ere were some royal great elms near the house. The fiery red
faded from the high windows as we came near the shore, and cousin Agnes
was ready to meet me; and when she put her arms round me as kindly as
my mother would have done, and kissed me twice in my father's fashion,
I was sure that I loved her, and would be contented. Her hair was very
gray; but she did not look, after all, so very old. Her face was a
grave one, as if she had had many cares; yet they had all made her
stronger, and there had been some sweetness, and something to be glad
about, and to thank God for, in every sorrow. I had a feeling always
that she was my sure defence and guard. I was safe and comfortable
with her: it was the same feeling which one learns to have toward God
more and more, as one grows older.

We went in through a wide hall, and up stairs, through a long passage,
to my room, which was in a corner of one of the gables. Two windows
looked on the garden and the river; another looked across to the other
gable, and into the square, grassy court between. It was a rambling,
great house, and seemed like some English houses I had seen. It would
be great fun to go into all the rooms some day soon.

"How much you are like your father!" said cousin Agnes, stooping to
kiss me again, with her hand on my shoulder. I had a sudden
consciousness of my bravery in having behaved so well all day; then I
remembered that my father and mother were at every instant being
carried farther and farther away. I could almost hear the waves dash
about the ship; and I could not help crying a little. "Poor little
girl!" said cousin Agnes: "I am very sorry." And she sat down, and
took me in her lap for a few minutes. She was tall, and held me so
comfortably, and I soon was almost happy again; for she hoped I would
not be lonely with her, and that I would not think she was a stranger,
for she had known and loved my father so well: and it would make cousin
Matthew so disappointed and uneasy if I were discontented; and would I
like some bread and milk with my supper, in the same blue china bowl,
with the dragon on it, which my father used to have when he was a boy?
These arguments were by no means lost upon me, and I was ready to smile
presently; and then we went down to the dining room, which had some
solemn-looking portraits on the walls, and heavy, stiff furniture; and
there was an old-fashioned woman standing ready to wait, whom cousin
Agnes called Deb