th green shutters, bearing a festal appearance, full of welcome,
as Mr. Muller, his tall bearded son Rufus, and a thin but
motherly-looking elderly woman, came forth to meet the travellers; and
in the front, full stare, stood a trollopy-looking girl, every bar of
her enormous hoop plainly visible through her washed-out flimsy muslin.
This was Miss Ianthe, who condescended to favour the family with her
assistance till she should have made up dollars enough to buy a new
dress! The elder woman, who went by the name of Cousin Deborah, would
have been a housekeeper in England--here she was one of the
family--welcomed Cora with an exchange of kisses, and received the
strangers with very substantial hospitality, though with pity at their
unfitness for their new home, and utter incredulity as to their success.

Here the Wards had been since their arrival. Their frame-house, near
the verdant bank of the river, was being finished for them; and a great
brass plate, with Henry's new name and his profession, had already
adorned the door. The furniture was coming; Cousin Deborah had hunted
up a Cleopatra Betsy, who might perhaps stay with them if she were
treated on terms of equality, a field was to be brought into
cultivation as soon as any labour could be had. Minna was looking
infinitely better already, and Averil and Cora were full of designs for
rival housewifery, Averil taking lessons meantime in ironing, dusting,
and the arts of the kitchen, and trusting that in the two years' time,
the skeletons would have given place--if not indeed to houses, to
well-kept fields. Such was her account.

How much was reserved for fear of causing anxiety? Who could guess?

CHAPTER XXI

Quanto si fende
La rocca per dar via a chi va suso
N'andai 'nfino ove'l cerchiar si prende
Com'io nel quinto giro fui dischiuso
Vidi gente per esso che piangea
Glacendo a terra tutta volta in giuso
Adhaesit pavimento anima mia
Sentia dir loro con si alti sospiri
Che la parola appena s'intendea.
'O eletti di Deo, i cui soffriri
E giustizia e speranza fan men duri--'
DANTE. Purgatorio

Ah, sir, we have learnt the way to get your company,' said Hector
Ernescliffe, as he welcomed his father-in-law at Maplewood; 'we have
only to get under sentence.'

'Sick or sorry, Hector; that's the attraction to an old doctor.'

'And,' added Hector, with the importance of his youthful ma