on4 ,day by day1 she weakened and wasted2 day by day1 the spirit loosened its mortal garments1 and made itself ready to put on immortality2 day by day1 her mind let go something of earthly cares1 anxieties1 wishes1 and fears1 and fixed itself more firmly upon the ,rock of ,ages1 and the rest that remaineth4 ,nothing of life seemed left1 by and by1 but love2 making manifest1 by this true survival of the fittest1 its ,divine origin and destiny4 ,one summer afternoon1 when the sun was flooding all the earth and sky with the glory of his departure1 ,bergan knocked at the door of ,astra's studio1 according to his daily habit1 to inquire if he could be of any service4 ,no answer being returned to his knock1 he let himself in and went softly to the bedroom door4 ,a scene too beautiful to be called sad1 though infinitely solemn1 met his view4 ,astra was seated on the bed1 holding her mother in her arms1 to afford her a grateful change of position4 ,cathie lay curled up at the invalid's feet1 with her large eyes fixed on the rapt1 hushed face1--the half-closed eyes and slightly parted lips of which suggested a soft sinking into that sweet slumber1 which is yet not so much slumber as a happy dream4 ,diva knelt by the bedside1 with her aunt's hand in hers1 singing in tones that thrilled him through and through1 much as he had learned in these days1 of the marvellous beauty and pathos of her voice2-- ,when ,i rise to worlds unknown1 ,and behold ,thee on ,thy ,throne1 ,rock of ,ages1 cleft for me1 ,let me hide myself in ,thee6 ,as the last note died away1 he stepped forward and lifted the unconscious form from ,astra's arms4 ,she looked up at him wonderingly4 ,the earthly hymn was very sweet1 said he gently1 but the song of the redeemed in ,paradise is sweeter still4 ,still she seemed not to understand4 ,what words were at once tender and solemn enough for the full explanation8 ,none but those of inspiration2 at once old and fresh2 having poured their balm all along down through the centuries1 yet falling on each newly bereaved heart1 as if still moist and cool with the dew of their birth4 ,reverently he quoted3-- ',blessed are the dead which die in the ,lord from henceforth3 ,yea1 saith the ,spirit1 that they may rest from their labors2 and their works do follow them4' ,mrs4 ,lyte was taken to ,berganton1 and laid in the churchyard by her husband's side1 amid much kindred dust4 ,bergan accompanied the small funeral train to within two or three miles of the village1 and then turned back2 in obedience to ,astra's wish1 as expressed to him through ,diva ,thane4 ,the poor girl remembered in what way her name and his had been connected1 and naturally shrank from anything that might seem to give it confirmation4 ,but as the train passed the avenue to ,bergan ,hall1 the ,major wheeled into the vacant place behind the carriage of the chief mourners1 assisted them out at the gate of the cemetery1 and offered ,astra his arm4 ,i am your father's nearest living relative1 said he1 huskily1 and though ,i behaved like a brute to your mother at one time1 ,i have been sorry enough for it since1 to have a right to follow her to the grave4 ,many of ,mrs4 ,lyte's old friends and neighbors gathered round to assist in the last solemn rites1 and some of them came afterward to say a few words of sympathy and regret to ,astra4 ,she was not surprised that ,doctor ,remy was not of the number1 but she did wonder a little that she saw nothing of ,carice4 ,she had observed ,mrs4 ,bergan standing near the foot of the grave1 looking strangely old and altered2 but she seemed to have disappeared as soon as the service was ended4 ,having conducted her back to the carriage1 and seated her therein1 ,major ,bergan took a folded paper from her pocket1 tore it in pieces1 and laid the fragments on her lap4 ,there it is1 said he2 and ,i wish that my hand had been sawed off before ,i ever wrote to your mother1 to tell her of its existence4 ,the place is yours now1 free and unincumbered1 to do what you like with4 ,good bye2 and don't bear malice1 if you can help it4 ,he gave her no opportunity to reply1 but signalled to the coachman to drive on4 ,looking back1 she saw him standing on the same spot1 with uncovered head1 watching the carriage until it was out of sight4 ,she was in nowise disposed to bear malice4 ,she remembered too well how glad she had been1 at the time1 of an available pretext for leaving ,berganton2 besides1 the ,major had certainly made all possible amends for his hasty action4 ,moreover1 ,mrs4 ,lyte's death-bed had not been without its softening and salutary effect upon her mind1 also4 ,although she had fallen1 for a time1 into that saddest of all infidelities--a distrust of ,god's goodness to ,his children--the last lovely moments of her mother's life1 the last grateful1 joyous words from her mother's lips1 and the still brightness of her mother's dead face1 had set her feet--for a little while at least--on those ,heights of ,contemplation1 whence life is seen to be good and valuable1 not for what it is1 but for what it shapes out2 not for the materials that it heaps together1 or the tools that it uses1 but for the character which it moulds unto perfection1 the soul which it slowly chisels into beauty and dignity and strength4 ,so viewed1 these last months of adversity became but the fine1 finishing touches of the ,master's hand1 to ,mrs4 ,lyte's already lovely spirit1 and ,major ,bergan but one of the blind1 necessary instruments1 operating better than he knew or willed4 ,and come what would1 ,astra could nevermore forget that broad view of the real work and object of life's events2 faith would ever after be easier for those moments of clear sight4 ,she came back from her mother's grave with a bereaved heart1 but with a spirit more at rest than it had been for many months2 and her face wore the same expression of gentle1 sweet resignation1 which had been the prevailing characteristic of her mother's for years4 ,she came back--but not to the dingy little house1 nor the desolate rooms1 and certainly not to the straitened circumstances4 ,miss ,thane had taken ,bergan into her confidence1 on the day before1 and asked the favor of his superintendence of certain final steps toward the accomplishment of a plan that she had conceived and partly executed4 ,money and good-will1 working together1 usually achieve wonders in comparatively short space of time2 as the result of their present cooperation1 ,astra was set down at ,miss ,thane's door on her return from ,berganton1 late at night1 and ushered into a suite of rooms1 opposite ,diva's own1 handsomely fitted up for the accommodation of herself and ,cathie4 ,one was a studio1 to which all her own pictures1 statues1 and other artistic belongings had been carefully transferred1 and skilfully arranged to produce an accustomed and home-like effect4 ,another was a pleasant little parlor1 with her books and her work-basket on the centre-table1 to lend it a familiar grace2 and in the bedroom beyond1 her faithful old ,chloe was waiting1 with joyful tears in her eyes1 to welcome and to attend upon her4 ,astra turned to her cousin1 and tried to speak2 but the too heavily freighted words were slow in coming forth1 and ,diva anticipated them by taking both her hands in hers1 and saying gently2-- ,we are sisters1 now1 ,astra3 children of twin mothers1 and left alone in the world1--,i more completely1 even1 than you2 what better thing can we do1 at least for the present1 than to unite our forces1 having one home1 and living1 loving1 and laboring together for the same1 or kindred ends8 ,and ,cathie shall be our joint charge2 that1 having two watchful elder sisters1 she may never know1 even partially1 what ,i know so well1 the misery of a motherless childhood4 ,is it a compact8 ,astra bowed her head in acquiescence1 and her eyes shone bright through grateful tears4 ,she was relieved beyond measure1 to know that she was not to face the world single-handed4 ,the loneliness that she had so dreaded was not to be encountered1 the heavy responsibility of her little sister's care and training was to be1 in some degree1 shared4 ,in ,diva's strength and steadfastness of character1 which she felt by intuition1 and in its sweetness1 which she had found out at her mother's bedside1 as very few had done before her1 there would be all needful protection1 aid1 and comfort2 while1 in its subtle quality of a wise and delicate reserve1 there was ample assurance of respect for her own individuality1 freedom for her own way of thought and work4 ,finally1 thanks to ,major ,bergan's generous action in respect of the mortgage1 she need not fear to be a burden on her cousin4 ,either by sale or lease1 the place could be made to yield her a fixed moderate income1 and her own labor would do the rest4 ,she did not suspect the extent of ,diva's resources1 nor what pleasant plans for her own and ,cathie's happiness and advantage she was turning over in her mind4 ,of these things ,diva would breathe no word1 until the sisterhood of which she had spoken had become so real and firm a bond as to preclude any sense of obligation4 ,meanwhile1 the fact of living no more to herself1 of having some one else to think of1 to care for1 to comfort and cheer1 was doing wonderfully effective work in clearing and softening ,diva's own character1--in uprooting the weeds which had chiefly testified to the richness of the underlying soil heretofore1 and giving the plants of grace leave to branch out and blossom and bear fruit4 ,daily1 as ,bergan met her1 in his visits to ,astra's studio1 or his walks1 he saw that something was gone from the chill pride and weariness of her old expression1 something added of sweetness1 softness1 and benignity1 yet without any loss of that still and stately grace1 in which had subsisted so potent a charm4 ,daily1 too1 he marvelled at her increasingly magnificent beauty2 over which1 none the less1 still lingered some faint shadow from the past1 like the soft haze hanging over an autumn landscape1 and constituting its last1 consummate grace4 ,he could not help wondering whence that shadow came1 and how it was to go1 since it always gave him an indefinable impression of being connected with his own destiny4 ,one day he met her in the street alone1 but1 as he never presumed in the least upon the half confidential relations into which circumstances had thrown them1 he was passing on with a courteous bow1 when she stopped him4 ,mr4 ,arling1 she said1 flushing slightly1 but in very clear1 musical tones1 ,i have much to thank you for1 but most of all for the promise which you made me at ,farview1 some weeks ago2 and which1 ,i doubt not1 you have conscientiously performed4 ,how much that performance has had to do with the important events that have taken place since1 ,i cannot tell2 but it is certain that ,i discern an order1 a sequence1 a relation of means to an end1 during these last weeks1 which ,i have never before been able to discover in the events of my life1--perhaps because my days have never before been so regularly and earnestly recommended to loving ,divine guidance4 ,be that as it may1 the time of which you spoke has come2 ,i have learned to pray for myself--and for others4 ,thank you again1 and good evening4 ,it was one of her peculiarities1 resulting probably from some years of residence abroad1 that she seldom gave her hand to a gentleman4 ,now1 however1 she offered it to ,bergan1 for the second time1 as he remembered2 and again1 as before1 he had a curious presentiment that within that white hand there lay an invisible1 but precious gift for him1 waiting its appointed time4 ,,ix4 ,,mistakes4 ,the summer ran its course1 and came to an end4 ,with the first frost of autumn1 ,hubert ,arling arrived in ,savalla1 to pay a visit of indefinite extent to his brother4 ,a few days after1 ,coralie1 newly returned from ,farview1 called at the office1 expecting to find her father there1 according to appointment2 but found only ,bergan1 as it appeared1 writing in his usual place4 ,he rose1 bowed1 and finally took her offered hand1 with what seemed to her an odd mixture of hesitation and embarrassment1 while she poured forth greetings1 thanks1 and questions4 ,you are looking wonderfully well1 she concluded2 one would think you had been rusticating in the mountains1 instead of spending a hot and lonely summer in the city4 ,but ,i suppose that you are lonely no longer2 you must be very glad to have your brother with you2 my father told me of his arrival4 ,he looked much amused4 ,i suspect that ,i am my brother1 said he1 smiling4 ,but ,i am not my brother whom you take me for4 ,i wish ,i were1--to have the honor of your acquaintance4 ,it was ,coralie's turn to look embarrassed4 ,i thought--is it not ,mr4 ,arling8 she stammered4 ,it is ,mr4 ,arling--,hubert ,arling1 at your service4 ,can ,i do anything for you8 ,coralie was so much amazed1 that it would have been difficult for her to decide1 at the moment1 whether he could do anything for her or not4 ,but the entrance of ,mr4 ,youle and ,bergan relieved her from the necessity of answering1 and gave her opportunity to compare the brothers at her leisure4 ,unquestionably1 they were singularly alike1 in personal appearance1 manner1 and somewhat1 even1 in mind4 ,only1 when seen together1 ,bergan was found to be so much older and graver of aspect--far more than was justified by his two years of seniority--that she wondered how she could ever have mistaken one for the other4 ,and1 certainly1 there was a rare charm about ,bergan's gravity1 a singular fascination in looking into his deep1 thoughtful1 all-observant eyes1 and conjecturing what disappointment or sorrow lay darkly underneath4 ,still1 ,hubert's buoyancy and animation were wonderfully taking1 too1 in their way2 and her youthfulness sprang involuntarily forward to meet his4 ,on the whole1 she was glad to know that ,mr4 ,arling had a brother every way so worthy of him4 ,before she left1 the brothers received and accepted an invitation from ,mr4 ,youle to dine with him4 ,but for ,hubert's sake1 ,bergan would gladly have declined it4 ,having once introduced his brother into pleasant society1 however1 he could leave him to make his own way in it1--as he was fully qualified to do4 ,when the door closed on the father and daughter1 ,hubert looked at his brother1 and smiled meaningly4 ,why did you not tell me8 he asked4 ,what should ,i tell8 rejoined ,bergan1 composedly4 ,that your future was likely to atone so prettily and pleasantly for your past4 ,bergan looked grave4 ,not another word of that1 ,hubert1 if you please4 ,the past is not atoned for1 in that sense2 in another1 ,i hope it may be4 ,miss ,coralie is1 to me1 simply my kind old partner's very admirable and estimable daughter4 ,hubert looked half incredulously into his eyes1 but there was no resisting the strong confirmation of their quiet1 steady1 answering gaze4 ,but1 ,bergan1 you are a goose6 he broke out4 ,at your service1 was the reply1 with a bow of mock courtesy4 ,pshaw6 ,then1 if ,i go and trade on your capital1 you will never call me to account8 ,never4 ,hubert held out his hand2 ,bergan gave it a firm1 strong clasp4 ,there was not another word2 they understood each other4 ,in the midst of the desultory chat that followed1 there came a knock at the door2 and in answer to ,bergan's prompt ,come in1 his former client1 ,unwick1 entered4 ,my brother1 explained ,bergan1 as the new comer looked a little hesitatingly at ,hubert4 ,would you like to see me alone8 ,as you please1 replied ,unwick4 ,it is your business rather than mine that brings me here2 if anything so vague and indefinite can be called business4 ,then1 proceed4 ,i have no secrets from my brother4 ,will you take a chair8 ,unwick sat down1 and cleared his throat4 ,it is a long story2 but ,i will make it as brief as ,i can4 ,you know that my cousin ,varley is now in prison1 under sentence of death for the murder of which ,i came so near to being convicted myself1--and should have been1 but for you4 ,well1 he sent for me a few days ago1 to ask my pardon1 and to beg me to take charge of a certain child of his4 ,it seems that1 two or three years ago1 he was inveigled into a marriage with a beautiful but unprincipled girl1 belonging to one of the worst families in this vicinity2 her parents keep a low tavern1 generally known1 ,i believe1 as the ',rat-,hole1' about a mile out of town1 on the ,berganton road4 ,do you know it8 ,yes1 it has been pointed out to me1 replied ,bergan4 ,well1 the girl is dead2 but there is a child1 left in the grandmother's hands1 which ,varley wants me to get possession of1 and bring up in a respectable way4 ,poor fellow6 he has seen what is the result of evil associations1 and desires to save his child from a similar fate4 ,still1 he wishes the matter to be arranged quietly1 if possible4 ,so1 yesterday1 ,i went out to see the grandmother--that explains how ,i came to be in so vile a place4 ,well1 ,i was made to wait for a half hour in a dirty little back room2 and having nothing else in the world to interest me1 my attention was attracted by a conversation on the other side of the thin board partition which divided the room from the next one4 ,still1 ,i doubt if ,i should have taken the trouble to try to make it out1 if ,i had not heard your name spoken4 ,then it occurred to me that ,i might possibly be able to do you a good turn1 in part payment of what you had done for me4 ,so1 swallowing my scruples as best ,i could1 ,i put my ear to one of the cracks1 and listened4 ,there were two men on the other side1 but they were wise enough not to call names1--,i did not get the least clue to whom or what they were4 ,one talked quite low1 but in a clear1 though rather thin voice1 which made it comparatively easy to catch what he was saying4 ,the other talked louder1 but pretty thick1 as if he were a good deal the worse for liquor2 and he mixed up everything that he said with such a queer medley of proverbs-- ,proverbs6 interrupted ,bergan1 starting1 and beginning to look interested4 ,yes1--proverbs in every language under the sun1--,latin1 ,greek1 ,spanish1 ,german1 and all the rest1--a regular ,tower-of-,babel performance4 ,do you recognize him8 ,i suspect that ,i do4 ,go on4 ,well1 his companion1--have ,i given you any clue to him8 ,none as yet4 ,perhaps ,i may get one as your story progresses4 ,he was persuading this old proverb-spouter to sign some paper1--a will1 ,i think2 but it was only after a good deal of arguing1 and bribing1 and threatening1 that he succeeded in doing so4 ,now comes your part in the matter2 the old fellow's great objection seemed to be that he didn't want to injure you4 ,me6 repeated ,bergan1 in much astonishment2 what had ,i to do with it8 ,that is exactly what ,i couldn't find out2 but ,i thought you might be able to tell4 ,you cannot8 ,not in the least4 ,what else was there8 ,nothing1 only the old bundle of proverbs also wanted to know 'what would be to pay1' if they were found out1--would it be felony1 or compounding of felony1 or what8 ,why6 exclaimed ,bergan1 the will was a forgery1 then6 ,i cannot say as to that4 ,the man who didn't spout proverbs set the other's scruples at rest1 first1 by asserting that there was not the least danger of detection2 and secondly1 by declaring that you would not sustain any injury1 because the property was certain to come to him1 soon or late1 anyhow4 ,whereupon the drunken ,solomon muttered1 sotto voce1 ',into the mouth of a bad dog1 often falls a good bone1' and appeared to sign his name as required4 ,at least1 ,i heard the scratching of a pen on paper2 and1 after that1 some money was told out on the table1 as a first instalment of the bribe agreed upon2 and another instalment was to be paid at the same place to-morrow4 ,do you get any light on the transaction yet8 ,bergan looked very grave4 ,he remembered old ,rue's assertion that ,doctor ,remy had wedded ,carice simply to get possession of the ,hall estates1 through his uncle's will in her favor4 ,was the first voice that of an educated man8 he asked4 ,thoroughly so2 an exceedingly distinct1 even intonation1 and the language was well chosen1 too4 ,it would have been a very pleasant voice to the ear1 except that it seemed to lack heart1 emotion2 it was just clear and cold1 like ice4 ,are you beginning to see your way through the affair8 ,very dimly1 if at all4 ,but ,i think that ,i know the parties4 ,is there anything to be done about it8 ,can ,i help you in any way8 ,bergan shook his head4 ,he remembered that ,doctor ,remy was the husband of ,carice4 ,he sat silent1 his heart swelling with unselfish pain and pity for the pure1 delicate nature thus linked to the dark and vile one2 he hoped that the latter had not lost the art of concealing somewhat of its hideousness4 ,mr4 ,unwick rose4 ,i will not detain you any longer4 ,i am glad--or sorry1 whichever is proper--that my story proves to be of so little importance4 ,thank you1 nevertheless1 for taking the trouble to come and tell it to me4 ,by the way1 did you get the child you went after8 ,not yet2 the grandmother declared that it was not in the house1 though ,i did not believe her4 ,bad woman as she is1 ,i think she really loves it1 and would like to keep it4 ,but ,i was authorized to offer her a considerable sum of money to get it quietly out of her hands2 and she knows that the law gives the father the right to dispose of its future4 ,i am going1 to-morrow afternoon1 to get a final answer from her1 after she has consulted with her husband1 who was out when ,i was there4 ,will you let me go with you8 ,i should like to see if ,i recognize any old acquaintance around the place2 and if ,i do1 to give him a friendly warning to take care not to be seen there again4 ,i happen to know that the premises are now under constant surveillance1 as a suspected depository of stolen goods1 and that the police are meditating a descent upon them in a day or two4 ,i shall be only too happy to have your company1 replied ,unwick1 courteously4 ,and ,i will go along1 too1 if you don't object1 remarked ,hubert4 ,if the place is of the character you mention1 the more the safer1 as well as merrier1 ,i should say4 ,then1 ,i will call for you to-morrow1 at three o'clock1 said ,unwick1 if that suits your convenience4 ,the ,rat-,hole wore an appearance of exceeding quietness1 in the sunny autumn afternoon4 ,a half tipsy vagabond or two lounged about the stoop1 but the greater part of its frequenters were of the owl species1 careful not to show their heads in the daytime4 ,having signified to the bar-keeper that his business was with the mistress of the house1 ,unwick was shortly summoned to her presence1 leaving the brothers waiting in the bar-room4 ,after a considerable time he reappeared1 and beckoned to ,bergan4 ,i have persuaded ,mrs4 ,smilt to allow of a witness to our transaction1 said he4 ,and he added1 in a low tone1 ,the pair that ,i spoke of1 are on the other side of the partition again2 you can hear their voices1 and satisfy yourself whether you know them or not4 ,mrs4 ,smilt was a hard1 ill-favored woman1 of about fifty2 she had a child on her lap1 and there were tears in her eyes4 ,mr4 ,unwick wants a witness to our business1 she remarked1 grimly1 to ,bergan4 ,well1 here's the child1 and there's the money that he's to pay me for't4 ,it's a fair bargain1 and ,i don't mean to shirk it2 though ,i'd rather keep the child1 a good deal1 myself4 ,but my husband 'ud rather have the money2 and he's captain4 ,bergan bowed4 ,he would not speak lest his voice should be heard and recognized in the adjoining apartment4 ,he drew near the partition1 but there was only a sound of footsteps on the other side1 and the closing of a door2 he was too late to get any satisfaction from this quarter4 ,he stood waiting impatiently for ,unwick to bring his business to an end1 and half inclined to excuse himself1 and make his escape1 when he heard a pistol-shot1 and a brief struggle1 ended by a heavy fall1 in the direction of the bar-room4 ,he opened the door1 and ran thither1 closely followed by ,unwick and ,mrs4 ,smilt4 ,a singular scene was presented to his eyes4 ,prostrate on the floor lay ,doctor ,remy1 with an exceedingly black and discomfited face2 while ,hubert was standing over him like a young gladiator4 ,on one side1 stood ,dick ,causton pouring forth a volley of utterly incoherent proverbs and entreaties1 addressed to his dear young friend ,mr4 ,bergan2 and1 on the other1 stood the barkeeper1 so bewildered1 apparently1 by this sudden and unaccountable fracas1 as to be undecided which side or what tone to take4 ,at sight of ,bergan1 ,dick reeled backward1 and looked completely confounded2 ,doctor ,remy set his teeth hard1 and his face grew blacker than ever4 ,bergan looked at ,hubert4 ,what does this mean8 he asked4 ,upon my soul1 ,i wish ,i knew6 responded ,hubert4 ,this--gentleman--there was a deeply sarcastic emphasis on the word--did me the honor to point a pistol at me4 ,i knocked it up1 and him down2 that is all ,i know about the matter4 ,bergan motioned him to stand aside1 and helped ,doctor ,remy to his feet4 ,thank ,god--if you ever do such a thing--said he solemnly1 that you have been saved from the commission of another crime4 ,go1 now2 and1 for your own sake1 as well as for the sake of those connected with you1 take care to be seen here no more4 ,i assure you that it is a dangerous place for persons without legitimate business and fair credentials4 ,doctor ,remy had recovered his composure1 in part4 ,he drew himself up haughtily4 ,keep your advice for those who need it1 he rejoined2 ,i am here simply as a physician1 in attendance upon a sick man4 ,what your business may be1 is none of mine3 good evening4 ,and he strode out of the door4 ,hubert stood looking on1 the picture of astonishment4 ,was there ever such a riddle6 said he4 ,first1 an unknown man attempts my life2 and next1 you bid him go in peace1 or something very like it6 ,he took you for me1 said ,bergan1 quietly4 ,i appreciate the compliment4 ,but are you in the habit of serving for a target8 ,hush6 ,it was ,doctor ,remy4 ,hubert looked more amazed than ever1 for a moment2 then his brow flushed1 and his eyes lit up4 ,lucky for him that you did not tell me that before1 said he4 ,he should never have gotten out of my hands1 except into those of a policeman4 ,why1 ,bergan1 what are you thinking of1 to let him escape us thus8 ,i will explain all to you1 when we get home1 answered ,bergan1 wearily4 ,mrs4 ,smilt1 ,i beg your pardon for having been the unintentional cause of such a commotion in your house2 ,i think ,i can assure you that no harm has been done4 ,mr4 ,unwick1 are you ready to go8 ,at the door1 ,bergan stopped and looked around for ,dick ,causton2 but he had taken advantage of the discussion between the brothers to sneak out4 ,the fact was a suggestive one to ,bergan1 taken in connection with ,unwick's story of the preceding day4 ,never before1 in spite of his bad habits and fallen estate1 had ,dick ,causton been known to flee from before any man's face4 ,x4 ,,like ,a ,,thief ,,in ,,the ,,night4 ,bergan could not help wasting a little wonder on ,doctor ,remy's choice of the ,rat-,hole as a place for transacting business1 of whatever character4 ,yet the explanation was simple4 ,the doctor was there1 as he had stated1 professionally4 ,one of the habitus of the place had been severely wounded in an encounter with a policeman1 some weeks before2 and although he had succeeded in escaping unrecognized1 the affair had made so much stir that his friends had not deemed it prudent to put him into the hands of any of the city physicians1 for treatment4 ,doctor ,remy had therefore been summoned from ,berganton1 and had not only conducted the case with his usual skill1 but1 foreseeing a possibility of turning the circumstance to future account1 had won the ruffian's warmest gratitude by keeping his secret and declining any fee4 ,having thus gotten the run of the place1 and the good will of its inmates1 he had chosen it for the scene of his interviews with ,dick ,causton1 because he had his own excellent reasons for not wishing these interviews to be seen or suspected by anybody in ,berganton4 ,and ,dick made no objections1 inasmuch as various small errands1 which he dignified with the title of business1 had taken him to ,savalla1 for two or three consecutive days2 and the ,rat-,hole was a convenient stopping-place1 and1 moreover1 furnished liquor which had the two-fold merit of being of a better quality than any to be had at the ,gregg ,tavern1 and of being quaffed at ,doctor ,remy's expense4 ,dick was not likely to trouble his head much about the character of any house possessing these strong recommendations4 ,in regard to the signing of the fraudulent will1 he had shown himself a little more scrupulous2 his habit of intoxication had not yet accomplished its evil work of obliterating all sense of right1 and every consideration of honor4 ,at the first broaching of the subject1 he had indignantly refused to listen to it for a moment4 ,later on--having apparently gotten some new lights on the question in the meantime--he had quietly suffered his objections to give way1 one after another1 to the doctor's arguments and bribes2 to the great satisfaction of the latter1 who found his task1 on the whole1 easier than he had expected4 ,yet he might have felt some misgivings1 if he had followed ,dick out of the house1 immediately after the signing of the will1 and heard the low1 satisfied chuckle with which he tumbled into his superannuated chaise1 and started his horse on a jog-trot toward ,berganton4 ,the potent draught just swallowed had as yet taken effect only in quickening his sense of the humorous1 and putting him on excellent terms with his own self-conceit4 ,his eyes twinkled with amusement1 too intense to be denied the occasional vent of a loud burst of laughter1 or an appropriate string of proverbs4 ,wer dem ,spide zusicht1 kann's am besten1 my dear ,doctor ,remy1 he muttered2 or1 in other words1 the looker-on sees more of the game than the player4 ,what would you give to know what ,i know1 ,i wonder6 ,just wait till the right time comes2 then you'll find out that ',he is worst cheated1 who cheats himself4' ,a mile further on1 his potations beginning to make themselves felt1 he suddenly broke out1 with a tipsy laugh and leer2--',man kan ei drage haardt med brudet ,reb1' mine excellent doctor1--you cannot haul hard with a broken rope6 ,ha6 ha6 ,and1 although his shamefaced flight from ,bergan's presence1 on the second day1 may seem to indicate that he was not quite certain of the uprightness of all his acts and motives1 no sooner was he fairly on the road to ,berganton than he began to chuckle again4 ,bergan1 meanwhile1 was questioning within himself whether he ought not to make known ,unwick's story to ,major ,bergan4 ,he hesitated only because he foresaw that the information might possibly be set down to his self-interest1 rather than his desire to serve his uncle4 ,nevertheless1 it did not take him long to decide that he must do what he knew to be the right thing1 regardless of consequences4 ,nor was it certain that his uncle would misconstrue his motives3--not long since1 he had received an intimation from ,rue that he was sure to meet with a cordial reception whenever he could make it convenient to visit ,berganton2 the ,major's anger having so completely wasted away under the double attrition of time and favorable report1--not to mention her own steady influence in his behalf1--that he had lately expressed a wish to see him4 ,there was really no good reason1 therefore1 why he should hesitate to present himself at the ,hall1 except that the whole neighborhood was certain to bristle with unpleasant recollections4 ,however1 he must face them some time1 and as well now as ever4 ,still1 as nightfall was at hand1 and he knew of no reason for hurry1 he thought it expedient to postpone the visit till the morrow4 ,he would ride over to the ,hall1 he thought1 betimes in the morning4 ,having made his arrangements accordingly1 and committed his office to ,hubert's care1 he retired early1 and soon forgot the fatigues and excitements of the day in a profound sleep4 ,he had not slept long1 however1 before he woke from a dream--wherein ,doctor ,remy figured as an iconoclast1 overthrowing and demolishing the ancient gods of ,bergan ,hall--to the consciousness that some one was knocking loudly at his door4 ,who is there8 he called4 ,it's me1 ,massa ,harry1 responded a voice1 with the unmistakable negro intonation2 but1 nevertheless1 a voice too much disconnected with the present to meet with immediate recognition from his but half-awakened faculties4 ,who is 'me'8 he demanded again4 ,you's own boy ,brick1 ,massa ,harry1 was the reply4 ,with an instant intuition of evil1 ,bergan sprang out of bed1 and opened the door4 ,what is the matter8 he asked4 ,oh1 ,massa ,harry6 ole massa's dyin'1 replied ,brick2 an' gramma ,rue1 she sent me for you to come right off'2 she say1--',tell him to ride fast1 dere's not a minit to lose4' ,an' ,i'se brought ,vic 'long for you2 an' while you's a-dressin'1 ,i'll jes' go an' give her a drink1 an' rub her down a lilly bit1 so she'll be right smart and fresh when you's ready to start4 ,it was one o'clock in the morning when ,bergan saw the great dusky pile of the ,hall1 and the dark masses of the live oaks1 rise before him1 in the pale light of the waning moon4 ,he knew that its master lay within4 ,brick had narrated how ,rue had ordered and superintended his removal thither1 in one of his moments of comparative quiet and exhaustion2--the old woman being of the opinion that it was not fitting for him to die otherwhere than under the ancestral roof1 in the same room where one after another of his forefathers had likewise laid down the burden of the flesh1 and begun the new life of the spirit4 ,to this room1 ,bergan was easily guided by his groans and cries4 ,never before had he seen a man in the terrible grasp of delirium tremens2 and now1 after a brief look1 he was glad to turn away his eyes4 ,major ,bergan was on the bed1 but he was only held there by the main strength of two stout negroes4 ,a frightful spasm contorted his face and twisted his limbs4 ,great drops of perspiration stood on his brow2 and from his mouth flowed a mingled stream of oaths1 curses1 shrieks of horror1 threats of defiance1 and groans of agony4 ,his bodily anguish was only less than his mental torture4 ,his eyes started from his head at the phantom-creations of his delirious imagination4 ,the furniture was alive1 watching him with fiery eyes1 and threatening him with envenomed teeth and claws2 the shadows took mocking shapes and gibed and jeered at him2 and the pictures were demons setting them all on4 ,the very hairs of his head turned to slimy snakes1 and the bed-clothes were now damp winding-sheets1 and now devouring flames4 ,have you had a doctor8 asked ,bergan of ,rue1 who had met him at the door4 ,yes2 ,doctor ,remy has been here twice2 he left not much more than half an hour ago4 ,he said he had a critical case on hand1 that must be seen to2 and there was nothing to be done here1 except what we could do as well as he4 ,what are you doing8 ,giving him soup to keep up his strength1 and opium to quiet him4 ,a few minutes ago1 too1 in a lucid moment1 he called for some powders that he has been in the habit of taking1 which1 he said1 always did him more good than anything else4 ,there were only two left2 we gave him one1 as he was so bent on having it2 ,i thought if it did no good1 it couldn't do any harm4 ,did ,doctor ,remy say that he would call again8 ,he did1 but1 ,master ,bergan1 a blind woman's ears are quick at catching meanings as well as words1 and he did not mean to come very soon1--not1 ,i reckon1 till all is over4 ,bergan meditated4 ,though he had long known that his uncle's habits would be likely to bring him1 sooner or later1 to a drunkard's most miserable end1 he could not but think it somewhat suspicious that the seizure should have followed so closely upon the completion of the fraudulent will4 ,when was my uncle taken8 he asked4 ,early this evening4 ,he had been drinking a good deal for two or three days past2 he said he did not feel well1 and he would keep at the brandy bottle1 in spite of all that ,i could say to him4 ,about ten o'clock this morning1 ,doctor ,remy came in to see him1 and ,i suspect1 told him something that made him angry1--for ,i heard him swearing furiously to himself1 after the doctor had gone4 ,and then1 probably1 he fell to drinking worse than ever2 but it was not until about four o'clock that ,i heard him groaning and crying out1 and he has kept it up a good part of the time ever since4 ,but now1 ,i think1 he seems to be getting a little easier4 ,bergan turned to the bed4 ,the spasm was over1 and the ,major lay exhausted1 with his eyes closed4 ,opening them1 they immediately brightened with a look of recognition4 ,is that you1 ,harry8 he asked1 feebly4 ,yes1 uncle1 replied ,bergan1 taking his hand2 ,rue sent for me1 and ,i came at once4 ,i am sorry to see you so ill4 ,i think you are1 my boy1 ,i think you are1 responded ,major ,bergan2 you look like it1 and besides1 a ,bergan never lies4 ,and ,i'm sorry1 too1--all the more1 because ,i suspect that it's my own fault4 ,if ever you learn to drink--and ,i don't feel quite so sure that it's necessary as ,i did once--don't drink too hard1 ,harry1 don't drink too hard6 ,if ever ,i get over this bout1 ,i swear ,i'll think twice1 hereafter1 before ,i drink once4 ,and if ,i don't1 ,i'm glad you're here1 ,harry1 boy2 it's well for the new master to be on before the old one is off4 ,i hope that you will live to carry your good resolutions into effect1 said ,bergan earnestly4 ,do you8 ,well1 so do ,i4 ,he lay quiet for a moment1 busy with his own thoughts4 ,all at once he started up1 exclaiming2-- ,fire and fury6 what's that8 ,the negroes caught hold of him1 expecting a fresh convulsion of the same nature as the preceding ones2 but1 though his face was frightfully distorted1 and his form writhed with pain1 there was no accompaniment of phantasmal horrors4 ,brandy6 he finally gasped1 through his set teeth4 ,rue motioned to one of the women in waiting to bring some4 ,bergan put his hand on her arm4 ,surely you will not give it to him now1 said he1 impressively4 ,the doctor said he must have a little1 now and then1 she answered4 ,but before the glass could be put to his lips1 he groaned1 shuddered from head to foot1 and fell back on the pillow1 with his eyes rolled up in his head1 his hands clenched1 and a dark froth issuing from1 between his shut teeth4 ,he was dead4 ,,xi4 ,,after ,,many ,,days4 ,there was a sudden silence--the shadow of ,god's hand4 ,in it the lately agonized1 writhing body lay at peace1 the anxious spectators stood awed and motionless4 ,yet this silence was more voiceful than any sound1--full of solemn questionings and more solemn answers1 subtle suggestions1 grave warnings1 and momentous intimations4 ,of the value and the valuelessness of life1 of the night and the morning of death1 of the character and the import of the ,hereafter1--on all these topics it discoursed more eloquently than the most silvery of oratorical tongues4 ,it had also its more commonplace and definite purport to the simple-minded dependents gathered in the gloom of the broad gallery and the black oaken staircase2 which was no sooner fully apprehended1 than the sound of weeping was heard among them1--though not noisily demonstrative1 according to the ,african wont1 for their awe of their late master had been greater than their affection1 and was in nowise diminished by the knowledge of the dread change that had come upon him4 ,it was genuine sorrow1 nevertheless1 for1 though he had been a hard master1 of late1 most of them remembered when he had been kinder2 and1 at the worst1 he had not been without gleams of good humor and leniency1 upon which their minds now dwelt willingly and tenderly4 ,some few gray heads1 too1 there were among them1 who recollected the grace and promise of his youth1 and how proud they had been of their gay1 handsome1 generous1 high-spirited master2 and these1 striving to forget that the promise had not been kept1 or to set down its failure to adverse fate rather than wilful shortcoming1 crowded the doorway1 or stole in pairs to the foot of the bed1 and looked through tears at the dead face1 and whispered to each other that something of its youth had come back to it2--the soul1 as it took its departure1 had stamped the features with their original nobility and grace4 ,and then they stole out1 to prompt each other's memories with anecdotes of that vanished youth1 and to dilate the eyes of their juniors with descriptions of the ancient splendors and hospitalities of the desolate old ,hall2--the banquets that had been served in the dusky dining-room1 the gay measures that had been trodden in the long parlor1 the wedding-trains and the funeral processions that had passed through the great door2 and1 finally1 of the ghosts that still walk the empty rooms1 and may be expected to be seen stalking through the long passages to-night1 or holding solemn conclave around the deserted tabernacle of the latest comer among them4 ,hark6 is not that the sound of footsteps1 falling airily1 yet heavily1 too1 in some distant chamber8 ,and there1 in the upper gallery1 is certainly the rustle of the supernaturally stiff silk robe of the first ,lady ,bergan1 who was found dead in her bed1 so many years ago6 ,and now creaks the door at the end of the wing1 through which old ,sir ,harry is wont to march majestically forth1 sword in hand1 to take vengeance on any degenerate scion of the house that he encounters in his path6 ,this last apparition is too much for their nerves4 ,they shrink together1 and flee noiselessly to their cabins1 hearing the footsteps of the angry knight following them all the way1 and leaving the old house untenanted save by the-ghosts1 and the few faithful watchers in the death-chamber4 ,rue is kneeling by the corpse4 ,she has closed the eyes--sightless as her own2--she has smoothed back the disordered hair2 she has pressed the lips together over the set teeth2 now she is passing her withered hand gently over the blind features1 thinking more of the baby that she nursed1 the child that she petted and spoiled1 and the youth that she admired and loved1 than of the middle-aged man that she had served with her best strength1 or the elderly one that she had stood by so faithfully1 striving in vain to hold him back from his evil ways4 ,finally1 she touches the cold lips with her own4 ,i kissed him when he was born1 she murmurs1 half apologetically1 to ,bergan1 and there will be no kiss on his dead lips1 unless ,i leave it there4 ,bergan looks at her wonderingly4 ,her face is calm--there are no tears in her eyes2 she has the satisfied and relieved expression of one who1 after long and patient waiting1 beholds the expected rest or gladness close at hand1 and is already half content4 ,one little trust more to be fulfilled1 she says softly to herself1 and then my work is done1 my long service of the family is over4 ,my ,god1 have ,i served ,thee as well8 ,and although1 in her deep humility1 she shakes her head1 and pronounces herself an unprofitable servant1 we1 who can hear better that voice in the silence1 making little of rank1 wealth1 talent1 and culture1 and much of faith1 patience1 and integrity1 may be sure that it utters benignantly1--,well done6 ,rising1 at last1 ,rue turned to ,bergan1 and made him a low1 reverential courtesy4 ,master ,bergan1 she asked1 have you any orders to give8 ,bergan started4 ,there was a quiet significance in her tone and manner that made his heart beat fast1 for just one moment1--not with elation1 however1 so much as with a heavy weight of responsibility2 as if the chill corpse1 the crumbling ,hall1 the hundreds of negroes1 the far-stretching lands1 and all the cares and complexities thereto pertaining1 had been suddenly flung on his shoulders4 ,but the feeling passed quickly2 he remembered the will