perceptible change of
tone, by an answer given in the right place, by a look of
assent when no word was uttered, he gave what at that moment I
wanted--sympathy, and that silent, constant, unobtrusive
sympathy, fell like oil on troubled waters.

"Does she like Elmsley?" I asked, as Alice sat opposite to us,
earnestly reading a book which she had just taken out of the
bookcase.

"I hardly know. The kind of life she leads here, quiet as it
seems to us, is so new to her that I fancy it almost oppresses
her. She has not been quite like herself since she came here.
I cannot call it a cloud, but a shade has sometimes passed
over her face whose expression formerly never used to vary. Do
you remember the first day you ever saw her?"

"Don't I--the old fountain and the blooming children: what a
picture that was! But look at her _now;_ is she not like what
our fancy, aided by the loveliest conceptions of genius,
presents to our thoughts, when we think of _her_ whom all
generations call blessed?"

I murmured in a low tone, more to myself than to him, the
beautiful appellations of the blessed Virgin--"Lily of
Eden--mystic rose--star of the morning!"

Henry added, in as low a voice, and without looking at me,
"Notre Dame de bon secours."

I understood him, and acknowledged to myself the truth of his
prediction, that there was one share in my soul which nothing
could ever rob him of, and that was that undefinable communion
of thought and feeling, which an extraordinary fatality of
circumstances, and a natural congeniality of mind, had created
between us.

The next day there was nothing but bustle and excitement in
the house, and in the neighbourhood. The polling was to begin
at twelve o'clock that morning; and, at an early hour, we all
drove to the town of--, to take up our quarters for the day in
the drawing-room of the inn which belonged to my uncle, and
the landlord of which was one of Edward's staunch supporters.

The loud cries of "Middleton for ever!" the enthusiastic
cheering as we drove along; the occasional groans and hisses,
which were too feeble to depress our spirits; the flags; the
music; the bustle; Edward's heightened colour and animated
countenance; the interest felt and expressed by all those
about us; the eagerness of contest; the anxiety for success;
the anticipated triumph over the enemy--all this together
worked me up into such a state of excitement, that I could
hardly sit still in the carriage,