is pang softened in His own time. I fear my words sound
cold; but oh, would that I could comfort you, dearest," and tears stood
trembling in Ellen's eyes.

"And you do comfort me, Ellen; oh, I do not feel so very wretched with
you near me as I do alone, though even you cannot guess this extent of
suffering; you know not what it is to love, and yet to feel there is no
hope; no--none," she repeated, in a low murmuring tone, as if to
convince herself that there was indeed none, as she had said; and it was
not strange that thus engrossed, she marked not that a slight shudder
passed through her cousin's frame at her last words; that Ellen's cheek
suddenly vied in its deadly paleness with her own; that the tears dried
up, as if frozen in those large, dark eyes, which were fixed upon her
with an expression she would, had she seen it, have found difficult to
understand; that the pale lip quivered for a few minutes, so as entirely
to prevent her speaking as she had intended.

"Go to bed, dearest Emmeline, indeed you must not sit up longer," Ellen
said at length, as she folded her arms fondly round her and kissed her
cheek. "When I was ill, you ever wished to dictate to me," she
continued, playfully, "and I was always good and obedient; will you not
act up to your own principle and obey me now? think of your mother,
dearest, how anxious she will be if you are ill. I will not leave you
till you are asleep."

"No, no, dear Ellen, I will not so abuse your kindness; I will go to
bed. I have been wrong to sit up thus, when I promised mamma to do all I
could to--but, indeed, you must not stay with me, Ellen. I feel so
exhausted, I may perhaps sleep sooner than I expect; but even if I do
not, you must not sit up."

"Never mind, my love, let me see you obedient, and I will perhaps learn
the same lesson," replied Ellen, playfully, though her cheek retained
its suddenly-acquired paleness. Emmeline no longer resisted, and Ellen
quickly had the relief of seeing her in bed, and her eyes closed, as if
in the hope of obtaining sleep; but after a few minutes they again
opened, and seeing Ellen watching her, she said--

"You had better leave me, Ellen, I shall not be able to sleep if I think
you are watching me, and losing your own night's rest. I am not ill, my
dear cousin, I am only miserable, and that will pass away perhaps for a
short time again, as it did this afternoon."

Ellen again kissed her and closed the curtains, obeying her so