“ForthefirstdayortwoIthoughtsheneverwouldgetoverit；shesaiditwasajudgementuponher，andwentonaboutthingsasshehadsaidanddonemanyyearsago，beforeyourpaknewher，andI
don’tknowwhatshedidn’tsayorwouldn’thavesaidonlyIstoppedher；sheseemedoutofhermindlike，andsaidthatnoneoftheneighbourswouldeverspeaktoheragain，butthenextdayMrsBushby(herthatwasMissCowey，youknow)called，andyourmaalwayswassofondofher，anditseemedtodoherapowero’good，forthenextdayshewentthroughallherdresses，andwesettledhowsheshouldhavethemaltered；andthenalltheneighbourscalledformilesandmilesround，andyourmacameinhere，andsaidshehadbeengoingthroughthewatersofmisery，andtheLordhadturnedthemtoawell。
“’Ohyes，Susan，’saidshe，’besureitisso。WhomtheLordlovethhechasteneth，Susan，’andhereshebegantocryagain。’Asforhim，’shewenton，’hehasmadehisbed，andhemustlieonit；whenhecomesoutofprisonhispawillknowwhatisbesttobedone，andMasterErnestmaybethankfulthathehasapasogoodandsolong-
suffering。’
“Thenwhenyouwouldnotseethem，thatwasacruelblowtoyourma。
Yourpadidnotsayanything；youknowyourpaneverdoessayverymuchunlesshe’sdownrightwaxyforthetime；butyourmatookondreadfulforafewdays，andIneversawthemasterlooksoblack；
but，blessyou，itallwentoffinafewdays，andIdon’tknowthatthere’sbeenmuchdifferenceineitherofthemsincethen，nottillyourmawastookill。”
Onthenightofhisarrivalhehadbehavedwellatfamilyprayers，asalsoonthefollowingmorning；hisfatherreadaboutDavid’sdyinginjunctionstoSolomoninthematterofShimei，buthedidnotmindit。Inthecourseoftheday，however，hiscornshadbeentroddenonsomanytimesthathewasinamisbehavinghumour，onthisthesecondnightafterhisarrival。HekneltnextCharlotteandsaidtheresponsesperfunctorily，notsoperfunctorilythatsheshouldknowforcertainthathewasdoingitmaliciously，butsoperfunctorilyastomakeheruncertainwhetherhemightbemaliciousornot，andwhenhehadtopraytobemadetrulyhonestandconscientiousheemphasisedthe“truly。”IdonotknowwhetherCharlottenoticedanything，butshekneltatsomedistancefromhimduringtherestofhisstay。HeassuresmethatthiswastheonlyspitefulthinghedidduringthewholetimehewasatBattersby。
Whenhewentuptohisbedroom，inwhich，todothemjustice，theyhadgivenhimafire，henoticedwhatindeedhehadnoticedassoonashewasshownintoitonhisarrival，thattherewasanilluminatedcardframedandglazedoverhisbedwiththewords，“Bethedaywearyorbethedaylong，atlastitringethtoevensong。”
Hewonderedtohimselfhowsuchpeoplecouldleavesuchacardinaroominwhichtheirvisitorswouldhavetospendthelasthoursoftheirevening，butheletitalone。“There’snotenoughdifferencebetween’weary’and’long’towarrantan’or，’“hesaid，“butI
supposeitisallright。”IbelieveChristinahadboughtthecardatabazaarinaidoftherestorationofaneighbouringchurch，andhavingbeenboughtithadgottobeused——besides，thesentimentwassotouchingandtheilluminationwasreallylovely。Anyhow，noironycouldbemorecompletethanleavingitinmyhero’sbedroom，thoughassuredlynoironyhadbeenintended。
OnthethirddayafterErnest’sarrivalChristinarelapsedagain。
Forthelasttwodaysshehadbeeninnopainandhadsleptagooddeal；herson’spresencestillseemedtocheerher，andsheoftensaidhowthankfulshewastobesurroundedonherdeath-bedbyafamilysohappy，soGod-fearing，sounited，butnowshebegantowander，and，beingmoresensibleoftheapproachofdeath，seemedalsomorealarmedatthethoughtsoftheDayofJudgment。
