rs that
trickled, conscious only of her broken, wounded, oppressed state of
dejection, into the details of which she durst not look. How could she,
when her misery had been inflicted by such hands? The mere fact of the
unseemly broil between the brothers and sisters on such an evening was
shame and pain enough, and she felt like one bruised and crushed all
over, both in herself and Maria, while the one drop of comfort in
Mervyn's kindness was poisoned by the strife between him and Robert, and
the doubt whether Robert thought she ought to have accepted it.

When her maid left her, she only moved to extinguish her light, and then
cowered down again as if to hide in the darkness; but the soft summer
twilight gloom seemed to soothe and restore her, and with a longing for
air to refresh her throbbing brow, she leant out into the cool, still
night, looking into the northern sky, still pearly with the last
reminiscence of the late sunset, and with the pale large stars beaming
calmly down.

'Oh mother, mother! Well might you long to take your poor Maria with
you--there where the weary are at rest--where there is mercy for the weak
and slow! Home! home! we have none but with you!'

Nay, had she not a home with Him whose love was more than mother's love;
whose soft stars were smiling on her now; whose gentle breezes fanned her
burning cheeks, even as a still softer breath of comfort was stilling her
troubled spirit! She leant out till she could compose herself to kneel
in prayer, and from prayer rose up quietly, weary, and able to rest
beneath the Fatherly Wings spread over the orphan.

She was early astir, though with heavy, swollen eyelids; and anxious to
avoid Bertha's inquiries till all should be more fully settled, she
betook herself to the garden, to cool her brow and eyes. She was bathing
them in the dewy fragrant heart of a full-blown rose, that had seemed to
look at her with a tearful smile of sympathy, when a step approached, and
an arm was thrown round her, and Robert stood beside her.

'My Phoebe,' he said tenderly, 'how are you? It was a frightful
evening!'

'Oh! Robert, were you displeased with me?'

'No, indeed. You put us all to shame. I grieved that you had no more
preparation, but some of the guests stayed late, afterwards I was
hindered by business, and then Bevil laid hands on me to advise me
privately against this establishment for poor Maria.'

'I thought it was Juliana who pressed it!'