in favor of ,carice1 as well as its fraudulent successor 7which1 he now bethought himself1 it might be impossible to nullify1 even if he could bring himself to come in conflict with ,carice's husband72 and the weight slid easily from his shoulders1 though not without leaving some correlative heaviness in his heart4 ,still there were orders to be given2 and1 until a more legitimate authority or a closer relationship should supersede him1 he1 being on the spot1 must answer the immediate need of headship4 ,he despatched messengers1 therefore1 in various directions1--one to ,godfrey ,bergan to apprise him that the long1 bitter feud was ended1 and between him and the corpse of his brother there might be peace2 another to ,doctor ,remy1 with a supplementary direction that if he was not to be found1 ,doctor ,gerrish should be summoned also2 and a third to the undertaker1 to arrange for the sombre funeral paraphernalia4 ,when all was done1 he was glad to retire for awhile to his room1 leaving ,rue1 as she desired1 alone with her dead4 ,yes1 hers1--no living person had so strong a prescriptive right to that sad and tender vigil2 no other love held the sufficient warrant of such long and loyal service4 ,bergan remembered1 long afterward1 just how she looked as he bade her good night2 standing1 tall1 gaunt1 and erect1 by the high1 old-fashioned bedstead1 drawing the heavy curtains round the silent dead with one hand1 and extending the other toward him with a free and lofty gesture that suggested the unveiling of a new and golden future4 ,good night1 ,master ,bergan1 said she1 or rather1 good morning4 ,for you1 the night is past1 and the dawn is near4 ,for you the ,bergan star shines bright in the morning sky2 for you and the old ,hall a new reign of peace and prosperity is begun4 ,neglect not the warnings of the past2 rejoice in the promise of the future4 ,god bless you1 now and evermore6 ,the last words were spoken with a solemnity befitting a long farewell4 ,at the moment1 a vague apprehension flitted across ,bergan's mind2 but1 looking back1 he saw that she had seated herself quietly by the bed1 like one whose only purpose was to watch and wait4 ,besides1 she had spoken freely of the morrow's necessities and duties1 and of her own part in them2 it was plain that she had no apprehension for herself1 and he might dismiss his fears4 ,in the hall1 he was met by the solemn ticking of the tall old clock1 which some one had set in motion2 probably with a vague idea that a human soul's last minutes of time should be carefully measured1 and the moment of its entrance upon eternity definitely marked4 ,he could not help shivering at the sound4 ,his mind involuntarily followed the departed soul in its journeyings beyond the bounds of time1 picturing the heights or depths it had already reached1 the scenes opened to its awed vision1 the momentous truths dawning upon its startled comprehension4 ,these thoughts not only accompanied him to his room1 but would not be shut out by the closing door4 ,weary as he was1 he had no disposition to sleep4 ,he sat down by the table1 leaned his head on his hand1 and gave himself up to sombre reflections4 ,the gloomy deathbed that he had just witnessed1 the emptiness and decay of the old ancestral home1 the tangled questions of right and expediency that might present themselves for decision at any moment1--all these weighed heavily on his mind1 and depressed his spirits4 ,for one moment he half forgot his rooted trust in an overruling ,providence1 at once wise and tender1 in the contemplation of the chill chain of events that appeared to be tightening around him1 the seemingly mysterious fate that had twice compelled his return to this dreary old dwelling1--tomb rather1--to experience some new phase of sin or sorrow1 after he had turned his back upon it1 as he believed1 for many years1 if not forever4 ,no wonder the negroes thought it haunted2 its heavy1 musty atmosphere was much better adapted for ghosts to float about in than to be breathed into living lungs2 it might well be crowded with the spirits of his whole ancestry1 to make it so stifling6 ,he went to the window1 to see if it were any better there4 ,scarcely4 ,the moon had vanished behind a cloud2 the night was dim2 the outside air seemed not less burdened with woe and mystery than that within2 he even fancied that he heard light footsteps on the path below4 ,he flung himself again into his chair1 and an almost superstitious awe stole over him1 a feeling that there was no such thing as emptiness1 but only invisibility1--that the air was teeming with mystic shapes1 busily tying circumstance to circumstance1 cause to effect1 motive to result1 and life to life1 with cords of terrible strength and indestructibility4 ,cords3--,the word struck lightly on the sensitive chain of association1 and there was an instant response from the past2--,holden with the cords of his sins4 ,no doubt that was the essential truth4 ,strictly speaking1 a separate act or an individual life was an impossibility2 each was bound to each by influence or consequence2 sin1 especially1 entailed its results upon a wide circle of inheritors1--the sinner himself1 his kindred1 friends1 neighbors1 even his descendants unto remote generations4 ,doubtless the sins of many old-time ,bergans had helped to twist the cords which had held the mansion of their pride to so sad a period of desertion and decay1 if not their scion to so woful a death4 ,with how many such cords was he himself holden1 and to what1 and for how long8 ,he lifted his eyes with a start4 ,a dim shadow had fallen on the floor2 something was intercepting the gray dawn-rays1 which feebly lit the room4 ,he looked at the open window2 it framed a slight graceful figure1 a wan1 but lovely face1--both so well remembered1 so fondly loved1 so mournfully lost6 ,of course1 it was an apparition1 a creation of his own excited fancy1 called forth to furnish another illustration of the strange ramifications and knottings of those mystical cords1 and soon to disappear1 and make way for some other sharer of his bonds4 ,and disappear it did2 but with a sudden crash1 and a startled cry of ,bergan6--neither of which had any touch of the supernatural4 ,the unexpected sounds at once his awe2 he ran to the window1 saw that the rotten flooring of the upper piazza had broken down under some recent weight1 leaped the gap1 flew down the steps1 and found lying underneath a motionless form and a lily-pale face1 both half hidden in long1 flowing tresses4 ,no apparition this1 but a living1 breathing ,carice1--or what had lately been such2--she looked deathlike enough now4 ,it may well be questioned whether love ever dies4 ,it disappears from sight1 no doubt2 it ceases to be felt as motive or end2 the very heart from whence it sprang believes that it is no more2 perhaps a new--and true--affection occupies its place and does its work4 ,but is this apparent death anything more than a partial decay1 analogous to that by which thousands of perennial plants seem annually to perish from the face of the earth1 under the frosts of autumn1 but the roots of which1 nevertheless1 carefully preserve their life-principle within1 ready to respond with swift springing verdure to the tender kisses and tears of the springtime sun and rain8 ,is not all death only a sleep8 ,bergan had striven conscientiously to destroy his love for ,carice1 as a thing which1 however innocent in its birth1 had grown to be a sin4 ,and he had measurably succeeded4 ,his worst heartache was over4 ,life had ceased to look unattractive2 if it did not promise happiness1 it offered plenty of work1 and a sober well-being4 ,he was beginning to feel the beneficent operation of the law of change1 to find that sorrow was not meant to be the life-tenant of any human heart4 ,if he had met ,carice under other circumstances1 less calculated to throw him off his guard1 he would doubtless have approved himself master of the situation2 meeting her with calm cousinly courtesy and kindness1 and stifling only a momentary pang in his deep heart4 ,but seeing her thus1--pale1 motionless1 unconscious1--dying1 perhaps1 if not already dead1--flung back at his feet1 for sympathy and succor1 by some mysterious turn of the same tide of circumstance which had borne her away1--a lost jewel1 restored after many days1--it is scarcely to be wondered at that1 for one moment1 as he knelt by the inanimate form1 he forgot all the sorrowful past in the anxiety of the present1 and touched the mute lips with the warm kiss of a love which1 though long repressed and slumbering1 seemed now to have neither wasted nor died4 ,he soon recollected himself1 however2 when1 seeing that ,carice still breathed1 and was probably only stunned by her fall1 he at once addressed himself to the consideration of the serious question what was to be done with her4 ,she had fled suddenly1 it would seem1 led by some wild1 uncontrollable impulse2 nothing shielded her from chill or from observation but a nightdress and a light shawl2 on one foot was a thin slipper1 the other was bare and bleeding2 and her dishevelled hair fell round her shoulders1 some locks of which1 he now noticed1 were encrimsoned by blood flowing from a deep cut in her head4 ,he glanced quickly round2 the dawn was yet gray1 there was no one astir at the ,hall1 and probably not at ,oakstead2 unless she had been missed1 there was still time to save her from what1 he knew1 she would feel to be worse than death1 when fully restored to consciousness4 ,he lifted her in his arms--it went to his heart1 even at that moment1 to feel how thin and light she was--and bore her swiftly to the door of her home4 ,there ,mr4 ,bergan and ,rosa met him2 they had just discovered her absence1 but had not given the alarm2 they were still too bewildered to know precisely what steps should be taken for her recovery4 ,bergan carried her to the library1 and laid her on the sofa4 ,as he did so1 she opened her eyes1 turned from him to ,mr4 ,bergan1 and cried out1 in a voice of mingled entreaty and determination2-- ,father1 ,i cannot be ,doctor ,remy's wife6 ,bergan looked at his uncle with a mixture of surprise and apprehension4 ,she is delirious1 said he4 ,no1 thank ,god6 answered ,mr4 ,bergan1 with a look of ineffable relief and gladness2 she is herself again--clothed and in her right mind4 ,,part ,,fifth4 ,a ,,bitter ,,harvest4 ,i4 ,a ,,cloud ,,for ,a ,,covering4 ,the twelvemonth gone by had not passed lightly over ,godfrey ,bergan4 ,he was not the same man who had refused so peremptorily to listen to ,bergan1 on that memorable eve of ,carice's wedding4 ,not only had he grown grayer and thinner1 slower of gait and heavier of step2 not only were his shoulders bent and his head drooping2 but his face wore an expression of settled gravity1 bordering on melancholy1 and his manner was gentle1 almost to submissiveness4 ,since the night when he had staggered into the cabin of the trusty ,bruno1 bending under the weight of his dripping burden1 he had never1 in one sense1 laid it down4 ,the thought that he had forced his daughter into a marriage so abhorrent to her that she had been fain to escape from it through the awful door of suicide1 had never ceased to haunt his mind1 and burden his heart and his conscience4 ,it had not occurred to him that the fall from the bridge was accidental1 inasmuch as ,rosa had deemed it her duty to keep inviolate the secret of her young mistress's errand abroad on that night2 he was therefore unable to conjecture why ,carice should have sought the river-side at so inopportune an hour1 except with a purpose of self-destruction4 ,nor did it give him any comfort to reflect that her mind must have been set all ajar1 before she would have resorted to so desperate an expedient2 that only lifted the terrible responsibility from her shoulders to lay it more crushingly on his own4 ,it was he1 who1 without giving her time to recover from the shock of ,bergan's apparent infidelity1 or the fatigue and anxiety occasioned by his own illness1 had urged her into a union with a man for whom she persistently asserted that she neither had1 nor would ever be likely to have1 any warmer feeling than respect for his intellectual attainments1 and admiration for his professional skill and devotion4 ,to be sure1 he had done it solely with a view to her happiness1--doing evil that good might come1 and finding too late that ,whatsoever a man soweth1 that shall he reap4 ,first1 on that woful night1 he had carried ,carice to ,bruno's cabin1 partly because it was nearer to the scene of the disaster1 and partly because he feared to encounter some lingering guest or indiscreet servant1 if he took her to the cottage4 ,fortunately1 ,bruno and his wife were both within2 and the latter immediately applied herself to the work of restoration according to her lights2 while the former was dispatched1 with suitable injunctions to be secret and expeditious1 to bring more efficient aid in the person of ,doctor ,remy4 ,it soon appeared that--thanks to her father's promptness--,carice had sustained little injury from her immersion in the water2 but1 though heart and lungs were quickly brought to resume their functions1 her senses remained fast locked in stupor4 ,knitting his brows1 for a brief space1 over this unexpected complication1 ,doctor ,remy betook himself to a careful examination of the patient's head2 and shortly announced that he had discovered a severe contusion of the skull1 implying more or less serious injury to the brain4 ,the stupor would last hours--possibly days4 ,meanwhile1 many appliances and comforts which the cabin could not afford1 would be demanded2 he therefore advised her immediate removal to the cottage4 ,mr4 ,bergan hastened to break the distressing news to her mother1 and to make sure that the house and grounds were clear2 then ,carice was carefully placed on a litter1 and borne to her own room4 ,it was long before she showed any sign of consciousness1 longer still before she was free from the supervening fever and delirium1 and capable of coherent thought and expression4 ,when that time came1 it was found that her memory of the past five months was a blank4 ,bergan's unaccountable silence1 her father's trying illness1 ,doctor ,remy's unacceptable suit1 and the ill-starred marriage ceremony--everything which had distressed her mind or wounded her heart1 had been completely wiped out of her recollection as by some friendly1 pitying hand2 and she was carried back1 all unconscious of the transit1 to the tender joy and blissful content with which she had parted from ,bergan4 ,to her thought it was only a few days since he went2 yet1 with a pleasant inconsequence1 she was already beginning to watch for his return4 ,at first1 she had seemed a little bewildered by the change of season2 it was amidst the flower and foliage of early summer that ,bergan had said good-bye2 now1 the deciduous trees stood bare against the sky1 and the flower-beds were shorn of their glory4 ,but her mind was too feeble to reason1 and she soon accepted the fact1 as she did many another1 without trying to account for it4 ,enough to know that1 winter being near1 ,bergan must be near also4 ,it may be noted as a curiously ironical turn of that blind ,chance1 or ,fate1 in which ,doctor ,remy believed1 that he was compelled1 in his professional capacity1 to give orders that ,carice should be carefully humored1 for the present1 in this or any other delusion4 ,there was something at stake of far more importance1 to him1 than his personal feelings as a man or a bridegroom--namely1 the ownership of ,bergan ,hall4 ,in consideration of that1 ,carice must be spared everything tending to excite or distress her1 and indulged in whatever was soothing to her mind1 or pleasing to her fancy4 ,meanwhile1 he addressed himself1 with renewed ardor and determination1 to the study of brain diseases4 ,his attention had already been engaged by the recently promulged theory of ,gall1 that each faculty of the mind had its distinct location in the brain2 and he was quick to see the fine field thereby opened to pathological investigation4 ,it was in this direction that he hoped1 some day1 to make his name famous2 and it was chiefly as a means to this end that ,bergan ,hall was valuable in his eyes4 ,he wanted wealth in order to be able to devote himself exclusively to the study of this branch of medical science1 and to pursue it1 unhampered by considerations of expense1 throughout the books and manuscripts1 the practitioners and patients1 the hospitals and asylums1 the morgues and the dissecting-rooms1 of the whole world4 ,till he could do that1 he must content himself with the one patient whom circumstance had thrown into his hands4 ,but here1 he was unexpectedly disappointed1 in a measure4 ,whether it were that enough of her recollection revived to associate him dimly with anxiety and distress2 or whether1 her reason being in abeyance1 she was more controlled by her pure and delicate instincts2 certain it is1 that ,carice's fever no sooner left her1 than she developed the most unconquerable aversion to him1 amounting in time to a degree of terror4 ,at his approach1 she either hid her face1 and trembled like an aspen leaf1 or she fled with cries of fright4 ,and these moments of excitement were followed by such alarming prostration1 that ,doctor ,remy was reluctantly compelled to admit the necessity of keeping out of her sight4 ,his investigations had thenceforth to be conducted through the agency of her parents or of ,rosa4 ,now and then1 when she slept1--and her sleep was always singularly profound1 the very twin brother of death1--he stole into her room1 to acquaint himself with some particular of the location1 depth1 or progress in healing1 of the injury to her head1 and to satisfy himself of the state of her general health4 ,to every one but ,doctor ,remy1 ,carice was gentleness itself4 ,she was happiness1 too1 in a touchingly quiet1 dreamy1 illogical form4 ,she was content to spend hours at the window1 watching for the first glimpse of ,bergan1 with a smile on her lips1 and her eyes bright with eager expectation2 and though she sometimes sighed1 when the day ended1 and he did not come1 she was ready to begin the same hopeful watch on the morrow1 and never seemed to know how long it had lasted4 ,as she grew stronger1 she resumed1 in some measure1 her old pursuits2--she busied herself with light household tasks2 she wrought dainty embroidery with silks and worsteds2 she read1 chiefly poetry1 the music of which seemed to please her ear1 without fatiguing her mind2 she even noticed the cloud on her father's brow1 and made gentle war upon it1--conquering1 of course1 as long as he was in her sight1 and never suspecting how heavily it settled back afterward4 ,but all this time1 the veil over the past never lifted1 nor was the eager watch for ,bergan ever abandoned4 ,the few intimate friends1 or the servants not of the household1 who saw her occasionally1 noticed nothing unusual about her1 except the delicacy and languor consequent upon a severe illness2 ,mrs4 ,bergan being always present to turn the conversation away from every dangerous point1 and guide it through safe channels4 ,to the rest of the world1 it was simply known that ,carice had suddenly been stricken down1 on her wedding night1 by a fever1 supposed to be of the same nature as the one which had lately prostrated her father2 and that she was not yet sufficiently strong to show herself abroad1 or see much company at home4 ,doctor ,remy1 meanwhile1 came and went1 and spent as much time at the cottage as could reasonably be expected of a physician with a large area of practice1 and an office three miles away from his nominal home4 ,not a person1 outside of the limited household1 supposed that he never saw ,carice1 except when she was fast asleep1 and totally unconscious of his presence4 ,so the months rolled away1 and the year drew near to its close4 ,doctor ,remy had prosecuted his abstruse study1 by the dim light of the science of that day1 with characteristic energy and acuteness4 ,he had slowly felt his way1 from the premise that each faculty of the mind had its appropriate seat in the brain1 to the conclusion that every local injury or disease would affect mainly the faculty corresponding to the injured or diseased portion1 thereby not only indicating the seat of the impaired faculty1 but suggesting the possibility of a local remedy for the local disturbance1--probably a delicate and difficult surgical operation1 to remove pus1 slivers of bone1 or other foreign matter pressing upon1 piercing1 or otherwise irritating the sensitive cellular tissue of the brain4 ,now1 he only longed for an opportunity to test his conclusions by experiment1 and would certainly have attempted to use ,carice for this purpose1 except that on her slender thread of life hung his only chance of ,bergan ,hall4 ,it would not do to sacrifice the immense future advantage to the small immediate gain4 ,nature1 meanwhile1 was laboring in her slow1 gentle way1 to effect the same end contemplated by the doctor's science4 ,with the beginning of ,november1 a change was observable in ,carice4 ,her sweet face lost its look of happy anticipation1 and grew weary and anxious4 ,there were tokens that she was beginning to reason again1 in a fitful1 fragmentary way1 and to notice some of the many discrepancies between the facts and the theories of her life2 sometimes she put her hand to her head with a piteous expression of doubt and bewilderment4 ,by and by1 she became possessed of a spirit of restlessness by day1 and of sleeplessness by night2 making the care of her--hitherto an easy and a pleasant task--a sufficiently onerous charge4 ,thus it happened that she had made her escape to the ,hall1 as heretofore narrated4 ,her night had been restless1 beyond all previous precedent1 keeping ,rosa constantly on the watch4 ,toward dawn1 she had fallen into a light slumber1 during which the weary attendant1 sitting quietly by the bedside1 had suddenly been overcome by a profound sleep4 ,waking