Sheventuredmorethanonceortwicetoreturntothesubjectofhersins，andimploredTheobaldtomakequitesurethattheywereforgivenher。Shehintedthatsheconsideredhisprofessionalreputationwasatstake；itwouldneverdoforhisownwifetofailinsecuringatanyrateapass。ThiswastouchingTheobaldonatenderspot；hewincedandrejoinedwithanimpatienttossofthehead，“But，Christina，theyAREforgivenyou“；andthenheentrenchedhimselfinafirmbutdignifiedmannerbehindtheLord’sprayer。Whenherosehelefttheroom，butcalledErnestouttosaythathecouldnotwishitprolonged。
Joeywasnomoreuseinquietinghismother’sanxietythanTheobaldhadbeen——indeedhewasonlyTheobaldandwater；atlastErnest，whohadnotlikedinterfering，tookthematterinhand，and，sittingbesideher，letherpourouthergrieftohimwithoutletorhindrance。
ShesaidsheknewshehadnotgivenupallforChrist’ssake；itwasthisthatweigheduponher。Shehadgivenupmuch，andhadalwaystriedtogiveupmoreyearbyyear，stillsheknewverywellthatshehadnotbeensospirituallymindedassheoughttohavebeen。
Ifshehad，sheshouldprobablyhavebeenfavouredwithsomedirectvisionorcommunication；whereas，thoughGodhadvouchsafedsuchdirectandvisibleangelicvisitstooneofherdearchildren，yetshehadhadnonesuchherself——norevenhadTheobald。
ShewastalkingrathertoherselfthantoErnestasshesaidthesewords，buttheymadehimopenhisears。HewantedtoknowwhethertheangelhadappearedtoJoeyortoCharlotte。Heaskedhismother，butsheseemedsurprised，asthoughsheexpectedhimtoknowallaboutit，then，asifsheremembered，shecheckedherselfandsaid，“Ah！yes——youknownothingofallthis，andperhapsitisaswell。”Ernestcouldnotofcoursepressthesubject，soheneverfoundoutwhichofhisnearrelationsitwaswhohadhaddirectcommunicationwithanimmortal。Theothersneversaidanythingtohimaboutit，thoughwhetherthiswasbecausetheywereashamed，orbecausetheyfearedhewouldnotbelievethestoryandthusincreasehisowndamnation，hecouldnotdetermine。
Ernesthasoftenthoughtaboutthissince。HetriedtogetthefactsoutofSusan，whohewassurewouldknow，butCharlottehadbeenbeforehandwithhim。“No，MasterErnest。”saidSusan，whenhebegantoquestionher，“yourmahassentamessagetomebyMissCharlotteasIamnottosaynothingatallaboutit，andIneverwill。”Ofcoursenofurtherquestioningwaspossible。IthadmorethanonceoccurredtoErnestthatCharlottedidnotinrealitybelievemorethanhedidhimself，andthisincidentwentfartostrengthenhissurmises，buthewaveredwhenherememberedhowshehadmisdirectedtheletteraskingfortheprayersofthecongregation。Isuppose。”hesaidtohimselfgloomily，“shedoesbelieveinitafterall。”
ThenChristinareturnedtothesubjectofherownwantofspiritual-
mindedness，sheevenharpedupontheoldgrievanceofherhavingeatenblackpuddings——true，shehadgiventhemupyearsago，butforhowmanyyearshadshenotperseveredineatingthemaftershehadhadmisgivingsabouttheirhavingbeenforbidden！Thentherewassomethingthatweighedonhermindthathadtakenplacebeforehermarriage，andsheshouldlike-
Ernestinterrupted：“Mydearmother。”hesaid，“youareillandyourmindisunstrung；otherscannowjudgebetteraboutyouthanyoucan；Iassureyouthattomeyouseemtohavebeenthemostdevotedlyunselfishwifeandmotherthateverlived。EvenifyouhavenotliterallygivenupallforChrist’ssake，youhavedonesopracticallyasfarasitwasinyourpower，andmorethanthisisnotrequiredofanyone。Ibelieveyouwillnotonlybeasaint，butaverydistinguishedone。”
