not hide from himself the fact that his
absence from her, under such melancholy circumstances, was prejudicially
affecting her health. The dear old soul always tried to make the best of
it, but nature would out, although it was more from indirect remarks than
from any positive complaints, that Tournier gathered the true state of
the case. Of course it grieved him exceedingly, and added fresh
poignancy to his unhappiness. But there was one thing that, for the
first two years, her letters always contained in one form or another,
that made some sweet amends, and that was that she invariably added how
his dear Elise soothed and comforted her. "Whenever I see her," his
mother would write, "I seem to see you; and she says the same of me."

For the last few months, however, Tournier could not but observe, but
most unwillingly, there had been a gradual cessation of these fond
remarks in his mother's letters, and, worse still, a corresponding
chilliness in those of his Elise. At first, it was "How weary it is
without you!" then, "How can I go on living without you?" then, "How long
will it be before I shall see you?" This is not a romantic way of
putting it; but the downward progress of a woman's heart that is not
true, does not deserve romantic description. The auctioneer's formula is
quite good enough, "Going--going--gone."

Still the man who loved her with true and generous affection could not,
and would not, believe evil. "Poor dear heart," he would say; "she is
indeed to be pitied! How can she help being weary of my absence so
long?"

And here it must not fail to be recorded, that Tournier was no longer the
same man that he had been when first he arrived at Norman Cross--a proud,
bitterly disappointed, sensitive, angry man, who had lost what little
faith he ever had in God. He was still a faulty character, no doubt.
Poor erring men do not leap into perfection at a bound. But the
revolving light that first sent forth its rays into his mind, some two
years ago, in Cosin's house, had gone on revolving till it became a
settled and influential conviction--that God is good, and will help all
who want Him, even in their direst need. _How_ good and _how_ mighty to
save God was, he had yet to learn: but that He _was_ good, and that He
would help _him_, that he firmly believed. And who had done it for
him--this miracle, if you like to call it?--God. By weak human
instrumentality, by degrees: but yet God: for none else