ere long1 and not wishing to disturb her tired maid1 ,carice stole softly to the window1 to look out1 as usual1 for ,bergan's coming1 and saw the light shining again from the window of his room in the old ,hall4 ,the broken links in the chain of association were stirred1 if not reunited1--perhaps a dim reminiscence of her former attempt to reach him woke within her1--she wrapped herself in the first shawl that came to hand1 thrust her feet into a pair of slippers1 and noiselessly made her way out of the house and down to the river1 exactly as she had done a year before4 ,at the gap in the foot-bridge1 through which she had fallen1 she stopped and put her hand to her brow1 in a momentary perplexity4 ,here1 her memory of the former expedition1 which had led her thus far on her way1 failed her2--what was she to do next8 ,lifting her eyes1 she again caught sight of the light from the ,hall1 which had recently been hidden by the trees4 ,her lips parted in a smile2 her hesitation was at an end4 ,clinging to the hand-rail of the bridge1 and sliding her feet carefully along the great beam underneath1 she safely passed the gap1--though she lost a slipper in the transit1--and then hurried to the ,hall1 to meet with the accident lately described4 ,all of the foregoing history--or at least as much of it as was known to him--,mr4 ,bergan recounted to his nephew1 in a long conversation held in the parlor1 after ,carice had been soothed by her father's promise that she should be compelled to do nothing but what was right and agreeable in her own eyes1 and left to the care of her mother and ,rosa4 ,now1 too1 the loss of ,bergan's letters to his uncle and ,carice was discovered2 the false or distorted statements in those of ,doctor ,remy to himself were brought to light and discussed2 finally1 ,mr4 ,bergan was glad to listen to a succinct recital of ,doctor ,trubie's reasons for believing ,felix ,remy to be identical with ,edmund ,roath4 ,in the course of the conversation1 all reserve between the uncle and nephew insensibly melted away1 and the last topic was discussed upon terms of the most cordial confidence and sympathy4 ,bergan's high reputation in ,savalla had not failed to reach his uncle's ears1 and sometimes to make him doubt if all his old prejudice was well founded2 and now1 there was so much dignity and gentleness in his bearing1 his words were so full of unselfish consideration for others1 he showed himself so ready still1 as heretofore1 to sacrifice every merely personal feeling to ,carice's welfare1 that ,mr4 ,bergan's heart1 softened and humbled as it had been by adversity1 was irresistibly won4 ,he was glad to feel that he had so dispassionate a judgment1 so wise a counsellor1 and so kind a friend1 to lean upon1 in this moment of perplexity4 ,the talk was broken in upon by a message from ,mrs4 ,bergan4 ,carice1 after her manifold questions in regard to the circumstances in which she found herself had been answered or evaded1 had sunk into a deep1 but apparently natural sleep4 ,still1 her mother could not but be extremely anxious about her2 and she suggested that ,doctor ,remy1 or some one else1 should be immediately sent for1 to provide against the contingency of her waking4 ,mr4 ,bergan looked anxiously at his nephew4 ,after what you have told me1 said he1 ,i do not feel that ,i can allow that man to enter ,carice's room again1 even when she is sleeping4 ,yet1 be he what or whom he may1 his professional skill is undeniable1 and her life or reason may turn on those waking moments4 ,what is to be done8 ,do you know where he is to be found8 asked ,bergan4 ,no4 ,he merely told me that he had a critical case on hand1 which would keep him out all night1 and perhaps we should not see him before noon to-day4 ,i suppose he can be heard of at his office4 ,bergan reflected for a moment4 ,by this time1 said he1 ,doctor ,gerrish must be on his way to the ,hall4 ,from what ,i have known and heard of him1 ,i believe him to be both a promising physician and an honorable man4 ,send ,bruno to intercept him1 on the plea that the dead can wait for his services better than the living4 ,then tell him1 in strict confidence1 enough of ,carice's condition to make him understand the case2 but you need say nothing of ,doctor ,remy1 except that he is not at hand1 and you feared to wait4 ,finally1 ask1 as a special favor1 that he will not mention his visit to ,doctor ,remy1 lest the latter be annoyed4 ,he will think you weak and overscrupulous1 but he will promise4 ,this advice was acted upon4 ,doctor ,gerrish1 after listening to ,mr4 ,bergan's statement and examining ,carice as she lay asleep1 decided that the recent wound1 which was in the neighborhood of the former one1 had1 in some mysterious way1 relieved the inflammation1 or counteracted the injury1 caused by that--in short1 had done precisely what ,doctor ,remy proposed to do by means of an operation4 ,he furthermore believed that ,nature was making her final effort at restoration through the deep sleep which held ,carice in bonds so gentle and so firm2 and he gave strict orders that nothing should be suffered to break it4 ,it would doubtless last some hours1 perhaps the whole day2 or if she woke1 it would be merely to swallow a little nourishment1 which should be given her1 and then to fall asleep again4 ,bergan had waited to hear this decision1 and he now requested ,doctor ,gerrish to ride on to the ,hall1 where he would join him almost immediately1 by the shorter way of the foot-bridge4 ,his uncle detained him longer than he expected1 however1 for a final consultation about several important matters2 and he was conscious that ,doctor ,gerrish must have been kept waiting for a considerable time1 when he finally quitted the house4 ,hurrying to the foot-bridge1 he saw two rough-looking men crossing it from the direction of the ,hall4 ,at sight of him1 they interchanged a few words1 and then came to meet him4 ,mr4 ,arling1 ,i believe1 said one1 touching his hat4 ,we have been asking at the ,hall for you1 and a doctor that we saw there told us that you were coming this way1 and asked us to say1 if we met you1 that he begged you would hurry4 ,thank you1 said ,bergan4 ,that is what ,i am doing4 ,not so fast1 interrupted the other1 who was a tall1 muscular fellow with a sinister countenance4 ,you are that ,lawyer ,arling1 ,i reckon1 who got my brother sentenced to state prison last month for burglary4 ,i did my duty as prosecuting attorney for the ,state1 if that is what you mean1 replied ,bergan1 coolly4 ,you did1 did you8 ,well1 ,i'm going to do mine1 which is to knock you down for it4 ,with these words1 the man raised his powerful fist4 ,bergan instinctively threw himself into the attitude of defence2 but the ruffian's companion1 who had edged behind him1 caught hold of both his arms2 and the unparried blow felled him senseless to the ground4 ,,ii4 ,,swift ,,feet4 ,however cold a man's temperament may be by nature1 however complete the subjection of his passions to his reason and his will1 he is nearly certain1 in the sudden excitement and confusion of detected guilt1 to be betrayed into some act instantly condemned by his better judgment4 ,such had been the case with ,doctor ,remy1 in his encounter with ,hubert ,arling at the ,rat-,hole4 ,mistaking ,hubert for ,bergan1 and believing him to be there only to spy out his actions and thwart his designs1 it had been his first impulse to draw the pistol1 which he habitually carried1 according to the custom of the times and locality1 and free himself at once and forever from interference that he conceived to be so dangerous4 ,his chagrin at finding that he had mistaken one brother for the other1 was only equalled by his surprise at his calm dismissal and friendly warning1 at ,bergan's hands4 ,it did not take him long to fix upon the hidden motive of this conduct1--to decide1 with a bitter smile1 that he had been spared for the sake of ,carice4 ,yet he had no idea of the extent of ,bergan's forbearance toward him on this head4 ,it must be remembered that he never received the slightest intimation of ,doctor ,trubie's suspicions1 or of ,bergan's visit to ,oakstead1 on the night of the wedding4 ,godfrey ,bergan had omitted any mention of either2 first1 because he had been prevented from doing so by the overwhelming distress and anxiety that had come upon him so suddenly2 and afterward1 because it had seemed wiser1 on the whole1 to say nothing4 ,doctor ,remy1 therefore1 had no suspicion of the mine over which he had been standing1 on that night1 nor how its explosion had been averted4 ,from his point of view1 ,bergan's sudden removal to ,savalla1 in consideration of the prospect there opened to him1 was the most natural thing in the world4 ,nor did he know any reason why himself and his former friend should not meet on the old terms1 upon occasion1 except that the gain of the one had been the loss of the other1 in respect to ,carice4 ,even here1 however1 he held himself to be ostensibly blameless1 inasmuch as womankind was proverbially fickle1 and ,bergan had no reason to suppose that he was aware of any relation between him and ,carice other than the outward one4 ,he deeply regretted1 therefore1 that in a moment of surprise and confusion1 he should have put himself in a false position4 ,it would have been far better to have met ,bergan with the careless ease of a conscience void of offence4 ,but1 since he had not done so1 it was well that ,carice was his sufficient safeguard against retaliation4 ,yet one word had fallen from ,bergan's lips1 which had startled him at the moment1 and haunted him on his way homeward4 ,the young man had seriously bidden him be thankful that he was saved from another crime4 ,was the phrase accidental1 or did it imply some knowledge of the affair of the will8 ,in the latter case1 was it likely that ,bergan would submit to the loss of what he had been encouraged1 at one time1 to consider his lawful inheritance1 without a most rigid scrutiny and investigation of the document by which1 while the property was apparently given to ,carice1 it was done in such a way as to place it absolutely in her husband's control4 ,would ,bergan's forbearance toward her and hers be likely to extend as far as this8 ,judging by himself1 and his experience of men in general1 and especially of heirs1 he did not hesitate to affirm that it would not4 ,for1 though ,bergan had seemed to be possessed of some unusually ,quixotic notions of honor1 independence1 and disinterestedness1 during the period of their intimate association1 he had doubtless seen enough of life since then1 to grow more sensible4 ,what1 then1 had he not to dread from his natural acuteness and legal skill1 when both of these1 sharpened by interest1 should be brought to bear on the false will8 ,absorbed in these reflections1 he had allowed his horse to choose his own pace1 which had gradually slackened1 from a gallop to a trot1 and then into a walk1 until1 at last1 he was easily overtaken by ,dick ,causton1 in whose eyes there still shone a humorous twinkle4 ,those ,arlings seem to be pretty much of a piece1 said he2 they both give better than they take1 when it comes to blows4 ,however1 the ,italians say1 ,tutto s'accommoda1 eccetto l'osso del collo1--that means1 ,everything can be mended except the neck-bone4 ,yours has come safe out of this fray1 but there's no telling how long 'twill stay so1 if you're so ready with your pistol4 ,pshaw6 exclaimed ,doctor ,remy1 angrily4 ,i am in no mood for jesting4 ,do you suppose that ,arling got any clue to our business in that den8 ,how should he8--',a man doesn't look behind the door unless he has been there himself4' ,besides1 ,mr4 ,arling minds his own business1--which ,i wish ,i did6--then ,i shouldn't have run from him like a dog caught stealing4 ,by the way1 ,doctor1 if the ,major makes another will1 which cuts the throat of this one of ours1 ,i suppose the forgery goes for nothing8 ,doctor ,remy looked at him darkly4 ,what do you mean8 he asked4 ,is he thinking of making another8 ,not that ,i know of1 replied ,dick4 ,but1 ',at the game's end1 see who wins4' ,there is time for him to make a dozen before he dies4 ,we will see about that6 muttered the doctor4 ,and if he does1 persisted ,dick1 our will goes for naught1 of course1--won't even be looked at1 ,i suppose4 ,they'll 'trust to the label of the bag1' seeing there's no necessity for opening it6 ,doctor ,remy stopped short1 and eyed his companion suspiciously1 ,see here1 ,dick1 said he1 in a low1 determined tone1 you had better not venture to try any double dealing with me4 ,i will have you to know that ,i can put you in prison1 any day2 and ,i will do it1 too1 even though ,i have to go along with you1 if you falter one step in the course ,i have marked out for you4 ,having begun with me in this business1 you will find it for your interest1 in more senses than one1 to help me through with it4 ,that is to say1 muttered ,dick1 ruefully1 ,die met den duivel ingescheept is1 moet met hem overvaren1--,having embarked with the ,devil1 you have got to sail with him4 ,the sound of that word prison was by no means agreeable in his ears4 ,he had all a vagabond's love for open air and sunshine1 and liberty to go and come at his own fitful will4 ,he sickened at the bare idea of prison walls between him and the sky1 prison bars between him and the fresh1 roving air1 prison restraints upon his freedom of action4 ,doctor ,remy saw the impression that he had made1 and proceeded3--,wherefore1 if you hear1 or have heard1 the ,major express any intention of making a new will1 ,i need not suggest the propriety of your giving me immediate warning4 ,the form of the sentence was that of an assertion1 but the tone was interrogative4 ,dictum sapienti sat est1 answered ,dick1 sulkily1 denying himself the pleasure of translating1 and immediately closing his lips tight1 as if he dared not trust himself to say another word4 ,in this mood1 ,doctor ,remy thought it better not to press him further4 ,he had been made to see that he was in his power1 and had even yielded a reluctant assent to his will2 this was gain enough for the present4 ,so1 having reached the point where the roads diverged1 he bade ,dick a smiling ,good-day1 turned off toward the ,hall2 which1 it occurred to him1 it might be worth while to visit1 for the chance of securing useful shreds of information1 or of substituting the false will for the true one4 ,dick ,causton looked after him with a moody1 discontented brow4 ,i am like a leek1 a gray head1 and all the rest green1 he groaned to himself4 ,i thought ,i had made a mighty sharp bargain1 but it turns out that ,i've only sold myself to the ,devil1 to fetch and carry at his bidding4 ,i really gave myself credit for more sense2 but1 ,do entra beber1 sale saber1 ,when the drink's in1 the wit's out4 ,with the last words1 ,dick heaved a deep sigh4 ,it was nothing new to find that his darling sin was an inclined plane1 down which he continually slid into the grasp of divers other sins1 less to his taste2 but never before had it done him so unkind a trick as to fling him into the hands of a man quick to see1 and unscrupulous to use1 the chance of turning him to account4 ,yet so completely had all courage and energy of will died out of him1 and so thoroughly was he scared at the idea of a prison as a possible termination of his career1 that he dared propose to himself only a feeble and covert resistance to ,doctor ,remy's stern domination4 ,there was present safety in outward submission2 and as for the future6--he smiled in spite of his discomfiture4 ,at the ,hall1 ,doctor ,remy was a little startled to find ,major ,bergan in the clutch of so severe an attack of delirium tremens that death was likely to be the speedy result4 ,it did not suit his plans that the ,major's decease should follow so quickly upon the completion of the forged will2 he wanted a little more time to mark out and make smooth his future course1 and obliterate his more recent track4 ,he therefore set to work1 with right good will1 and science considerably in advance of the times1 to strengthen and quiet his patient1 and so prolong his life2 certain that1 whenever the strong hand of medical authority was withdrawn1 he would immediately drink himself into a relapse1 which could be allowed to prove fatal4 ,his efforts were not without a measure of success2 in three hours1 he had so far reduced the fever and excitement that he ventured to leave ,rue in charge1 while he paid a brief visit to another patient1 who had sent for him four or five times during the evening4 ,this desertion of his post was fatal to him4 ,in spite of ,rue's best endeavors1 ,major ,bergan succeeded in getting possession of the brandy bottle1 and draining it to the last drop4 ,when ,doctor ,remy returned1 it was to find him once more a raving maniac1 and to learn to his consternation1 that ,bergan had been sent for4 ,the ,major would die1 there was no help for that2 but something must be done to prevent the arrival of his nephew until after the true will--and all other wills--had been found and destroyed1 and the false one put in its place2--even1 if possible1 until after the funeral was over1 the will read1 and the property put into his own hands4 ,once in possession1 he had reason to believe that he could not1 or would not1 be disturbed4 ,his stay at the ,major's bedside was short1 and principally spent in profound meditation2 which was set down by the lookers-on to the account of his deep solicitude for the patient4 ,his course was soon decided upon4 ,in less than two hours he was back at the ,rat-,hole1 in deep conversation with the convalescent1 who was known as ,big ,ben4 ,its purport may be gathered from the closing remarks4 ,you hit pretty hard1 ,i suppose1 said the doctor4 ,looks like it1 don't it8 returned ,big ,ben1 holding up his great fist for inspection1 with a satisfied smile4 ,make yourself easy2 yonder lawyer won't trouble you with any cross-questions for a month to come1 ,i'll promise you that4 ,he won't know his head from a bread-and-milk poultice to-morrow morning1 if he ever does4 ,take care6 replied the doctor1 warningly2 you know ,i don't want him killed1--only laid up for two or three weeks1 and indisposed to meddle with other people's affairs4 ,big ,ben smiled grimly4 ,i'll take care not to do more than stun him1 on your account1 doctor1 he answered2 but ,i don't say what ,i shall do1 on my brother's4 ,a fellow don't always weight his blows exactly to suit the skull they hit2 and if ,i should happen to put an end to him1 without meaning it1 you wouldn't take it much to heart1 would ye8 ,doctor ,remy did not move a muscle of his face1 but his eyes sparkled1 in spite of himself4 ,ben laughed1 and nodded his head4 ,don't trouble yerself to answer1 said he2 ,i understand you well enough without4 ,but1 ,ben-- began the doctor1 in a tone of remonstrance4 ,enough said1 interrupted the ruffian1 impatiently4 ,if it's me you're afeard for1 ,i'll jest let you know that ,i've got everything fixed to leave these parts1 to-morrow morning--,i've heard of a better opening for my talents--so ,i shall be off before this affair leaks out4 ,as for you1 who knows that you've got anything to do with it8 ,it's jest our own private squarin' of accounts2 that's all4 ,you saved my life2 ,i squelch this lawyer for you4 ,at the same time ,i settle up with him1 for my brother4 ,if ,i swing for't1 ,i'm not such a scoundrel as to bring you in4 ,now1 ,i'm off2 there's scant time to fix things1 and get to the ,hall by day-break4 ,it's too late1 you think1 to stop him on the way8 ,most certainly2 he must have started before this4 ,and his room is on the south-east corner1 you say8 ,yes1 with windows opening on the second piazza4 ,however1--thanks to ,carice1--the room was empty when ,big ,ben and his companion looked into it4 ,determined not to be baffled thus1 he prowled around the house1 until he was detected by ,rue's quick ears in the hall1 and asked what was his business2 when he truthfully replied that he was seeking for ,mr4 ,arling4 ,hearing this1 ,doctor ,gerrish came forward1 stated where ,bergan could probably be found1 and entrusted ,ben with the message1 which1 as we have seen1 was scrupulously delivered4 ,bergan was then knocked down2 and the inanimate body was dragged by the two ruffians to what seemed to be a remote point of the ,oakstead grounds1 where it would not be likely to be discovered for some hours1 perhaps days4 ,there1 ,ben debated within himself1 for a minute1 whether he would leave it its small remaining chance of life2 but he remembered that ,bergan had seen both himself and his comrade face to face1 and would be able to identify them1 on occasion4 ,he drew his knife1 muttered1 ,dead men tell no tales1 and sheathed it in the young man's breast4 ,as he stood upright1 his ear caught the faint jar of a closing door1 followed by the sound of slow footsteps1 and a cracked voice humming a song4 ,apparently1 the spot which he had chosen1 lonely as it seemed1 was not far from some human dwelling4 ,he and his companion exchanged startled glances1 plunged into the underbrush1 and fled silently and swiftly4 ,,iii4 ,,fatality ,,or ,,temptation8 ,doctor ,remy1 meanwhile1 had made all possible speed from the ,rat-,hole to the bedside of a third patient2 in order that his time1 on that night1 might seem to be sufficiently accounted for by his professional visits4 ,his horse was swift1 and he had not spared it in his recent expedition2 it would seem impossible that he should have been at points so wide apart1 within so short a time4 ,by this means he expected to secure himself from ,justice1 in her human shape2 of her divine form1 he had no thought nor fear4 ,yet1 all the way1 a voice from the ,past1 which sounded curiously like his own1 kept echoing in his ears1 with a dull1 dead intonation1--,crime is a mistake4 ,well1 suppose that it was1 he had committed no crime4 ,he had merely placed a particular powder1 among many others1 where a drunken old man1 whose life was of no moment to anybody1 