on her shoulder, and
looking earnestly in her face, repeated--
"Then cheerily to your work again, With hearts new braced and set, To
run untir'd love's blessed race, As meet for those who, face to face,
Over the grave their Lord have met."
"Yes, Queenie," said Henrietta, giving a long sigh, "it is a very
different world to me now; but I do mean to try. And first, dear Bee,
you must let me thank you for having been very kind to me this long time
past, though I am afraid I showed little thankfulness." She kissed her
affectionately, and the tears almost choked Beatrice.
"Me! me, of all people," she said. "O, Henrietta!"
"We must talk of it all another time," said Henrietta, "but now it will
not do to stay away from Fred any longer. Don't think this like the days
when I used to run away from you in the winter, Bee--that time when I
would not stop and talk about the verses on the holly."
While she spoke, there was something of the "new bracing" visible in
every movement, as she set her dress to rights, and arranged her curls,
which of late she had been used to allow to hang in a deplorable way,
that showed how little vigour or inclination to bear up there was about
her whole frame.
"O no, do not stay with me," said Queen Bee, "I am going"--to mamma, she
would have said, but she hardly knew how to use the word when speaking
to Henrietta.
"Yes," said Henrietta, understanding her. "And tell her, Bee--for I am
sure I shall never be able to say it to her,--all about our thanks, and
how sorry I am that I cared so little about her or her comfort." "If I
had only believed, instead of blinding myself so wilfully!" she almost
whispered to herself with a deep sigh; but being now ready, she ran
downstairs and entered her brother's room. His countenance bore
traces of weeping, but he was still calm; and as she came in he looked
anxiously at her. She spoke quietly as she sat down by him, put her hand
into his, and said, "Thank you, dear Fred, for making me go."
"I was quite sure you would be glad when it was over," said Fred. "I
have been reading the service with Aunt Geoffrey, but that is a very
different thing."
"It will all come to you when you go to Church again," said Henrietta.
"How little I thought that New Year's Day--!" said Fred.
"Ah! and how little we either of us thought last summer's holidays!"
said Henrietta. "If it was not for that, I could bear it all better;
but it was my determination to come
|