AtthesewordsChristinabrightened。“Yougivemehope，yougivemehope。”shecried，anddriedhereyes。Shemadehimassureheroverandoveragainthatthiswashissolemnconviction；shedidnotcareaboutbeingadistinguishedsaintnow；shewouldbequitecontenttobeamongthemeanestwhoactuallygotintoheaven，providedshecouldmakesureofescapingthatawfulHell。Thefearofthisevidentlywasomnipresentwithher，andinspiteofallErnestcouldsayhedidnotquitedispelit。Shewasratherungrateful，Imustconfess，foraftermorethananhour’sconsolationfromErnestsheprayedforhimthathemighthaveeveryblessinginthisworld，inasmuchasshealwaysfearedthathewastheonlyoneofherchildrenwhomsheshouldnevermeetinheaven；butshewasthenwandering，andwashardlyawareofhispresence；hermindinfactwasrevertingtostatesinwhichithadbeenbeforeherillness。
OnSundayErnestwenttochurchasamatterofcourse，andnotedthattheeverrecedingtideofEvangelicalismhadebbedmanyastagelower，evenduringthefewyearsofhisabsence。HisfatherusedtowalktothechurchthroughtheRectorygarden，andacrossasmallinterveningfield。Hehadbeenusedtowalkinatallhat，hisMaster’sgown，andwearingapairofGenevabands。Ernestnoticedthatthebandswerewornnolonger，andlo！greatermarvelstill，TheobalddidnotpreachinhisMaster’sgown，butinasurplice。
Thewholecharacteroftheservicewaschanged；youcouldnotsayitwashighevennow，forhigh-churchTheobaldcouldneverunderanycircumstancesbecome，buttheoldeasy-goingslovenliness，ifImaysayso，wasgoneforever。Theorchestralaccompanimentstothehymnshaddisappearedwhilemyherowasyetaboy，buttherehadbeennochantingforsomeyearsaftertheharmoniumhadbeenintroduced。WhileErnestwasatCambridge，CharlotteandChristinahadprevailedonTheobaldtoallowthecanticlestobesung；andsungtheyweretoold-fashioneddoublechantsbyLordMorningtonandDrDupuisandothers。Theobalddidnotlikeit，buthedidit，orallowedittobedone。
ThenChristinasaid：“Mydear，doyouknow，Ireallythink“
(Christinaalways“really“thought)“thatthepeoplelikethechantingverymuch，andthatitwillbeameansofbringingmanytochurchwhohavestayedawayhitherto。IwastalkingaboutittoMrsGoodhewandtooldMissWrightonlyyesterday，andtheyQUITEagreedwithme，buttheyallsaidthatweoughttochantthe’GlorybetotheFather’attheendofeachofthepsalmsinsteadofsayingit。”
Theobaldlookedblack——hefeltthewatersofchantingrisinghigherandhigheruponhiminchbyinch；buthefeltalso，heknewnotwhy，thathehadbetteryieldthanfight。Soheorderedthe“GlorybetotheFather“tobechantedinfuture，buthedidnotlikeit。
“Really，mammadear。”saidCharlotte，whenthebattlewaswon，“youshouldnotcallitthe’GlorybetotheFather’youshouldsay’Gloria。’“
“Ofcourse，mydear。”saidChristina，andshesaid“Gloria“foreverafter。ThenshethoughtwhatawonderfullyclevergirlCharlottewas，andhowsheoughttomarrynoonelowerthanabishop。By-and-
bywhenTheobaldwentawayforanunusuallylongholidayonesummer，hecouldfindnoonebutaratherhigh-churchclergymantotakehisduty。Thisgentlemanwasamanofweightintheneighbourhood，havingconsiderableprivatemeans，butwithoutpreferment。Inthesummerhewouldoftenhelphisbrotherclergymen，anditwasthroughhisbeingwillingtotakethedutyatBattersbyforafewSundaysthatTheobaldhadbeenabletogetawayforsolong。Onhisreturn，however，hefoundthatthewholepsalmswerebeingchantedaswellastheGlorias。Theinfluentialclergyman，Christina，andCharlottetookthebullbythehornsassoonasTheobaldreturned，andlaugheditalloff；andtheclergymanlaughedandbounced，andChristinalaughedandcoaxed，andCharlotteutteredunexceptionablesentiments，andthethingwasdonenow，andcouldnotbeundone，anditwasnousegrievingoverspiltmilk；sohenceforththepsalmsweretobechanted，butTheobaldgrisledoveritinhisheart，andhedidnotlikeit。