could take it or not1 at pleasure2 he had altered a will in such manner as to give him absolute1 instead of partial1 control of a certain property1 which he intended to use for the advance of science and the benefit of the race2 and he had provided for the temporary elimination from affairs of a person likely to obstruct their proper sequence4 ,that was all4 ,what was there in it to cause such a chill depression of spirits1--such an unreasoning dread of--he knew not what8 ,nothing1 we may be sure1 that was patent to the doctor's science4 ,regarding right merely as another term for custom1 policy1 expediency1 and conscience as a softer name for cowardice1 he was not likely to discern clearly1 nor explain correctly1 phenomena by which even a lost soul now and then asserts itself as of another nature than its tabernacle of dust1 subject to other laws1 responsive to other influences1 thrilled with other pangs1 fears1 and longings4 ,nevertheless1 he sought for an answer to his question1 and found a plausible one in the fact that he was physically weary1 and therefore mentally ill at ease4 ,the night1 too1 was cool for the season1 no wonder that some of its chill had gotten into his mind as well as his bones6 ,he buttoned his overcoat more closely around him1 and spurred on his flagging horse4 ,yet he did not shut out the shiver1 nor distance the uneasiness4 ,some importunate ,cassandra of the depths still insisted upon its clearness of vision1 in respect to impending calamity4 ,troubled in spite of himself1 he passed his recent operations in careful review1 to see if he had left any loophole open to invite detection or impediment4 ,none4 ,on the contrary1 all seemed safe and propitious4 ,the ,major was dying1 or dead1 in consequence of his own self-will and folly4 ,bergan ,arling would shortly be disabled1 or killed1--but by another man's hand1 and ostensibly--really1 even1 in part--to gratify another man's thirst for revenge4 ,the ,major's will had been found and destroyed2 and another--its exact counterpart1 except for the omission of a few absurd conditions and restrictions--had been put in its place4 ,a few days more1 and the vast and valuable ,bergan estate would be his own1 and available to his ends4 ,if his road to its possession had not been what men accounted straight and clean1 whose fault was it8 ,had he not1 in virtue of his marked talents and abilities1 a better right to wealth and fame than most men8--and was he to blame for the fatality which always placed some other life or heart between them and him8 ,had he not done his best to escape from it8 ,had he not tried more legitimate means to gain them1 and failed8 ,if the doctor had been less intent upon special pleading1 he might have reminded himself that the records of crime show that a man seldom stops with the commission of a single theft1 forgery1 murder1 or other offence4 ,the first one being the necessary sequence of an evil habit of living or thinking1 a second and a third follow as unavoidably as a strict logical inference from admitted premises4 ,might not the fatality of which he complained be but the inevitable result of indulging a certain kind of thought until it became a settled habit of mind1 sure to manifest itself1 on occasion1 in appropriate action8 ,had not this fatality first presented itself to him as a temptation1 suggesting a swift means to a desired end8--nay1 was it not such still1 only treading more confidently a familiar track1 and finding a readier reception8 ,he had no time to answer these queries1 if it had occurred to him to ask them2--he was already at his destination4 ,with a mighty effort of his will1 he tore himself free of his anxieties and doubts1 and bent his mind steadily upon the surgical operation which he had come to perform2 and he performed it well1 with a clear eye and a steady hand4 ,he then went on to his office1 where he found ,bergan's summons to the death-bed waiting for him2 in apparent obedience to which1 he soon after presented himself at the ,hall4 ,in the avenue1 he met ,doctor ,gerrish1 who1 having lost all patience at ,bergan's unaccountable tardiness1 had finally started for home4 ,he instantly turned back with ,doctor ,remy1 and waited silently1 with an air of deep gravity1 while the latter made a brief examination of the corpse4 ,at first sight of it1 he gave a little start2 and when he had finished his inspection1 he stood silent and thoughtful4 ,he had sneeringly committed a certain powder1 he remembered1 to the disposal of ,providence2 it struck him as a little odd that it should have been kept so long1 and finally used only to put a merciful end to intense bodily and mental torture4 ,was there really a ,power overruling the acts of men1 whether good or evil1 to ,his own purposes8 ,well6 said ,doctor ,gerrish1 growing tired of the prolonged silence1 what do you think of it8 ,doctor ,remy raised his eyes1 and met the meaning glance of his colleague4 ,you suspect-- he began slowly1 and then paused1 as if not quite willing to put his thought into words4 ,poison1 returned ,doctor ,gerrish1 promptly4 ,not a doubt of it4 ,the question is1 where did he get it--who gave it to him8 ,is it accident1 or suicide1 or murder8 ,what are we to do about it8 ,doctor ,remy looked down thoughtfully4 ,he was at a loss how to treat this new complication4 ,he had not expected it2 he knew not how best to weave it into the intricate web of his plans2 he wanted time to consider whether it could be turned to advantage4 ,your last question is the only one that ,i can answer1 he said1 at length1--let us wait4 ,there are many things to be considered4 ,in the first place the poison only hastened the death that was certain to come soon1 anyway4 ,are you sure of that8 ,perfectly so4 ,when ,i left the ,major last night1 ,i knew that he must be a dead man by morning4 ,he had taken no poison then1--except the slow one that he has been taking for years4 ,nevertheless1 persisted ,doctor ,gerrish1 it was not that poison which killed him4 ,i suppose there was no one present1 when he died1 except the servants1 remarked ,doctor ,remy4 ,and ,mr4 ,arling1 answered ,doctor ,gerrish4 ,doctor ,remy lifted his eyebrows4 ,that looks bad1 said he1 gravely4 ,he is the heir1 ,i suppose8 ,if you mean that it looks bad for ,mr4 ,arling1 returned ,doctor ,gerrish1 ,i do not agree with you4 ,it was he who sent for me2 and he promised to meet me here soon4 ,why is he not here1 then8 asked ,doctor ,remy1 pointedly4 ,i cannot tell4 ,he must have been unexpectedly detained4 ,doctor ,remy closed his lips like a man who forbears to argue1 but is not convinced4 ,doctor ,gerrish went to the door and called ,rue1 who had been desired to wait outside during the examination4 ,did you notice anything unusual about your master's death8 he inquired4 ,i thought he died very sudden like1 answered ,rue2 and so ,i think did ,mr4 ,arling1 for he immediately said that ,doctor ,remy1 or some one else1 must be sent for1 and gave very particular directions that the body should not be disturbed before he arrived4 ,doctor ,gerrish shot a triumphant glance at ,doctor ,remy1 who only smiled1 shook his head1 and interrogated ,rue1 in his turn4 ,what did your master take last8 ,a powder4 ,he insisted upon having it4 ,where is the glass from which he took it8 ,here1 sir2 but it has been washed4 ,so it had1 and so carefully that there was nothing to show what its contents had been4 ,it also appeared that the paper in which the powder had been folded1 had been used to light a candle1 and was burned to ashes4 ,doctor ,gerrish took up the examination3--,are there any more powders like it8 ,one1 sir2--here it is4 ,i think master said he had them from ,doctor ,remy4 ,doctor ,remy bent his head in assent1 thankful that no vestige of the fatal powder was left1 to make the admission dangerous4 ,the remaining one1 being examined1 was proved to be innocuous4 ,doctor ,gerrish looked puzzled4 ,you see1 said ,doctor ,remy1 that it comes back to what ,i said first1--we must wait4 ,that is1 until we can consult with the dead man's brother and nephew4 ,at what hour this afternoon will it be convenient for you to meet them1 and me1 here8 ,at any hour you please4 ,say three o'clock1 then4 ,i will answer for ,mr4 ,bergan's appearance4 ,of course1 ,mr4 ,arling will be back--if ever--long before that time4 ,from the ,hall1 ,doctor ,remy hastened to ,oakstead4 ,there was an unusual quietude about the place1 and he was met at the door by ,mrs4 ,bergan1 with her finger on her lips1 and the low-spoken information that1 after an excessively restless night1 causing them all a good deal of trouble and uneasiness1 ,carice had fallen into a deep sleep1 and must not be disturbed4 ,would he be good enough to step noiselessly into the parlor1 and speak low8 ,she did her best not to seem less cordial than usual2 nevertheless1 it did not escape the doctor's lynx-eyed observation that her tone and manner were forced4 ,he pondered briefly within himself what this might mean2 but finally set it down to motherly anxiety for ,carice1 and a consequent desire to get rid of him as quickly and quietly as possible4 ,he was willing to gratify the wish2 he had too much upon his mind and hands1 just now1 to bestow much thought or time upon ,carice4 ,he could safely leave her case to run its own course until after she had been declared the owner of ,bergan ,hall2 then it would be for his interest to hasten her return to reason1 since it was to her reason only--her strict notions of right1 and her devotion to duty--that he must look for an acknowledgment of his claims as a husband1 his right to control herself and her property4 ,he did not flatter himself that he had any strong hold upon her affections4 ,certainly1 she must not be disturbed1 he replied to ,mrs4 ,bergan1 after a brief pause4 ,sleep1 in her condition1 poor child6 is the best of restoratives2 it also shows a decided change for the better4 ,my present business is with her father2 is he in8 ,no2 he went out a short time since4 ,he may be in the grounds1 or he may have gone to the ,hall4 ,then he has heard of his brother's death8 ,yes1 the news came early this morning4 ,it is not necessary for me to stop1 then4 ,please say to him that ,i have engaged that he shall meet ,doctor ,gerrish1 ,mr4 ,arling1 and myself1 at the ,hall this afternoon1 at three o'clock1 for an important consultation2 ,i beg that he will not fail us4 ,good morning4 ,let me know if any change takes place in ,carice2 for ,i am likely to be so very busy for a day or two1 that ,i may not present myself unless sent for4 ,i was not in bed at all last night1 and probably shall not be to-night4 ,a physician's life is a slavish one4 ,yet you like it1 replied ,mrs4 ,bergan1 feeling that she must say something4 ,not the general practice2 ,i like the science4 ,good morning1 again4 ,,iv4 ,,blind4 ,mr4 ,bergan1 meanwhile1 had gone over to the ,hall1 partly to give a regretful look at his brother's dead face1 and partly to have some further talk with ,bergan4 ,thick-growing memories beset him1 at every step of the way2 and1 the goal being reached1 he had ample opportunity to reflect upon the sin and folly of family feuds1 the miserably thin barriers which suffice to keep apart those who ought to be one in affection and interest1 as in blood4 ,he had not been very much to blame for their erection between him and his brother1 but he regretted none the less that he had not wrought more perseveringly and lovingly to break them down4 ,there had always been a generous side to ,harry's character1 which might have been successfully appealed to1 at least in the earlier stages of the quarrel2 his own influence might have been exerted for good2 the dreary1 empty ,hall might still have been a pleasant home2 this lonely death-couch might have been sweetened by the tender touch and tears of kindred hands and hearts1 and sanctified by the gentle benedictions of religion4 ,it all might have been--it could never be now6 ,death had closed every door to reconciliation and amendment1 and written over each the mournful legend1 ,too ,late6 ,he turned from the corpse to ask for ,bergan1 and was surprised to learn that nothing was known of him at the ,hall since he had retired to his room just before day-break1 further than that ,doctor ,gerrish had mentioned meeting him at ,oakstead4 ,however1 being informed that two men had inquired for him1 and been sent to meet him1 he took it for granted that some unexpected emergency had compelled him to hasten back to ,savalla1 at a moment's notice2 he would be sure to return by afternoon1 or send some explanation of his absence4 ,meantime1 ,mr4 ,bergan was forced to fill the gap created by his departure2 indeed1 until his brother's will should be made known1 he was both his natural and legal representative1 he appointed the time1 and decided the manner1 of the funeral2 he sent for a lawyer1 and had seals affixed to all drawers and boxes likely to contain papers of value2 he gave orders for the lower rooms to be cleaned and fitted1 as far as might be1 for the lying in state1 and the reception of guests2--in short1 he was kept busy until long past noon1 when he was fain to go home for rest and refreshment1 as well as to satisfy himself of the state of ,carice4 ,she was still sleeping peacefully1 and there was no cause for alarm4 ,returning to the ,hall1 at a few minutes past three1 he found the two physicians waiting in the library1 but no sign or tidings of ,bergan4 ,where can my nephew be8 he exclaimed in perplexity and even displeasure4 ,it is certainly very strange1 replied ,doctor ,gerrish1 gravely4 ,doctor ,remy said nothing2 but he shrugged his shoulders in a manner sufficiently expressive of disapprobation4 ,yet he would have been glad to be able to answer the question1--at least to himself4 ,he was completely in the dark as to how ,big ,ben and his confederate had prospered in their evil undertaking4 ,he knew that ,bergan had not been found in his room1 as was expected2 but why he had gone forth so early1 and whether he had encountered the ruffians1 was altogether a mystery4 ,all day1 he had been holding himself ready for whatever might come1--,bergan's sudden appearance in the flesh1 or the bringing in of his dead body1 or a summons to go and afford him medical aid2--he did not mean to be taken off his guard1 in any case4 ,but the suspense was trying4 ,it had not been contemplated in his original plan2 it kept his mind and nerves continually on the stretch2 it gave him an uncomfortable feeling that other hands than his own were busy with the dark threads of his schemes1 weaving them into patterns that he had not designed4 ,he longed to know precisely what he had to hope or to dread4 ,still1 every moment of ,bergan's absence was reasonable ground for belief that ,big ,ben had not only carried out his purpose of revenge to the full1 but had succeeded wonderfully well in obliterating all trace of his work4 ,so much the better4 ,bergan once removed from his path1 it would become tolerably smooth and direct4 ,i suppose that we shall have to proceed to business without my nephew1 since he is not come1 said ,mr4 ,bergan1 after a prolonged pause4 ,may ,i ask what is the object of this meeting8 ,the answer to this question1 although very gently given by ,doctor ,gerrish1 was1 of course1 a severe shock2 all the more1 because ,doctor ,remy took care to throw in a covert insinuation that ,bergan's absence betrayed some guilty connection with the disastrous event2 bethinking himself that1 in case the young man should escape ,big ,ben1 he could be gotten rid of all the same1 for the present1 by being arrested for murder4 ,doctor ,gerrish1 however1 repelled the insinuation1 as he had done before4 ,to my mind1 said he1 everything points to the opposite conclusion4 ,if ,mr4 ,arling had anything to gain by poisoning his uncle1 he must have gained it by staying here1 and not by flight4 ,besides1 he is too intelligent a man not to know that such flight would1 in itself1 arouse suspicion1 and imply guilt4 ,having given the matter a good deal of thought1 since morning1 ,i have decided that the poisoning must have been accidental4 ,however1 we will1 with your permission1 call in that old ',maumer' and examine her a little more minutely than we did before4 ,i have thought of several questions that it would be well to ask4 ,rue was accordingly summoned from her faithful watch over her dead master4 ,she declared positively that she had been with him from an early stage of his attack1 until his death2 and that he had taken only the medicines and food ordered by ,doctor ,remy1 except the untimely drink of brandy1 and the afore-mentioned powder4 ,he had swallowed nothing whatever after the arrival of ,mr4 ,arling1--not even the brandy for which he had called with almost his last breath4 ,that certainly clears ,mr4 ,arling1 remarked ,doctor ,gerrish1 in a low voice4 ,h'm--perhaps so1 rejoined ,doctor ,remy1 meditatively4 ,still1 it is evidence not worth a rush1 you know1 in a court of law4 ,it is evidence perfectly satisfactory to me1 nevertheless1 interposed ,mr4 ,bergan1 firmly1 and may be so to you4 ,i1 as having known ,maumer ,rue from my infancy1 can vouch for her trustworthiness4 ,her testimony is as good as mine1 or yours4 ,well1 you ought to know best1 returned ,doctor ,remy1 carelessly4 ,still1 the woman is old and blind1 and cannot be expected to know all that goes on in her presence4 ,major ,bergan might have swallowed half-a-dozen things without her knowledge4 ,rue had fallen into the back-ground1 during this discussion2 but she now stepped forward and faced ,doctor ,remy1 drawing herself up1 and smiling scornfully4 ,blind1 am ,i8 she asked2 ,i am not so blind as those who have eyes1 ,doctor ,remy4 ,no one saw you open my master's private drawer last evening1 during his worst paroxysm1 but ,i heard you open and shut it1 distinctly1 and the rustling of papers1 too4 ,if ,doctor ,remy was both surprised and startled1 he concealed it well1 thanks to the guard that he was keeping over himself4 ,he merely looked at his companions1 and said1 disdainfully2 ,of course1 such a charge1 from such a source1 is too ridiculous to be contradicted4 ,the poor old woman has mistaken one sound for another2 that is all4 ,it is people who live by sight that mistake sounds1 ,doctor ,remy1 returned ,rue1 composedly2 a woman1 who has lived by hearing for over sixty years1 does not4 ,let me give you a proof of it4 ,these gentlemen listen to your voice1 as ,i do1 and they do not hear anything unusual in it1--nothing more than the seriousness1 or the coldness1 or the scorn1 that fits the words2 but ,i hear in it anxiety and perplexity and suspense and fear4 ,since ,mr4 ,arling has been missing1 ,i have suspected that you could tell us what had become of him1 if you would4 ,but while you have been talking about him here1 my ears have been watching your voice1 your steps1 your very breath2 and ,i know now that you do not know where he is any more than we do4 ,you are puzzled because he does not come2 you are continually expecting--,i will not say1 dreading--to see him1 or hear of him4 ,is it not so8 ,and if it is1 answered ,doctor ,remy1 coolly1 what is there strange about it8 ,why should ,i not be puzzled at his unaccountable disappearance1 and anxious for his speedy return8 ,anxious8 she repeated1 with a low laugh2 yes1 you are anxious2 but it will avail you nothing4 ,go your way1 rummage drawers and cupboards1 you will not find what you seek2 plot and sin1 you will not get what you covet4 ,blinder of understanding than ,i am of eyes1 you dig1 and know not that it is a pit for your own feet2 you plant and water1 and never remember that the expectations of the wicked shall be cut off4 ,master ,bergan will come back1 and have his own1 in spite of you6 ,i am very glad to hear it1 responded ,doctor ,remy1 with mock earnestness4 ,then he turned to his companions4 ,her master's death has set her wits to wool-gathering1 said he4 ,have we any more time to listen to her maunderings8 ,rue opened her lips for a rejoinder1 but ,mr4 ,bergan1 thinking that the scene had lasted long enough1 though he had not been unimpressed by it1 laid his hand on her arm4 ,instantly acknowledging his authority1 as one of the family1 she bent her head1 and retired without a word4 ,doctor ,gerrish took out his watch4 ,i shall soon have to leave1 said he4 ,mr4 ,bergan1 what is to be done about this business8 ,i suppose it is our duty to report it to the authorities4 ,if you are willing to be guided by my wishes1 ,mr4 ,bergan replied1 after some consideration1 you will say nothing at present4 ,i have no disposition to conceal a murder1 if one has been committed2 but1 as you have well remarked1 all the circumstances indicate that the poison was taken or administered accidentally4 ,nevertheless1 there is room for evil minded persons to set afloat injurious reports concerning my nephew1 while he is absent1 and unable to defend himself2 or these faithful servants of my brother1 who1 ,i am convinced1 would not have poisoned him any sooner than ,i would1 may be subjected to a deal of cruelty1 from the fact that he was alone with them1 much of the time1 and their evidence1 as ,doctor ,remy has reminded us1 is worth nothing in law4 ,let the funeral go on1 without hindrance2 the body will be laid in the family vault1 where it can be examined1 and the presence of poison proved1 at any time1 if it becomes necessary4 ,and it just occurs to me1 as a possible explanation of my nephew's absence1 that he may have gotten hold of some clue to this affair1 and be following it up before it has time to cool4 ,let us wait until he appears1 before we make any stir that may only thwart his efforts4 ,very well1 said ,doctor ,gerrish4 ,my own preference is always for an open1 straightforward course2 but if you think this one more expedient1 under the circumstances1 and will take the responsibility of it1 ,i will not interfere4 ,good day4 ,v4 ,,more ,,mystery4 ,the funeral was over4 ,major ,bergan1 with due pomp and circumstance of