You know he is nurse's only child, and has got a
pretty cottage there. When poor little Alfred was beginning to get weak
and unwell, soon after Henry died; and mamma was ill too, and obliged
to go somewhere for her health, it was advised by the doctors that
Alfred should also change the air: and as the air of that common was
thought very fine, I went with my brother and nurse to spend the summer
at her son's cottage; and, Bernard, though I was then but six years
old, I remember everything there as if I had left it but yesterday, for
nurse has so often talked about that time to me.

"'Sweet little Alfred! He seemed to get quite well and strong; he rode
about the common on a donkey sometimes, and sometimes he played with
me, and sometimes we used to sit on the little heaps covered with sweet
short herbs, and talk of many things.

"'His chief delight was to talk of some place far away, where he always
fancied we were to go soon: he was to see Henry there, and Henry would
have wings, and his Saviour would be with them to take care of them,
and I was to come, and papa and mamma. I suppose that he spoke the
words of a baby; but the thoughts which were in his heart were very
sweet. He was merry, too, Bernard, more merry than you are, and full of
little tricks to make me laugh. But when we had been three months at
the cottage he grew languid and pale again; he was brought home, and
from that time grew worse and worse; and he died before Christmas. Oh,
Bernard, he was the gentlest, sweetest child--so pale! so beautiful!'

"Lucilla for a minute could say no more; she covered her face with her
hands, and large tears fell from her eyes. Bernard did not speak, but
he had an odd feeling in his throat, and wished that Lucilla was not
there to see him cry, for he felt he wanted to cry.

"Lucilla soon spoke again, and went on in the kindest, most gentle way,
to tell her brother how much more bitter his ill-behaviour was to their
mother than even the death of her elder boys; saying everything which a
loving, gentle girl could say to lead him to better behaviour.

"Suddenly, whilst she was speaking, she saw her father and mother
coming from the little wicket which lay in full view below them, and
taking their way slowly, and as if talking to each other, along the
path in the wood. Sometimes the trees partly hid them, then Lucilla saw
them clearly again, and then not at all. She pointed them out to
Bernard, and said:

"'Now, now, dea