ret hope that it might yet be permitted to her to meet
her again, and in the time of trouble to be of service to her.

This, of course, was not for Lady Elizabeth's ears, but enough was told
her to make her again marvel over her daughter's past infatuation, and
express her thankfulness for the escape.

Emma's mind was gradually becoming tranquillized, though it had suffered
another severe shock from the tidings, that Theresa Marstone had
actually become a member of the Roman Catholic Church. A few months ago,
such intelligence might have unsettled Emma's principles, as well as
caused her deep grief; but the conviction of the undutiful and uncandid
part which Miss Marstone had led her to act, had shaken her belief in
her friend's infallibility; and in the safe and wholesome atmosphere of
her home, there had been a gradual disenchantment. She saw Sarah Theresa
in a true light, as a person of excellent intentions, and of many right
principles, but entirely unconscious of her own foibles, namely, an
overweening estimate of self and of her own opinions, and a love of
excitement and dominion. These, growing more confirmed with her
years, had resulted in the desertion of her mother-church, under the
expectation that elsewhere she might find that ideal which existed only
in her own imagination; and Emma had been obliged to acknowledge, that
had her work at the Priory been hastily begun, according to her wishes,
four years ago, little could have resulted but mischief from such a
coadjutor.

Emma's sense of folly and instability made her ready to submit to
another five years' probation; but to her surprise, her mother, whom
Miss Marstone had taught her to imagine averse to anything out of the
ordinary routine, was quite ready to promote her plans, and in fact did
much to turn her mind into that channel.

The orphans were doubled in numbers, and Emma spent much time in
attending to them, an old woman had been rescued from the Union, and
lodged in an adjoining room, as a 'granny' to the little girls, giving
the whole quite a family air; a homeless governess, in feeble health,
was on a visit, which Emma hoped would be prolonged indefinitely, if
she could be persuaded to believe herself useful to the orphans. The
inhabitants of the house were fast outstripping their space in the
parish church, and might soon be numerous enough to necessitate the
restoration of the ruin for their lodging. An architect had been
commissioned to prep