woe1 had been laid in the tomb of his forefathers1 and left to mingle his ashes with theirs4 ,of all his possessions1 he retained for his own behoof simply a shroud and a coffin4 ,no good work of ,church or ,state would miss his helping hand4 ,he left no real1 aching vacancy in any human heart4 ,his imposing funeral train scattered to houses1 places of business1 and street corners1 some to forget the event at once1 in the absorbing interest of their own affairs2 some to talk it over1 and then--forget it all the same4 ,two or three remote cousins1 sniffing the air for legacies1 went back to the ,hall1 to wait for the reading of the will1 and1 meanwhile1 to finish the funeral baked meats4 ,mr4 ,bergan had bidden them make themselves at home1 and excused himself from accompanying them3 being greatly fatigued with the manifold duties and emotions of the day1 he was fain to spend the intervening time quietly at ,oakstead4 ,he found ,carice on the piazza2 she had been wheeled out in an easy chair1 to enjoy the beneficent air and sunshine4 ,she was pale and feeble1 but the light of restored reason shone in her eyes1 and gave animation and intelligence to their expression4 ,also--light being the mother of shadow--it imparted to them a deep seriousness4 ,she had taken up the problem of life precisely where it had dropped with her into the river1 on the night of her wedding1--unconscious1 as yet1 of the length of the blank between1--and addressed herself to its solution with a clearer brain and a firmer courage4 ,she reflected that1 in the eyes of the world and the estimation of the law1 she was ,doctor ,remy's wife4 ,she had publicly entered into that relation1 without denial or protest2 solemnly taking him as her husband1 for better for worse1 till death them should part4 ,did the fact that he had been accused of a terrible crime1 absolve her from this vow8 ,did it not rather make it more imperatively her duty to stand by him2 to help him with her countenance and sympathy1 if he were innocent2 to influence him to repentance and confession1 if he were guilty8 ,was she to think only of her happiness1 not at all of his good8 ,had he not a soul that might still be saved1 as ,god had saved the world1 by love8 ,hard questions these1--demanding for their consideration a clear head1 and a heart at once tender and strong4 ,carice1 being now fully herself1 had both2 yet she might well delay coming to a decision so momentous4 ,she was glad when her father's arrival broke the thread of her meditations2 albeit1 it was only to give her a fresh subject of anxiety4 ,he looked so strangely old and worn1--it struck her with new wonder1 new alarm1 at every sight of him6 ,how was it possible for him to change so much in the two or three days that she believed her unconsciousness to have lasted1 even though weighed down by the anxiety consequent upon his interview with ,bergan8--an interview which could not have been without definite result1 since she saw nothing of ,doctor ,remy4 ,indeed1 his name had been mentioned to her but once1 and then in terms of manifest constraint1 though of apparent excuse for his absence4 ,no doubt her father had taken the thought of his possible guilt very sorely to heart2 no doubt1 too1 he blamed himself severely for his advocacy of the marriage4 ,she must not let him do that6 ,she knew so well that he had meant it for the best1--that he had erred in judgment only1 never in intention1--that pure1 strong1 unselfish love for her had been the deep motive of his every act4 ,her heart was very tender1 very pitiful1 toward him as he came up the gravel-walk1 with that slow1 stooping gait1 and those sudden gray hairs1 which made her feel1 every time that she saw him1 as if she must have been dreaming for years1 or was dreaming now4 ,he brightened visibly at sight of her4 ,he was thankful1 with all his heart1 for her restoration1 even though it but served to increase his perplexities4 ,for how was she to be given to understand1 without a harmful shook1 that a year of her life had passed her by1 and made no sign8 ,with what face could he break it to her that the man whom he had urged upon her as a husband1 was likely to prove a murderer8 ,what answer was he to make when she inquired after ,bergan1 as he was constantly expecting her to do8 ,needless anxieties1 all1 as he would duly discover4 ,carice was already feeling her way to the truth1 as regarded the lapse of time1 by means of the incomprehensible changes that she saw about her2 it would not so much shock her as satisfy her with a reasonable explanation of them4 ,the accusation against ,doctor ,remy would be no surprise to her2 on the contrary1 its dark shadow continually fell athwart her mind1 and prompted or modified all her thoughts4 ,moreover1 as long as her duty to ,doctor ,remy was in question1 she conscientiously checked every thought1 every wish1 every emotion of curiosity even1 that wandered toward ,bergan4 ,knowing nothing of all this1 however1 and fearing lest she should seize upon this opportunity to ask for the full explanation that he was so loath to make1 ,mr4 ,bergan began a lengthened account of the funeral ceremonies4 ,he had deemed it wise to tell her of her uncle's death1 both as affording a good excuse for postponing other matters1 and as a reason for his own troubled and abstracted face4 ,he was still busy with this theme1 doing his best to imitate the gold-beater's art of making a little material cover a large space1 when he heard a footfall behind him1 on the gravel walk4 ,looking quickly round1 he was delighted to behold his nephew coming up the steps1 just as he had first seen him two years before1 with the same half-eager1 half-hesitating expression of one who feels himself at once a relative and a stranger2 yet mingled in the present instance1 with what seemed an inappropriate sternness4 ,the sight of him was none the less a relief to his uncle4 ,thank ,heaven6 you are come at last1 ,bergan6 he exclaimed1 starting up to go and meet him4 ,but ,carice put forth a staying hand1--the eyes of love are not so easily deceived4 ,you mistake1 father1 she said1 in a low and half-frightened voice1 this is not ,bergan1 though he is like him4 ,the new comer took off his hat1 and bowed low4 ,no1 ,i am not ,bergan2 ,i am ,hubert1 he said1 but with no friendliness of tone or manner4 ,and you1 ,i suppose1 are my uncle ,godfrey4 ,i am come to look for my brother4 ,what have you done with him among you8 ,where can ,i find that villanous ,doctor ,remy1 who1 four days ago1 made one attempt on his life 7or on mine1 mistaking me for him71 and has now probably-- ,he was startled and silenced by a low1 pathetic cry of that found an instant way to his heart1 despite its armor of prejudice and anger4 ,at the same moment1 ,carice fell1 white and insensible1 across the arm of her chair4 ,you have killed her1 said ,mr4 ,bergan1 not resentfully1 but with the still resignation of a man who feels that fate has done its worst for him1 and there is little left to dread1 and to hope4 ,indeed1 ,i trust not1 replied ,hubert1 earnestly1 dismayed at the mischief that he had done1 as well as softened by the sweet1 death-like face1 which1 he now knew1 was not only the one that still kept its place in ,bergan's memory1 and would not be cast out1 but was correlated to a heart not less interested than his own in ,bergan's fate4 ,i think she has only fainted4 ,let me take her in1 while you summon assistance4 ,and without waiting for either consent or remonstrance1 he lifted her in his strong arms1 and carried her to the library4 ,almost immediately1 she showed signs of returning animation4 ,he then withdrew to the piazza1 where ,mr4 ,bergan shortly joined him2 and explanations were mutually given and received4 ,hubert had duly received the notice of his uncle's funeral4 ,it had struck him as a little odd at first1 that it should be addressed jointly to his brother and himself2 but he set it down as an absurd legal formality1 and thought no more about it4 ,he had intended to ride over this morning1 in time for the funeral2 but just as he was about to start1 ,mr4 ,youle had slipped and fallen on the office steps1 and received several severe cuts and bruises2 which had made it necessary for him to take him home1 and do what he could to assist him and reassure his family4 ,thus it happened that he had arrived at the ,hall to find the funeral over1 and to learn1 to his surprise and alarm1 that his brother was not there1 and that nothing was known of his whereabouts1 except that he was last seen at ,oakstead4 ,there1 also1 he was told ,doctor ,remy might be found4 ,accordingly he had hastened thither4 ,he now proposed to commence an immediate1 thorough search for his brother4 ,take my advice1 said ,mr4 ,bergan1 and wait a little longer4 ,i have had1 all along1 an expectation--or1 at least1 a hope--that my brother's will would give some clue to all these mysteries4 ,the time fixed for the reading is now at hand4 ,go with me1 and be present thereat1 as you have a right to be4 ,then1 if we get any clue1 ,i will do my utmost to help you follow it out2 if we do not1 ,i shall be equally at your service to seek for one elsewhere4 ,chafing at the delay1 but unable to suggest anything better to be done1 ,hubert accompanied his uncle to the ,hall4 ,in the library they found a considerable party assembled1 discussing ,bergan's mysterious disappearance4 ,i hope1 ,doctor ,remy was just saying1 with apparent concern1 that nothing worse is behind it all1 than some foolish whim or escapade--when1 hearing a step at the door1 he turned and met ,hubert ,arling's stern1 threatening gaze4 ,in spite of his consummate self-control1 he could not help giving a violent start4 ,recollecting himself instantly1 however1--inasmuch as he had just heard of ,hubert's previous visit1--he came forward and held out his hand4 ,you have deceived me twice1 ,mr4 ,arling1 he said1 pleasantly2 your resemblance to your brother is really quite wonderful1 and must lead to many entertaining mistakes4 ,i have to beg your pardon1 he went on1 in a lower tone1 for my absurd conduct at our former meeting2 ,i will explain to you1 by and by1 what ,i had been led1 by some malicious persons1 to believe that ,i might expect from your brother2 which indignity ,i hastily attempted to forestall4 ,i have since learned my error1 and ,i now beg you to believe that ,i have the most friendly feelings toward you both4 ,i am scarcely less concerned than yourself at your brother's absence1 on this occasion4 ,hubert drew back4 ,i take no man's hand which ,i have reason to believe is not clean1 said he1 haughtily4 ,as to your relations with my brother1 he can settle them with you himself1 if he still lives4 ,if he does not1 ,i warn you that any man whom ,i suspect to have been anywise concerned in his death1 will meet with little mercy at my hands4 ,doctor ,remy turned livid with anger4 ,before he could reply1 ,mr4 ,tatum 7the lawyer whom ,mr4 ,bergan had summoned7 rapped on the table to command attention1 and held up the will to view1 in order to show that the seals were unbroken4 ,he then read it1 slowly and distinctly4 ,after a few minor legacies1 it gave the bulk of the ,major's property unconditionally to his niece1 ,carice ,bergan4 ,there was a dead silence after the formal voice had ceased4 ,is that will in due form of law8 asked ,mr4 ,bergan1 breaking the pause4 ,it seems so1 replied ,mr4 ,tatum2 it is clearly worded1 and duly signed and witnessed4 ,i drew it up myself1 observed ,doctor ,remy1 as you see4 ,it was over a year ago1 before the legatee became my wife4 ,but ,i am surprised to hear it read on this occasion2 ,i supposed that it grew out of a momentary whim1 and had long ago been nullified by some other instrument4 ,i am equally surprised1 remarked ,mr4 ,tatum1 for the excellent reason that ,i drew up a very different will myself1 only about a fortnight since4 ,at that time1 ,major ,bergan mentioned this one1 or some other1--for the provisions of this do not quite answer his description1--and ,i advised him to destroy it1 in order to prevent any trouble4 ,he may have returned to his first mind1 and destroyed the second will instead1 suggested ,doctor ,remy4 ,i cannot believe it1 returned ,mr4 ,tatum4 ,suppose we go in a body1 and make a fresh search4 ,do you know1 ,mr4 ,bergan1 any other receptacle of papers than those already examined8 ,i do not1 replied ,mr4 ,bergan4 ,perhaps ,maumer ,rue might2 she knows the house1 as well as my brother's habits1 much better than ,i do4 ,strange to say1 however1 when ,rue was sought for1 she was nowhere to be found4 ,as messenger after messenger returned from the chambers1 the quarter1 and the grounds1 and reported that no trace of her could be discovered1 ,doctor ,remy and ,mr4 ,bergan looked at each other in blank amazement4 ,this new disappearance was equally startling and suspicious to both2 each thought that the other must be privy to it2 each wondered what it portended4 ,so much the more reason to search1 finally said ,mr4 ,tatum2 we have two things to look for1--the will and the old woman4 ,hubert ,arling rose4 ,i must beg to be excused1 said he4 ,i have neither time nor inclination to search for anybody1 or anything1 except my brother4 ,mr4 ,bergan laid his hand warningly on his shoulder4 ,it seems to me1 said he1 that you cannot begin your search better than in this house4 ,the search began4 ,not a corner was left unexplored1 not a shadow left undisturbed4 ,many strange relics of olden time were unearthed1 much venerable dust raised1 but it was all unavailing1 so far as either the will or the blind woman was concerned4 ,tired and disappointed1 they returned to the library4 ,then ,doctor ,remy stood forth with the light of triumph shining in his eyes4 ,he had schemed and sinned to some purpose2 his reward was sure4 ,i suppose that nothing remains1 said he1 but for me to take possession of the premises1 in the name of my wife4 ,mr4 ,bergan looked inquiringly at ,mr4 ,tatum4 ,i suppose that is the proper thing1 said the lawyer1--at least1 as long as the other will is not found4 ,hubert's long-repressed impatience here broke forth4 ,settle this matter as you like1 said he1 ,i am going to look for my brother4 ,he strode out of the room4 ,mr4 ,bergan hesitated a moment1 and then followed him4 ,at the door1 he was met by a servant from ,oakstead1 who delivered a message1 in a low tone2 of which ,doctor ,remy1 who was standing near1 caught the words1 ,richard ,causton--business of importance4 ,mr4 ,bergan listened half-impatiently1 gave a brief answer1 and hastened after ,hubert4 ,doctor ,remy watched them down the avenue1 with a clouded brow4 ,the triumphant light had gone out in his eyes2 a chill premonition of evil was at his heart2 already he seemed to feel his prize slipping from his hand4 ,excuse me1 he said1 hurriedly1 to those who remained1 ,i have urgent business to attend to4 ,in another moment he was on his horse1 galloping swiftly across the fields4 ,,vi4 ,,help ,,at ,,hand4 ,dick ,causton's cottage--as it was called by courtesy1 being1 in truth1 only a better sort of cabin--stood on a sandy corner of the estate that he had formerly owned4 ,at first1 he had begged to remain there only until he could fix upon some more eligible place of abode2 but the owner was good natured1 and ,dick was indolent to the point not only of letting well enough alone1 but bad enough1 too2 so it gradually came to be understood that he was a life-tenant1 by sufferance1 of the place4 ,nor did the owner deem it worth while to interfere1 when1 in course of time1 ,dick made the discovery that the sand composing this small domain was of superior quality1 and proceeded to convert it into cash1 at the rate of two or three pennies a load1 and to swallow it a second time1 in the shape of alcohol4 ,the process ceased only when the digging threatened to undermine the cottage2 which was thus left high and dry upon a triangular sand promontory1 with a deep excavation on each side4 ,the base of the triangle--a part of it1 at least--touched the boundary line of ,oakstead1 very near the point where ,bergan had been left for dead by ,big ,ben4 ,dick had risen unusually early on that morning4 ,owing to his sudden flight from the ,rat-,hole1 he had failed to replenish his stock of brandy1 as he had designed2 and the small quantity on hand had been insufficient to blunt the thorns in his pillow1 planted partly by ,doctor ,remy's threats1 and partly by the reproaches of his own conscience4 ,he had tossed about on their sharp points for the better part of the night1 and was glad when dawn brought such a measure of relief as was to be derived from movement and occupation4 ,in the absence of stronger stimulant1 he was fain to brace his nerves with a cup of tea2 to which end a fire was unfortunately necessary1 and fuel must be sought in the adjoining woods of ,oakstead4 ,while engaged in this task1 he1 caught sight of a prostrate form1 half-hidden in the underbrush4 ,quien busca1 hallar1--,he who seeks will find1 but he cannot tell what1 he muttered1 peevishly4 ,is the fellow drunk1 or only asleep1 ,i wonder8 ,he stole some paces nearer1 then gave a start and stopped2 he had seen blood stains on the man's clothing4 ,at the same moment1 the lines of the figure struck him as familiar1 and while he strove to identify them1 a light breeze lifted the leaves of an overhanging bush1 and revealed an easily recognized profile4 ,immediately he was kneeling by ,bergan1 trying his best to discover some sign of life4 ,he was unsuccessful2 yet1 thanks to his store of proverbs1 he did not quite despair4 ,no barber shaves so close that another cannot find work1 he said1 encouragingly1 to himself1 and bent all his energies to the difficult task of dragging ,bergan into his cabin4 ,he dared not wait to call assistance1 none being within easy reach2 besides1 he reasoned that the transit1 if not too ungently managed1 would tend to restoration rather than1 otherwise4 ,moreover1 having at once connected ,doctor ,remy with ,bergan's condition1 and being thereby inspired with an inordinate dread of the doctor's power to harm1 he fancied that the first necessity was to get the young man into a place of concealment4 ,a good heart rids work1 he murmured exultingly1 when1 panting and exhausted1 after many a pause for breath1 and many a start of fright1 he at length dragged ,bergan across his threshold1 and closed and locked the door4 ,he next applied himself1 with good will and not unskilfully1 to the task of restoring animation4 ,the wound1 it appeared1 had touched no vital part--,big ,ben's intention having been better than his aim--and1 being helped by the position in which ,bergan had lain1 it had stanched itself4 ,the blows of ,ben's heavy fist had been much more effective4 ,dick wellnigh gave up in despair before his efforts were rewarded by the faintest sign that the soul had not forever quitted its earthly house4 ,taking heart then1 he worked on till the eyes opened and the lips moved1 but not with intelligent sight or coherent speech4 ,the one beheld only the misty phantoms1 as the other gave utterance but to the wild fancies1 of a fevered and delirious imagination4 ,now1 his uncle's death-bed was the gloomy subject of ,bergan's ravings2 now1 he beheld ,carice in danger or distress1 and sought to hasten to her relief1 making it necessary for ,dick to hold him in bed by main strength4 ,for two nights and three days1 ,dick had thus been forced to keep watch over him1 not daring to leave him for a moment1 lest he should do himself irremediable harm1 during his absence4 ,nor was he disinclined to the task4 ,bergan had won all his heart by the courtesy and consideration with which he had uniformly treated him1 no less than his admiration by his fearless1 upright character4 ,your nephew has all my best proverbs in his life1 whereas1 ,i only have them in my head1 he had once remarked to the ,major1 by way of lavishing his choicest encomium upon the rejected heir2 and he now did his best for the young man's comfort and cure1 with the somewhat meagre appliances at his command4 ,in the way of nourishment1 the cabin afforded only a little tea and beef broth2 in the way of medicine1 nothing but two or three soothing herb-drinks1 cold water1 pure air1 and perfect silence4 ,with the three last1 however1 nature can work wonders2 and1 in this case1 she wrought so effectively that1 on the afternoon of the third day1 ,bergan sank into a quiet sleep1 to awake in great weakness1 but fully himself4 ,where am ,i8 he asked1 feebly1 glancing wonderingly around him4 ,where charity begins--at home1 answered ,dick1 graciously2 that is1 if you will continue to make yourself so1 as you have been doing for the last three days4 ,three days6 exclaimed ,bergan1 trying to spring up1 but failing by reason of his weakness2--what do you mean8 ,dick saw his mistake1 but it was too late to retreat4 ,bergan's mind had at once recurred to the last item in his memory1--namely1 ,big ,ben's uplifted fist1--and had easily connected it with his present condition4 ,being now made aware of the lapse of time since then by ,dick's incautious admission1 nothing remained but to give truthful answers to the questions that he rapidly put4 ,quick at logical inference1 the facts that he had disappeared suddenly1 and that no trace of him had been found1 were soon patent to him4 ,he was filled with dismay4 ,what distress his mysterious absence must have cost his friends6 ,what evil use of it might have been made by his enemy6 ,at the thought1 he made another attempt to rise1 and partially succeeded1 but only to fall back again1 half fainting4 ,take care4 ,quien mas corre1 menos vuela1--the more haste the worst speed1 said ,dick1 warningly4 ,stay a little1 and news will find you4 ,not until it is too late1 ,i fear1 returned ,bergan4 ,since ,i cannot do it myself1 ,i must beg you to go immediately to my ,uncle ,godfrey1 and let him know that ,i am here1 and ask him to come and see me at once1 if possible4 ,tell him privately1 so as not to startle anybody