y as they came up
Prickett's Lane together, where the poor woman had just died peaceably
in No. 10, and got done with it, poor soul; and the Sister of Mercy, in
her grey cloak, lifted towards him the blue eyes which were full of
tears, and answered with natural emphasis, "Impossible! it would have
been deserting our post," and drew a step closer to him in the twilight
with a sense of the sweetness of that plural pronoun which mingled so
with the higher sense that it was impossible to disjoin them. And the
two went on under the influence of these combined sentiments, taking
comfort out of the very hardness of the world around them, in which
their ministrations were so much needed, and feeling an exaltation in
the "duty," which was not for one, but for both, and a belief in the
possibility of mending matters, in which their love for each other bore
a large share; for it was not in human nature thus to begin the ideal
existence, without believing in its universal extension, and in the
amelioration of life and the world.

"That is all they think of," said poor Miss Wodehouse, who, between
her wondering inspection of the two "young people" and her own
moderate and sensible love-affairs, and the directions which it was
necessary to give to her Rector about the furnishing of the new house,
was more constantly occupied than she had ever been in her life; "but
then, if they marry, what are they to live upon? and if they don't
marry--"

"Perhaps something will turn up my dear," said old Mrs Western, who had
an idea that Providence was bound to provide for two good young people
who wanted to marry; and thus the two ladies were forced to leave the
matter, where, indeed, the historian of events in Carlingford would
willingly leave it also, not having much faith in the rewards of virtue
which come convenient in such an emergency. But it is only pure fiction
which can keep true to nature, and weave its narrative in analogy with
the ordinary course of life--whereas history demands exactness in
matters of _fact_, which are seldom true to nature, or amenable to any
general rule of existence.

Before proceeding, however, to the narrative of the unexpected
advancement and promotion which awaited the Perpetual Curate, it may be
as well to notice that the Miss Wentworths, who during the summer had
kindly given their house at Skelmersdale to some friends who had
returned in the spring from India, found themselves now in a position to
retu