her life--"an innocent life, yet
far astray."

But one letter of hers abides, kept in contrition by the woman to
whom she wrote it, and in this surely the noble soul of her mounts
like a star and shines, clear above the wreck of her life.

"MY DEAR MRS. HARRY,--"

"Let there be few words between us. My child
did not live, and I shall never bear my lord another; therefore,
outside of your feelings and mine, what you did or left undone
matters not at all in this world. You talk of the next, and there
you go beyond me; but if there be a next world, and my forgiveness
can help you there, why you had it long ago! . . . 'You reproach
yourself constantly,' you say; 'You should have told him and you
withheld the letter;' 'You did wickedly'--and the rest. Oh, my dear,
will you not see that I have been a mother, too, and understand?
In your place I might have done the same. Yes? No? At any rate I
should have known the temptation.

"Yours affectionately,"

"RUTH."

The law business ended, she and Sir Oliver sailed for Boston and
spent a few weeks at Eagles. He had resigned the Collectorship of
Customs, but with no intent to return and make England his home.
His attachment to Eagles had grown; he was perpetually making fresh
plans to enlarge and adorn it; and he proposed henceforth, laying
aside all official cares, to spend his summers in New England, his
winters in the softer climate of Lisbon.

BOOK V.

LISBON AND AFTER.

Chapter I.

ACT OF FAITH.

"How is it possible for people beholding that glorious Body to
worship any Being but Him who created it!"

Upon the stroke of nine the procession filed forth into the Square.
It was headed by about a hundred Dominican friars, bearing the banner
of their founder. The banner displayed a Cross betwixt an olive tree
and a sword, with the motto _Justitia et Misericordia_.

After the Dominicans walked five penitents; each with a sergeant, or
Familiar, attending. Two of the five wore black mitres, three were
bareheaded. All walked barefoot, clad in black sleeveless coats, and
each carried a long wax candle. These had escaped the extreme
sentence; and after them came one, a woman, who had escaped it also,
but narrowly and as by fire. In token of this her black robe was
painted over with flames, having their points turned downward.
Close behind followed three men on whose san-benitos the flames
pointed upward. These were being led to