else1 he added1 with a thought of ,carice2 and leave him to extend the information to whomsoever he pleases4 ,i would much rather go to your ,uncle ,harry1 objected ,dick1 loath to present himself at ,oakstead1 lest he should encounter ,doctor ,remy4 ,he is dead1 answered ,bergan gravely4 ,dick looked astonished1 but muttered1 resignedly1--,god sends no more than can be borne4 ,then he bowed low to ,bergan4 ,dopo un papa1 se ne fa un altro1 said he1--,the ,king is dead1 long live the ,king2 ,i congratulate you4 ,upon what8 asked ,bergan1 with a keen glance2--,doctor ,remy's succession8 ,of course not1 replied ,dick1 coloring and laughing4 ,doctor ,remy will find out that ,den sviges vaerst1 som sviger sig selv1--,he is worse cheated who cheats himself4 ,but1 he added1 with a quick change of countenance1 he must have found it out already4 ,the thought was a startling one4 ,much as ,dick had enjoyed the certainty of the doctor's final discomfiture1 he had not expected that it would come so soon2 nor had he known1 as now1 the extent of the doctor's resources in the way of his interest or his vengeance4 ,as he pondered the matter1 he was dismayed to recognize in the false will1 the ,major's death1 and the attempt on ,bergan's life1 apparent parts of the same plan1 and to infer therefrom the subtle and determined character of the man whom he had ventured to try to outwit4 ,had he succeeded8 ,if so1 he had everything to dread from the doctor's resentment2 if not--if ,doctor ,remy had found means to carry out his plans to the end1 and cover his tracks1 as he seemed to have done thus far--would he dare to open his mouth against him1 only to take a share in his punishment8 ,right and honor were good things1 but could they make a prison a pleasant abode8 ,here1 ,bergan broke in upon his troubled reflections4 ,i must remind you1 said he1 that no time should be wasted4 ,my disappearance must have caused much anxiety1 and my uncle should be informed where ,i am1 without delay4 ,very well1 said ,dick1 glad1 on the whole1 to be relieved from further consideration of his difficulties4 ,i'll be off instanter1 if you'll promise not to stir while ,i'm gone4 ,and if anybody knocks1 don't speak1 or even breathe loud2--likely enough it will be ,doctor ,remy1 and1 in your case1 discretion is the better part of valor4 ,i'll make all fast behind me1 so that no one can get in4 ,and ,i'll hurry back1 and bring your uncle with me1 if ,i can4 ,at ,oakstead1 ,dick was informed that ,mr4 ,bergan was at the ,hall1 and wherefore4 ,he dared not go after him1 knowing that ,doctor ,remy would certainly be there also4 ,he debated with himself1 for a moment1 whether it would not be well to make his errand known to ,mrs4 ,bergan2 but murmuring cynically1 ,a woman conceals only what she don't know1 he decided to entrust her with a message simply4 ,this was so mysteriously and solemnly given1 however1 as necessarily to suggest to her1 after his departure1 that he might possibly have found some clue to the mystery of ,bergan's absence2 whereupon she dispatched a servant to the ,hall with the message1--though not without a strict injunction that he should deliver it to his master privately4 ,but this1 as has been seen1 was not so well observed as to prevent some portion of the message from reaching ,doctor ,remy's ears1 and exciting his suspicions4 ,,vii4 ,,the ,,set ,,time4 ,dick ,causton trudged back to his cabin in no tranquil frame of mind4 ,he had his own excellent reasons for believing that a more disappointed and angry man than ,doctor ,remy1 at that moment1 was not to be found under the sun4 ,not only had he lost the coveted ,bergan estate1 but he had been fooled and cheated by the very man whom he had taken to be his most willing and despicable tool4 ,nor would it be long1 ,dick foresaw1 before the doctor would seek to mitigate the bitterness of his chagrin with whatever sweetness was to be derived from the thought and purpose of revenge4 ,in that case1 he would be the first point of attack4 ,what a fool he had been to meddle or make with any of the doctor's affairs6 ,as if he did not know at least a dozen different proverbs in as many languages1 to the effect that prudence was better than repentance1 safety preferable to sorrow6 ,of what use was it to have his head stuffed with the consummate wisdom of all nations1 if he only acted like a consummate idiot6 ,a pertinent question1 ,richard ,causton6 ,showing the good results1 too1 of your period of forced abstinence from strong drink1 and your lonely watch over the sick-bed--wellnigh the death-bed--of ,bergan ,arling4 ,up to this point1 we have deemed your case hopeless2 now1 truly1 we think better of it4 ,to recognize one's folly is the first step toward breaking from its bondage4 ,to have learned that the fruits of righteousness do not ripen on the tree of worldly wisdom1 is1 perhaps1 to feel the first faint hunger for the saving fruitage of the tree of life4 ,there may be the making of a man--a contrite1 humbled1 subdued1 scarred1 but free man--in you yet6 ,ignoring1 or unconscious of1 these grounds of hope for the future1 however1 ,dick continued to busy himself with his fears for the present4 ,nor did they prove to be causeless2 he was not yet in sight of his door1 when he heard the sound of impatient knocking thereat4 ,stealing to a point where he could see without being seen1 his worst fears were realized1--the unwelcome visitor was ,doctor ,remy4 ,de puerta cerrada el diablo se torna1--,from a locked door1 the devil turns away1 he muttered1 settling himself in his hiding place1 with the intention of remaining there until the anticipated departure4 ,but the doctor was not to be thus balked4 ,after repeated knockings1 with short intervals of waiting1 he finally drew back from the door with the evident intention of bursting it in2 whereupon ,dick hastened to make his appearance1 doing his best to assume an air of easy nonchalance4 ,he who brings good news1 knocks hard1 he called out1 by way of arresting the doctor's attention1 and saving the door4 ,or1 as the ,germans say1 ,he who brings1 is welcome2 ,i suppose you have come to settle our little account4 ,yes1 ,i have come to settle accounts with you1 replied ,doctor ,remy1 with grim irony4 ,why didn't you tell me about this other will8 ,what other will8 asked ,dick1 innocently4 ,i am in no humor for trifling1 returned ,doctor ,remy2--,major ,bergan's will1 that you witnessed a fortnight ago4 ,c'est la glose d' ,orleans1--that is to say1 the commentary is more obscure than the text1 answered ,dick1 shaking his head1 as if he could make nothing of it4 ,don't try my patience too far1 rejoined the doctor1 menacingly4 ,i have just seen ,mr4 ,tatum1 and he told me of the will1 and named you as one of the witnesses4 ,did he8 asked ,dick1 shrugging his shoulders4 ,then ,i must be like 'el escudero de ,guadalaxara1 que de lo que dice de noche1 no hay nada la maana4' ,do you understand ,spanish8 ,do you understand ,english8 growled ,doctor ,remy4 ,i asked you if you had witnessed a will2 and ,i want to know what was in it4 ,and ,i gave you to understand that if ,i had1 it must have been when ,i was too drunk to remember anything about it1 responded ,dick4 ,doctor ,remy's eyes flashed ominously4 ,i shall find a way to refresh your memory1 said he4 ,one question more1 and ,i warn you that you had better give me a straightforward answer1 and not try to put me off with a proverb2--what was done with the will after it was made8 ,why1 hasn't it been found8 asked ,dick1 with surprise that was plainly genuine4 ,no1 it has not1 replied ,doctor ,remy1 curtly4 ,see here1 ,dick1 he added1 after a pause1 quitting his threatening tone for one of persuasion2 ,i'll make it well worth your while to tell me all you know about that will4 ,open the door--,i'm tired of standing--and we'll go in and talk it over4 ,i--,i--it's pleasanter outside1 stammered ,dick1 fairly driven to his wit's end by this proposal4 ,besides1 'walls have ears2' no place like the open air for your business--and mine4 ,your walls should be deaf1 answered the doctor1 looking at him suspiciously2 you live alone1 do you not8 ,yes1 certainly2 but no walls are to be trusted2 mfiance est mre de sret4 ,very true1 replied ,doctor ,remy2 and ,i distrust you4 ,open that door at once1 and let me see what or whom it is1 that you are so anxious to conceal4 ,dick's consternation was extreme4 ,still1 he did what he could to gain time2 assistance might be on the road4 ,he began to fumble in his pockets4 ,very happy to oblige you1 ,i'm sure1 he faltered1 with a poor assumption of graciousness4 ,but1 ',he that will be served must be patient4' ,i declare6 ,i believe ,i've lost that key6 ,still1 ,mais val perder1 que mais perd-- ,will you open that door8 interrupted ,doctor ,remy1 fiercely1 or shall ,i do it myself8 ,dick lifted his head boldly2 his straining ears had caught the sound of distant footsteps4 ,a man's house is his castle1 he began2--but ,doctor ,remy stopped the rest of the sentence in his throat1 with one hand1 while he thrust the other into his pocket for the key4 ,dick uttered a smothered cry4 ,immediately ,doctor ,remy heard the door tried from within2 the next moment1 the window beside it was flung open1 and the pale1 stern face of ,bergan ,arling met his astonished sight4 ,at the same instant1 he saw several persons emerging from the shadow of the ,oakstead woods4 ,mr4 ,bergan1 ,hubert ,arling1 and ,doctor ,gerrish1 he recognized at a glance1 and he stayed to recognize no more3--these1 in conjunction with ,bergan--alive1 and in possession of his faculties--were enough to show him that his deep-laid scheme had come to naught1 that the prize for which he had thought1 labored1 and sinned1 was snatched from his hands in the very moment of success4 ,some important figure--could it be ,providence8--had been overlooked or changed in his calculations1 and made them all come wrong4 ,yet he had failed before4 ,bitterly he acknowledged to himself that1 despite his rich natural endowments of intellect1 courage1 will1 and resource1 his life had been1 on the whole1 a succession of failures4 ,the consequences of one early mistake had followed1 hampered1 modified1 and defeated1 every effort that he had made to rise above a certain level of station1 fortune1 or reputation4 ,nevertheless1 he had saved from every wreck1 thus far1 an unbroken spirit and an inexhaustible invention4 ,what was there in the present one to cause his heart to shiver and shrink with so deadly a chill of despair1 to smite him with so heavy an intuition that the measure of his opportunities for good or evil was full1 and that some set time of reckoning was at hand8 ,nay1 he would not be daunted6 ,there must be some expedient--some bold stroke or crafty subterfuge--by which he could still wring safety1 at least1 from the hands of defeat4 ,he ran his eye over the scene of his recent operations1 as a general might scan a disastrous battle-field4 ,instantly1 the intercepted letters1 the forged will1 the poisoned powder1 the attack on ,bergan ,arling1 set themselves in order before him1--revolted soldiers1 once his obedient servants1 now gone over to the enemy4 ,no6 the odds were too great4 ,nothing was left him but flight2--nay1 it was a question if even that remained1--pursuit was so near6 ,still1 it must be tried4 ,giving ,dick a final choke1 to render him incapable of immediate action1 he flung him on the ground1 and fled towards the nearest bank4 ,once across the excavation1 there was a thick wood beyond1 in which he would quickly be lost to sight2 and the present was all he had time to think of2 the future must care for itself4 ,one moment his tall form was seen1 by the approaching party1 on the edge of the bank1 clearly defined against the twilight sky2 the next1 it sank suddenly from view1 both hands raised1 apparently in a mocking gesture of farewell1 or it might be1 of defiance4 ,hubert ,arling immediately recognized the fugitive1 and hastened after him4 ,arrived at the brink of the excavation1 he was amazed to find that ,doctor ,remy was nowhere in sight1 although it seemed incredible that he could have traversed the sandy chasm so quickly4 ,nothing daunted1 however1 ,hubert leaped the precipice1 half-burying himself in the soft sand at the bottom1 struggled across1 climbed the opposite bank--taking much more time1 it seemed to him1 than his predecessor had done--and plunged into the wood beyond4 ,here1 he soon found that all the odds were against him2 the underbrush was thick1 the wood was soon merged in a dense juniper swamp2 the twilight was deepening2 a hundred men might easily elude his single search4 ,it was necessary to go back and obtain organized assistance4 ,he was rejoiced to find ,bergan in the cabin1 though his state was such as to cause intense anxiety4 ,the great exertion that he had made to interfere between ,doctor ,remy and ,dick--believing the latter to be in danger of losing his life in behalf of his guest--had caused his wound to re-open2 and when ,dick recovered himself sufficiently to make it known that ,bergan was within1 and to unlock the door1 he was found on the floor under the window1 in a death-like faint4 ,doctor ,gerrish1 however1 at once took him in hand1 with great personal good will1 and no small amount of medical efficiency4 ,and no sooner was he pronounced out of immediate danger--although he had relapsed into fever and delirium--than ,hubert's mind recurred to the intermitted pursuit of ,doctor ,remy4 ,from the first1 he had shared ,doctor ,trubie's suspicions1 and having now heard the several stories of ,mr4 ,bergan1 ,doctor ,gerrish1 and ,dick1 and pretty accurately divined their logical connection and drift1 he was strongly of the opinion that the doctor's evil career should be brought to a close4 ,no consideration of family1 friendship1 or love1 he thought1 should interfere to save him from richly deserved punishment1 and leave him at large to work new wickedness4 ,so thinking1 he put his thoughts into prompt1 resolute1 persevering action4 ,but it was wholly in vain4 ,if the earth had opened and swallowed him up1 ,doctor ,remy could not have disappeared more effectually4 ,far and near1 no trace was found of his course1 no clue to his hiding place4 ,the flight of a bird through the air1 the dart of a fish through the wave1 do not leave less visible track behind4 ,day by day1 ,hubert had to acknowledge himself baffled1 puzzled1 confounded2 but he would not be discouraged4 ,doctor ,trubie having been sent for1 had joined him1 and between the two1 the search went obstinately on4 ,,viii4 ,,gift ,,and ,,giver4 ,carice was in her own room4 ,her face was pale1 her mouth and eyes deeply serious4 ,at last1 she had been put in possession of all the facts hitherto concealed from her4 ,she knew by what base means she had been separated from ,bergan1 and married to a man known to be a forger1 suspected to be a murderer1 and now a fugitive from justice4 ,she was also aware that1 so far as her own consciousness went1 she had lost a year out of her life4 ,none the less1 she felt in her deep heart that her soul had not stood still during this suspension of certain of her faculties1 but had accomplished some rapid1 sensible growth4 ,she was not1 in all respects1 the same ,carice who had fallen through the gap in the foot-bridge4 ,she contemplated her situation with far less dismay and bewilderment than that immaturer self could have done2 in some mysterious way1 her year of unconsciousness had been also a year of preparation for the difficulties that it had postponed2 she now faced them with a deeper insight1 a broader comprehension1 and a calmer courage4 ,she blinded herself with no subtleties nor evasions2 she dimmed the clear medium of her integrity with no selfish breath2 but counted herself what that solemn marriage ceremony had made her--a wife4 ,she must remain such until the plea of wilful desertion for a year1 in the courts of law1 should secure for her a certain personal freedom4 ,but even then1 she would be only a deserted wife2--in her opinion1 divorce was powerless except as regarded separation4 ,the virtual relation1 she believed1 could only be dissolved by death2 and that meant1 in this case1 perhaps1 the arrest1 conviction1 and execution of ,doctor ,remy4 ,she shuddered at the thought4 ,she could not wish the barrier between ,bergan and herself to be thus removed4 ,bergan8--,she dared not think of him6 ,he was lying so dangerously ill6--yet she must not go to him2--she could trust neither her thoughts nor herself by that bedside4 ,she must just leave him1 where she left all her own cares and sorrows1 in the hands of ,god4 ,she waited upon ,him3 in ,his own good time and way1 ,he would make it clear that ,he reigned1 and that ,his sceptre was justice1 and ,his crown mercy4 ,mrs4 ,bergan opened the door4 ,my child1 she asked1 tenderly1 would you like to see a visitor8 ,whom8 asked ,carice1 with a little wonder2--her mother had been so careful to spare her all intrusion1 during these trying days4 ,mrs4 ,bergan shook her head4 ,i really don't know2 ,i was so taken with her face1 that ,i forgot to ask her name4 ,she said that she was a friend of ,astra ,lyte's1 and of--,bergan's4 ,mamma1 could ,i not be excused8 ,i suppose so1--if you really wish it4 ,but you would never think of refusing her1 if you once saw her2 she has such a princess-like way with her1 as if she had never been refused anything in her life--except happiness4 ,she has the most beautiful face that ,i ever saw1 but there is a shadow over it1 as if she had known great sorrow4 ,carice felt a jealous pang4 ,beautiful6 and ,bergan's friend8 ,sad8 of course1 since he was in danger6 ,mrs4 ,bergan went on4 ,she said she had a story to tell you4 ,and when ,i hesitated--fearing that it might be some new trouble or excitement--you have had enough such1 of late1 dear--she smiled1 as if she knew what ,i was thinking1 and said1--',have no fear1 madam2 my story will do her good1 not harm6' ,shall ,i let her come up8 ,an hour after1 the door of ,bergan's sick-room opened gently4 ,his eyes were closed2 he1 too1 had been thinking1 as deeply as his weak1 half unconscious state permitted2 and his thoughts had been strangely like those of ,carice4 ,the tangled web left behind by ,doctor ,remy would be hard to unravel1 he felt2 and in the process1 there would be much pain1 loss1 anxiety1 and disgrace1--especially for ,carice4 ,his heart ached for her2--and a little also--for he was very weak and weary--for himself4 ,would it not be well to have done with it all1--to let thought1 care1 and life drift away together1 as they seemed so ready to do1 if only he ceased to hold them back8 ,it would be so much easier to let them go6--was there really any good reason why he should try to live8 ,hearing the door close1 and the sound of light footsteps1 he languidly opened his eyes4 ,diva ,thane was standing at his bedside1 holding the blushing ,carice by the hand1 and smiling down upon him with eyes deep-lit by a mysterious radiance4 ,there was a lofty beauty in her face1 a look of victory after conflict1 that he had never seen there before4 ,his heart gave a great bound4 ,he remembered his strange1 repeated intuition that that fair1 firm hand would some day bestow upon him an inestimable blessing4 ,was the time come8 ,i bring you a gift1 said she1 in low1 rich tones1 full of feeling as of melody4 ,this little1 maiden hand--free from every claim as from every stain--is the best return that ,i can make for what you have done for me4 ,and1 placing ,carice's hand in his1 she added1 solemnly3--,i give it to you1 for ,i have the right3 ,i am the wife of ,edmund ,roath4 ,the rush of joy was almost too great4 ,it swept over ,bergan's senses like a great whelming wave2 speech and sound were lost in it2 sight was gone1 except for ,carice's sweet1 fair face1 the one point of light in a vast ocean of blackness2 feeling was annihilated1 save that he clung to that dear hand as to the one treasure that he would not be parted from1 let him be carried whither he might4 ,firmly and tenderly it closed upon his1 too1--seeming to be the only thing which kept him from drifting out into that wide obscurity1 and brought him back to the steady standing-ground of consciousness4 ,there he was met by a rush of gratitude and sympathy only a little less overpowering4 ,he knew so well what that avowal had cost ,diva's pride6 ,he understood so clearly whence came that solemn light of sacrifice in her eyes1 that exalted beauty in her face1 and how dearly it had been won6 ,still holding ,carice fast with one hand1 he held out the other to her1 with emotion too deep for aught but a benediction4 ,god bless you1 he murmured1 fervently4 ,and he added1 in a tone of entire conviction2--,i am sure ,he will4 ,she bent her graceful head1--no longer haughty in its pose1--gave his hand an earnest1 heartening pressure1 and glided from the room4 ,all gentle1 delicate souls1 all sympathetic hearts1 go with her2 curiosity1 coldness1 rudeness1 must needs follow after4 ,in that sick-room1 ,love only may remain1--,love which1 by its long patience of sorrow1 its steady conscientiousness1 its freedom from all self-seeking1 has won at last its blessed right to be1--and to be happy6 ,at a little distance from the cabin was a huge ilex tree1 in the broad1 low shade of which ,dick had once been moved to set up a rude bench4 ,thither ,diva betook herself to wait for ,carice4 ,there was a pleasant enough prospect before her1 beyond the gulf of sand1--the creek on its sunshiny way to the sea1 the pines and water oaks mingling their moss-hung boughs and diverse verdure1--but it is doubtful if she was aware of it4 ,her eyes--whether bent on the ground at her feet1 or lifted to some far point of the blue horizon--spoke plainly of a mind too busy with its own reflections to be anywise cognizant of outward objects4 ,she was reviewing the main events of her life by the new light recently shed on them1 discovering a connection1 a harmony1 and a meaning in them unsuspected before1 