gentleman said, "Myra is at the rectory; you are to come on there."

"And my father?"----

"Matters are critical," said Mr. Penruddock, as it were avoiding a
direct answer, and hastening his pace.

It was literally not a five minutes' walk from the village inn to the
rectory, and they walked in silence. The rector took Endymion at once
into his study; for we can hardly call it a library, though some shelves
of books were there, and many stuffed birds.

The rector closed the door with care, and looked distressed; and,
beckoning to Endymion to be seated, he said, while still standing and
half turning away his head, "My dear boy, prepare yourself for the
worst."

"Ah! he is gone then! my dear, dear father!" and Endymion burst into
passionate tears, and leant on the table, his face hid in his hands.

The rector walked up and down the room with an agitated countenance. He
could not deny, it would seem, the inference of Endymion; and yet he did
not proffer those consolations which might be urged, and which it became
one in his capacity peculiarly to urge.

"I must see Myra," said Endymion eagerly, looking up with a wild air and
streaming eyes.

"Not yet," said the rector; "she is much disturbed. Your poor father is
no more; it is too true; but," and here the rector hesitated, "he did
not die happily."

"What do you mean?" said Endymion.

"Your poor father had much to try him," said the rector. "His life,
since he was amongst us here, was a life, for him, of adversity--perhaps
of great adversity--yet he bore up against it with a Christian spirit;
he never repined. There was much that was noble and exalted in his
character. But he never overcame the loss of your dear mother. He was
never himself afterwards. He was not always master of himself. I could
bear witness to that," said the rector, talking, as it were, to himself.
"Yes; I could conscientiously give evidence to that effect"----

"What effect?" asked Endymion, with a painful scrutiny.

"I could show," said the rector, speaking slowly, and in a low voice,
"and others could show, that he was not master of himself when he
committed the rash act."

"O Mr. Penruddock!" exclaimed Endymion, starting from his chair, and
seizing the rector by the arm. "What is all this?"

"That a great sorrow has come upon you, and your sister, and all of us,"
said Mr. Penruddock; "and you, and she, and all of us must bow before
the Divine will in trembling, though in hope. You