four, Aunt Eleanour?" asked Denis.

"Very nearly, I should think. Suppose you were to go and see if they
have brought the tea-kettle in; and if they have, call to me from the
drawing-room window, and I will come."

The tempered sunlight fell full upon the delicate hyacinth
clusters--coral, snow-white, and faintest lilac--exhaling their
exquisite odour, and the warm sweet air seemed to enwrap us tenderly. My
spirits, heavy as lead, began to rise--strangely, irrationally. Sunlight
has always for me a supersensuous beauty, while the colour and perfume
of flowers move me as sound vibrations move the musician. Just then it
was to me as if through Nature, from that which is behind Nature, there
reached me a pitying, a comforting caress.

And in the same key were Mrs. Mostyn's words when she next spoke.

"Mr. Lyndsay, I am an old woman and you are very young, and my heart
goes out to all young creatures in sorrow, especially to one who has no
mother of his own, no, nor father even, to comfort him. I know what
trouble you have had. Would you be offended if I said how deeply I felt
for you?"

"Offended, Mrs. Mostyn!"

"No. I see you understand me; you will not think me obtrusive when I say
that I pray this great trial may be for your lasting good; may lead you
to seek and to find salvation. The truth is brought home to us in many
different ways, by many different instruments. My own eyes were opened
by very extraordinary means."

She was silent for a few instants, and then went on--

"When I was young, Mr. Lyndsay, I lived for the world only. I went to
church, of course, like other people, and said my prayers and called
myself a Christian, but I did not know what the word meant. My sister
Henrietta would often talk seriously to me, but it had no effect, and
she was quite grieved over my hardened state; but my dear mother, a true
saint, used to tell her to have no fear, that some day I should be
sharply awakened to my soul's danger. But it was not till years after
she was in heaven that her words came true."

I looked at her and waited.

"We were still living at Weald Manor with my brother Marmaduke, and we
had young people staying with us. They were all going--all but
myself--to a ball at Carchester. I stayed at home because I had a slight
cold, which made me feel tired and feverish, and disinclined to be
dancing till early next morning. I went to bed early, and when I had
sent away my maid I sat beside the fire for