sincere, serene face; 'I cannot doubt that even this is well for you, but
it is all selfishness--just as I was beginning to feel what you are to
me.'

Humfrey's face lighted up suddenly. 'Then, Honor,' he said, evidently
putting strong restraint upon his voice, 'you could have listened to me
now!'

She bowed her head--the tears were dropping very fast.

'Thank God!' he said, as again he leant back in his chair; and when she
raised her eyes again, he sat with his hands clasped, and a look of
heavenly felicity on his face, raised upwards.

'Oh! Humfrey! how thoughtlessly I have trifled away all that might have
been the happiness of your life!'

'You never trifled with me,' he said; 'you have always dealt honestly and
straightforwardly, and it is best as it is. Had we been together all
this time, the parting might have been much harder. I am glad there are
so few near ties to break.'

'Don't say so! you, loved by every one, the tower of strength to all that
is good!'

'Hush, hush! nonsense, Honor!' said he, kindly. 'I think I have tried,'
he went on, gravely, 'not to fall behind the duties of my station; but
that would be a bad dependence, were there not something else to look to.
As to missing me, the world did very well without me before I was born;
it will do as well when I am gone; and as to you, my poor Honor, we have
been very little together of late.'

'I had you to lean on.'

'Lean on something stronger,' he said; and as she could not govern her
bitter weeping, he went on--'Ah! I am the selfish one now, to be glad of
what must make it the worse for you; but if one thing were wanting to
make me happy, it was to know that at last you cared for me.'

'I should be a wretch not to do so. So many years of patience and
forbearance!--Nobody could be like you.'

'I don't see that,' said Humfrey, simply. 'While you continued the same,
I could not well turn my mind to any one else, and I always knew I was
much too loutish for you.'

'Now, Humfrey!--'

'Yes, there is no use in dwelling on this,' he said, quietly. 'The
reason I asked you to be kind enough to come here, is that I do not think
it well to be far from home under the circumstances. There, don't look
frightened--they say it may very possibly not come for several months or
a year. I hope to have time to put things a little in order for you, and
that is one reason I wished to see you; I thought I could make the
beginning easier to you.'

But