and gaining thereby a deeper sense of the might and wisdom of that overruling ,providence in whom she had come so lately to believe4 ,she had been reared in almost princely affluence1 as well as in professed scepticism2--every material wish gratified1 every material caprice humored2 no spiritual want recognized1 no spiritual yearning indulged4 ,early accustomed to admiration and adulation1 she grew up proud1 imperious1 self-reliant1 counting herself made of more excellent clay than often went to the fashioning of human organisms1 as she was certainly endowed with an intellect of no common strength and fineness of fibre1 which her father took care to feed with all his own learned and labored ,philosophy of ,doubt4 ,she was taught to scorn faith1 to deride inspiration1 to scoff at worship1 to acknowledge no law but her own will1 no higher rule of life than ,noblesse oblige4 ,yet she had generous impulses and strong affections2 the very weeds that grew to such rank luxuriance in her character bore witness to the natural richness of the soil4 ,nor was she without a deep1 innate reverence1 inherited from the mother that she had never known1--which1 being diverted from its proper objects1 fell to deifying human genius and intellect1 and suffered sorely in seeing them betray1 soon or late1 how much of their substance was human dust4 ,disappointed thus in the concrete1 she turned to the abstract2 first ,song1 then ,art1 became the idol of her imagination1 the object of her devoted worship4 ,her father's health failing about this time1 both looked to ,italy as their natural goal1 the one for healing1 the other for culture4 ,there they met the man whose potent influence was to change the whole current of her life4 ,he had everything necessary to recommend him to her favor2--a manly figure and bearing1 regular1 clear-cut features1 a bold1 acute1 powerful intellect1 and varied culture4 ,moreover1 there was a mystery about him which acted as a stimulant to interest4 ,no one knew whence he came1 and he gave no account of himself beyond what was to be inferred from chance words and phrases1 coming by accident1 as it were1 to the surface of the stream of conversation1--oracular utterances1 capable of diverse construction2--which1 after being long brooded over in her imagination1 were turned into such rich1 airy1 poetic shapes1 as even he1 with all his subtlety1 would never have thought of suggesting4 ,none the less1 they did him friendly service4 ,moreover1 he had1 in some way1 acquired no small amount of medical science1 which he put to good use in alleviating her father's sufferings1 although it had become evident that his malady was incurable4 ,by this means1 he soon acquired such an ascendancy over the invalid's mind1 and so firm a hold upon his confidence1 as to lead him easily to believe that he could do nothing better for his child's future than to commit it to such strong1 kind1 wise hands4 ,accordingly1 she was wedded1 in the ,american ,consulate at ,rome1 to ,earle ,roy2 under which suggestive name she had no doubt was hidden a disguised noble1 an exiled prince1 or some equally exalted seeker after disinterested love or sufficing consolation4 ,descending the staircase1 immediately after the ceremony1 they met a travel-stained gentleman coming up1 who started at sight of her husband1 and uttered the name of ,edmund ,roath4 ,he started in his turn1 and grew deadly pale2 nevertheless1 he haughtily affirmed that it was a mistake1 conducted her home1 begged to be excused while he attended to some forgotten formality1 and left her with the careless smile and bow that argues an immediate return4 ,hours passed1--days passed1--yet he came not2 neither had he left any track1 trace1 or clue behind4 ,it was as if he had melted into thin air4 ,there were those who hinted that a flight so sudden1 swift1 and effectual1 must all along have been foreseen as a possible necessity1 and provided for4 ,she poured her loftiest scorn on the imputation2 she believed him to have been murdered by robbers or secret political agents4 ,the shock hastened her father's death4 ,in one week she was both a deserted bride and an orphan2 free--with almost unlimited wealth at command--to grieve or search1 as she chose1--to avenge1 if she could4 ,she threw herself into the work of investigation3 the police were marvellously ready to assist her1 they took her money1 and followed out her suggestions2 by-and-by1 she was amazed to find that her own house and movements enjoyed no inconsiderable share of their attention4 ,it looked as if they suspected that her husband would return to her1 and meant to be on the spot6 ,the thought shook her with a sudden terror4 ,it was possible that he had fled--being warned in time to fly1 but not to explain--from some secret danger1 some dark political vengeance1 and that she was only helping to hunt him down6 ,in this connection1 she recalled that casual meeting on the ,consulate staircase1 and hailed it as a possible clue4 ,she succeeded in finding the traveller1 and in forcing from him a reluctant explanation1--reluctant because he had a kind heart1 and was unwilling to give pain4 ,his name was ,mark ,tracey2 he had been a class-mate of ,edmund ,roath1 knew him well1 and believed him to be the murderer of ,alec ,arling4 ,he had deemed it his duty1 on recognizing him1 to inform the ,consul who and what he was2 and measures were forthwith taken to put him under surveillance4 ,nevertheless1 ,roath had made good his escape before the slow ,italian officials could be made to comprehend what was wanted1 and set about it4 ,for himself1 he had done only what he thought right2 yet1 now that he saw what manner of bride had been so wofully bereaved1 he could almost wish that he had held his peace1 and left ,roath to the new and better life which he might have led under such fair auspices4 ,still1 he gently added1 the holiest influences did not always avail to straighten a warped mind and will1 while these often spread around them a fatal infection2--it were better to-- ,she stopped him there1 thanking him for his sympathy1 but rejecting his conclusions4 ,either the man that he had met was not ,edmund ,roath1 or ,edmund ,roath was the unhappy victim of a specious train of circumstances4 ,one of these alternatives must be true4 ,so she proudly told him2 so she tried to tell herself1 turning a deaf ear to every deep1 inner voice that ventured to assail or to question her4 ,none the less1 she had lost all heart for the search which1 it now appeared1 she had not so much instituted as joined in4 ,on her part1 it was quietly allowed to drop4 ,all the same1 news finally reached her that ,edmund ,roath had died1 and was buried1 in a small1 distant seaport town4 ,two men had been landed there from a foreign vessel1 one an invalid far gone with pneumonia1 the other his faithful friend and nurse4 ,the invalid had died in a day or two2 the friend had reared a stone ,in memory of ,edmund ,roath over his grave1 and sailed away in another ship4 ,his name was an unpronounceable foreign one2 as to the invalid's1 they had never heard it until after his death1 his friend had always called him by some familiar sobriquet4 ,there was a suggestion in this last bit of history1 which ,diva was quick to notice4 ,she had the coffin disinterred1 and satisfied herself that the body therein contained was not that of the man whom she had married1--albeit1 she found on its chill finger a ring which she had given him1 and saw that there were some striking similarities of height1 complexion1 and color of hair and eyes4 ,she needed no further proof that ,earle ,roy and ,edmund ,roath were one and the same1 and she believed that he still lived1 answering to the dead man's name1 and playing his part1 on some distant stage4 ,however1 she took care that her actions should express quite the contrary conviction2 she caused the re-interment to be so arranged as to suggest an intended removal2 she generously requited every kindness shown to the invalid2 finally1 she put on deep widow's weeds1 and sickened to feel them so appropriate4 ,she had a sombre intuition that ,edmund ,roath was dead to her4 ,nothing remained of him but his backward shadow on her heart and life4 ,the places that had known him grew dim and tomb-like4 ,the wealth which had doubtless been his main object1 became worthless in her eyes4 ,the chill materialism with which he had imbued her mind1 in place of the more rationalistic creed of her father1 made all things ring hollow to her touch4 ,the charm of ,italy was gone2 its sky had faded1 its atmosphere was as heavy with the weight of a dead ,past as her own heart4 ,she longed for a new sky above1 new earth below1 new air to breathe1 a new life to live4 ,she longed1 too1--poor1 empty heart6 poor1 hungry soul6--for something to love and to reverence1 though she was scarcely conscious of it2 she knew only that she had a deep thirst which nothing quenched4 ,to settle herself near her one intimate friend1 ,coralie ,youle2 to reassume her maiden name1 since she had no right to that of ,roy1 and only wanted to forget that of ,roath2 to lead the simple1 free1 independent life of an artist1 without hampering ties1 duties1 or responsibilities2--this was the shape into which her longing finally crystallized4 ,art had been her idol when ,love came to dethrone it2 she had not had time to tire of it1 to learn how inevitably it1 also1 resolves itself into dust1 unless breathed upon by a spirit ,divine4 ,so she came to ,savalla1 and was brought into contact with ,bergan and his firm1 frank ,christian faith1--which it was impossible to contemn1 being joined to an intellect so strong and fine1 and a life so noble4 ,so she found her aunt1 and saw how even the ,valley of ,shadow was made radiant by the gladness of her ,christian hope4 ,thus her scepticism was at first melted by the sunshine1 rather than worsted by force of arms4 ,by and by1 however1 she dared ,bergan to controversy1 and found that she had met her master4 ,not for nothing had he been beaten in many of his battles with ,doctor ,remy2 he had since made it his business to be able to give good reasons for the hope that was in him4 ,he could now make it manifest that ,christian ,faith had quite as much to say for herself as infidel doubt1 and could say it quite as clearly1 logically1 and cogently4 ,mind and heart opened1 at last1 to receive the heavenly guest1 under whose fair1 white garments1 ,diva now knew1 was sometimes hidden a coat of wrought mail that no sword could pierce1 and who1 although she had wings to soar beyond the stars1 had also feet to plant firmly on the rock of truth4 ,finally1 she had learned the identity of ,edmund ,roath and ,felix ,remy by means of a sketch accidentally discovered in ,astra's portfolio2 she wondered that she had not suspected it before1 seeing how plainly he had left his evil mark on ,astra's mind4 ,she was glad to think that she had been instrumental in obliterating it2 he himself having helped to fit her for the work4 ,meanwhile1 he had married ,astra's friend4 ,what was her duty in this case2 to speak1 or to be silent8 ,silence was the pleasanter thing1 speech might be the only right thing4 ,sharp was the conflict1 puzzling the controversy4 ,it was not decided until she happened to meet ,hubert ,arling1 and learned in what search he was engaged1 and what state of things existed in ,berganton4 ,then1 moved by gratitude to ,bergan1 she had sought ,carice4 ,but what was the meaning of it all8 ,reared in faithlessness1 she had been led to faith4 ,proud1 she had been humbled4 ,wedded to ,edmund ,roath1 she had been made to follow in his track1 and undo1 in some degree1 his wicked work4 ,so much was plain1 even now2 the rest would be read1 in time4 ,but oh6 the mystery1 the wonder1 of that overruling ,providence1 who caught up man's wilful designs1 ere they were out of his hands1 and turned them to ,his own vast purposes6 ,a light footstep fell behind her4 ,turning1 she beheld ,carice's soft eyes1--eyes which1 she thought half-enviously1 showed so plainly that they had never looked upward through the smoked glass of doubt1 to divest the sun of his glory1 the sky of its blue1 and call it seeing more clear4 ,we have been talking of you1 said ,carice1 with gentle directness4 ,diva smiled faintly4 ,i thought you would have pleasanter topics1 she answered1 half-absently1 half-sadly4 ,where could we have found them8 asked ,carice1 earnestly4 ,oh1 ,diva1 you will never know--we shall never be able to tell you--what we think of you6 ,but1 ,bergan says this search after the doctor must be stopped at once4 ,he is very kind1 replied ,diva1 quietly2 ,i understand what he would spare me4 ,tell him to give himself no disquietude on that head4 ,i dare not lift a finger to stay the feet of justice1 if ,i could2 ,i can bear whatever ,providence sends4 ,but my dread is not the expiation of the scaffold1 but the finding of no space for repentance4 ,my conviction is strong that--my husband will never be taken alive4 ,the quick tears came into ,carice's sympathetic eyes2 but ,diva only fixed her sad1 calm gaze on the shining river1 and saw in it1 perhaps1 the ,river of ,life1 proceeding out of the throne of ,god4 ,after victory is peace4 ,,xi4 ,,faithful ,,unto ,,death4 ,bergan now mended rapidly2 a mind and heart at ease are excellent medicines4 ,in a few days it was pronounced safe to remove him to ,oakstead4 ,here he was informed of the strange disappearance of ,maumer ,rue4 ,her grandson1 ,brick1 was at the cabin two or three times1 said ,mr4 ,bergan1 when you were too ill to allow his admittance4 ,he is here now1 and very anxious to see you4 ,may he come in8 ,brick1 being admitted1 burst into tears4 ,he was glad to see his beloved master1 but his heart and mind were heavily burdened4 ,when he had last seen his grandmother1 she had told him that she was going on a long journey1 and should not return2 but she had charged him solemnly to say nothing of this communication to anybody but ,bergan2 who1 she averred1 would return in good time4 ,then he was to bid him1 in her name1 to seek and find2 she had added1 that he would know where to look4 ,bergan started up with a face of alarm4 ,i must go at once1 he ex claimed2 ,i am afraid it is already too late6 ,but you are not strong enough1 remonstrated ,mr4 ,bergan4 ,tell us where to look1 we will go in your stead4 ,i would gladly do so1 if ,i knew how1 answered ,bergan1 but ,i am not certain that ,i can find the place myself2 ,i never saw it but once1 and then it was in the night4 ,at the worst1 however1 we can cut a way into it4 ,come1 uncle2 come1 ,hubert1 you will both be needed2 and we ought to have a doctor1 too4 ,the secret--for there is one--has long been kept1 but it must needs out now2 and it is as well that it should1 the day of such things is over4 ,the carriage was ordered1 and having set down the three gentlemen at the ,hall1 went after ,doctor ,gerrish4 ,bergan1 meanwhile1 sought for the hidden spring4 ,it required some time and thought before he found and pressed it4 ,the secret chamber being then exposed to view1 ,rue was discovered sitting at the massive secretary1 in a large arm-chair1 with her head bowed on her folded hands4 ,she was dead2 ,doctor ,gerrish affirmed that she had been so for some days4 ,ample provision of food and water was near2 she had died a perfectly natural and peaceful death1 from the infirmities of old age4 ,it was apparent that she had deliberately chosen this spot for her death-chamber4 ,but why8 ,that was a mystery4 ,it was soon solved4 ,as they gently raised the body to lay it on the same bed where her master1 and so many of his race had slept their last sleep before her1 a folded paper dropped from her clasped hands1 and fell at ,bergan's feet4 ,he picked it up1 glanced at it1 and laid it on the desk without a word4 ,there was that in his face1 however1 which made ,hubert also look at it2 and straightway he held it up to view with the triumphant exclamation3 ,the lost will1 gentlemen1 the lost will6 ,bergan1 let me be the first to congratulate you4 ,it was easy to understand now1 that1 feeling her last hour at hand1 and knowing that no will left anywhere in the ,hall1 or in her own cabin1 would be likely to escape ,doctor ,remy's destructive touch1 she had taken this method of fulfilling her master's last command3 ,see that ,harry has ,bergan ,hall4 ,give this will into his own hands1 and no one's else4 ,i trust none of them but you4 ,well might he trust her6 ,almost a century of loyal service had she given to him and his house1 ready at any time1 if need be1 to lay down her life for their sake4 ,well might ,bergan give her tender1 honorable burial1 and cause to be graven deep on her tombstone3 ,,faithful ,,unto ,,death4 99 99 99 99 99 ,hubert ,arling wooed and won ,coralie ,youle4 ,his strong likeness to his brother first found him favor in her eyes2 by and by1 she would have been amazed to be told that she had ever cared for him1 except on his own sufficient account4 ,diva ,thane and ,astra ,lyte went to ,italy1 for some years1 to give ,astra's genius fit food and training4 ,the direction of its future labors was settled4 ,she would spend her life and strength in the service of ,christian art1 trying to lose all thought of self in that of consecration1 and counting her work successful1 though it never left her studio1 nor brought her either money or fame1 if only it lifted the minds of those who contemplated it to a point above itself1 to a loftier standard of living1 a clearer conception of the beauty of holiness1 a more earnest aspiration after the glory that shall be4 ,on her return1 she brought with her a ,saint ,christopher that satisfied even ,carice4 ,the giant was kneeling before the ,wondrous ,child1 who had at once so burdened him1 and so strengthened him to bear2 his face was full of awe and love2 he recognized his ,lord2 he had found the ,king who alone was worthy of his service1 and whom alone he was content to serve4 ,as for ,diva1 there are sisters of charity1 who wear no distinctive garments1 save patience and faith4 ,a gentleman once said to ,bergan1 admiring her stately beauty1 ,she should be a queen4 ,she is a queen1 was the quick reply1 a queen according to the ,gospel pattern1 ',whosoever will be chief among you1 let him be your servant4' ,in due time1 ,bergan restored the old ,hall1 although not without reducing somewhat of its ostentatious size by cutting down the long wings1 and with no extravagant outlay4 ,he had learned that the inevitable1 and probably healthful1 tendency of property in this country1 is to division4 ,the larger and costlier the dwelling1 beyond a certain extent1 the more sure it is to prove too heavy a burden for some inheritor1 and the less likely to go down in a direct line4 ,the man who would have his name live1 must link it with some institution more imperishable than a family home4 ,first of all1 therefore1 ,bergan took care to embody in carven stone and jewelled glass that fair vision which he had seen on his first visit to the ,berganton church4 ,this being done1 we may be sure that his more personal dreams of happiness and honor came true1 also4 ,a fair and gracious wife and mother was ,carice6 ,she never lost the flower-like grace and purity of her girlhood1 nor her rare power of seeing straight to the central truth of things4 ,it is said that ,i have lost a year of my life1 he once remarked2 it is the year that ,i count most truly saved4 ,richard ,causton1 having learned1 through his forced abstinence during his long1 lonely watch over ,bergan1 that existence was possible without alcoholic stimulant1 and being helped by ,bergan's steady friendship and countenance1 made a determined effort at reformation1 and succeeded1 though not without a sore struggle1 and many lapses4 ,the last of his backslidings was made memorable by the following incident4 ,going too near the edge of the excavation aforementioned1 he slipped and fell over1 displacing some of the sand at the foot of the bank by his weight1 which had also been much washed by a recent heavy rain4 ,struggling to his feet1 he was horrified to see a skeleton hand pointing at him from the base of the precipice4 ,he fled1 without stopping to look behind him2 but his story set other and acuter minds to work1 as well as1 a little later1 two or three careful spades2 and the body of ,edmund ,roath was exhumed1 and the mystery of his disappearance was explained4 ,the sand had suddenly caved in1 under his weight1 and buried him1 as he fell4 ,his flight had been short1 in one sense2 far1 very far1 in another4 ,had he witnessed such a termination to another's career1 he would1 doubtless1 have termed it ,chance1 or ,fate2 but those who stood around his dead1 shrunken body1 with its sunken eyes and its uplifted hands1 looked awe-stricken in each other's faces1 and solemnly whispered1 ,providence4 ,nevertheless1 some simple souls murmured that he had escaped just punishment4 ,do you think so8 asked ,mr4 ,islay4 ,so would not he who said ',it is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living ,god4' ,be thankful1 rather1 that justice to the guilty is so tempered with mercy to the innocent4 ,an earthly scaffold would not have added one straw's weight to the despair of that miserable soul1 when he stood on the brink of death1 and knew that his failure was complete for time and eternity1 but it would have been a heavy burden to certain gentle hearts4 ,it is they who have escaped1 not he4 ,where the cords of his sins do not hold a man to a godly sorrow1 they must needs hold him to a righteous retribution4 ,richard ,causton's old age had something of the mellow sweetness of a late1 frost-bitten apple1 such as is occasionally plucked from the tree in midwinter4 ,he lived to teach ,bergan's eldest son many of his favorite proverbs1 in their many tongues1 but he constantly impressed upon him that the truest1 most significant1 most solemn of them all was one from ,holy ,writ3 ,,he ,,shall ,,be ,,holden ,,with ,,the ,,cords ,,of ,,his ,,sins4 ,,the ,,end4