broken out at frequent intervals during several generations. My father I am sure was entirely unaware of this. How tenderly he treats me even when under the influence of so much deception. "When I come now to think more calmly and dispassionately of the events of the past ten or eleven months, it appears very plain that my guardian's mind must all along have been more or less affected. "On reading Seyton's letter, which is enclosed, you will understand, my dear friend, the object of his meeting me at Bridlinquay. How I thanked you in my heart on that and many other occasions for your unshaken confidence when circumstances seemed so terribly against me, and when I could not explain myself. Can you now comprehend how much I have been afraid of myself, terrified lest by some reasoning which appealed all too directly to my feelings, every barrier should be broken down, and you can make allowance for a great deal that must have appeared strange, capricious, and inexplicable. "But I am forgetting to say that we managed to get away from Tonbridge amidst much sympathy. Rowland insisted on proceeding by the train to Worthing as he had originally intended, though immediately it was in motion he fainted, and reached his journey's end more dead than alive. I of course accompanied him, and have never left him since night or day. The physicians tell me that the severe injuries he received during the struggle with Monsieur Leroux, combined with the previous weak and dangerous state of his health, preclude all possibility of his recovery. Poor fellow, he is so patient, and so good. He desires that you will break the sad news as quickly and as carefully as you can to his friends, and urge them to come over to Worthing as soon as possible to see him before he dies. "Come and see me too my dear friend, come and see me now without fear. "God is very good, he has removed evil and dread from us, he is going to make us rejoice: shall we not thank him from the bottom of our hearts and trust and love him always! This world is very full of sorrow, we have had our share in it. We shall never cease to sympathize with the unhappy, ever desire to lessen suffering and sadness, and to strengthen faith in our common Father in Heaven. "God bless you my dear Paul, the moments seem long till I see you. "Your own "MELANIE." CHAPTER XXII. ADIEU. "Adieu-for the little moment called a life! we part in trouble, we shall meet in peace: we part creatures of clay, we shall meet immortal spirits: we part in a world of sin and sorrow, we shall meet where all is purity and love divine: where no ill passions are, but Christ is, and his saints around him clad in white. There, in the turning of an hour-glass, in the breaking of a bubble, in the passing of a cloud she, and thou, and I, shall meet again: and sit at the feet of angels and archangels: apostles and saints, and beam like them with joy unspeakable, in the light of the shadow of God upon His throne, for ever and ever." THE CLOISTER AND THE HEARTH. So the same post-horses, and the same railway carriages conveyed the Seytons and myself all the long journey from Bodlondeb to Worthing. A journey of grief and affliction to them, a journey full of eager anticipation and joy to me, tempered by the sight of their sadness. It is always so in life, it has ever been so, and always will be, God grant that while we keep the ruddy blaze of gladness within our breasts, there may ever be light and warmth to spare, ungrudgingly, for those around. us who have little of their own; and that when our turn shall come, kind friends may by love constrain us till we gain fresh courage from their steady flame. There are two things that I shrink from describing or analysing too minutely, the one is that sweet calm of deepest love in which no rude whistling winds arise and no ripple comes to break the glassy waters; the other is that slow battling with disease in which the frame gets gradually weaker and more worn, that lengthened and protracted strife which has sometimes to be gone through before the Eternal Rest is vouchsafed. Rowland lingered for a considerable period. Immediately after arrival his friends took a house in a sheltered position, removed him there, and surrounded him with every advantage which kindness and money could command, but these could only act as alleviations, the time for any hope of recovery had long gone by. The presence of Melanie appeared all throughout an inexpressible comfort to the poor fellow. She was unremitting in her attentions and unwearied in her constant affectionate solicitude for him during the changes of his malady. His weary head always turned towards her with touching gratitude, and he died peacefully at last, after the patient endurance of many weeks, in my darling's arms. On the hopeless insanity of Monsieur Leroux becoming an indisputable and established fact our friend Mr. Dalrymple interested himself in his former ward's affairs, and after many formalities and explanations, and much correspondence, we were forced to the conclusion that almost the whole of her property had been dissipated and squandered with a reckless disregard of consequences. Matters were further complicated by the disappearance of the Italian, who, greatly to the annoyance of my friend Cornelison had managed to evade him. Information reaches me as I write this, that, true to his natural instinct, he has got into trouble elsewhere, and will in all probability at last meet with his deserts. People call Worthing dull, but then there are those, as we very well know, who would travel from Dan to Beersheba and find everything barren; a story was told of Leroux, that witnessing the sun rise from the Righi in the company of enthusiastic and delighted companions, he marvelled at their expressions of pleasure and only found "le paysage un peu monotone!" Now, whenever there are lovely sun-risings and gorgeous sunsets. the " many twinkling smile of ocean," and ever varying aspect and music of the waves; fresh healthful breezes, green solitary lanes stretching far away to villages nestling amongst the hollows of the Downs, pleasant country people, murmuring streams, straggling woods, and sloping hills; wherever there are these and tolerable health and a good conscience how can people talk of dullness. If there be some |