by monosyllables, appeared as
though he would speak, and then became silent. I am pained, and yet glad
that I saw him, I said, not very distinctly, I dare say, that I hoped
the difference between Barnes and uncle would not extinguish his regard
for mamma and me, who have always loved him; when I said loved him, he
give one of his bitter laughs again; and so he did when I said I hoped
his wife was well. You never would tell me much about Mrs. Newcome; and
I fear she does not make my cousin happy. And yet this marriage was of
my uncle's making: another of the unfortunate marriages in our family.
I am glad that I paused in time, before the commission of that sin;
I strive my best, and to amend my temper, my inexperience, my
shortcomings, and try to be the mother of my poor brother's children.
But Barnes has never forgiven me my refusal of Lord Farintosh. He is of
the world still, Laura. Nor must we deal too harshly with people of his
nature, who cannot perhaps comprehend a world beyond. I remember in old
days, when we were travelling on the Rhine, in the happiest days of my
whole life, I used to hear Clive and his friend Mr. Ridley, talk of art
and of nature in a way that I could not understand at first, but came
to comprehend better as my cousin taught me; and since then, I see
pictures, landscapes, and flowers, with quite different eyes, and
beautiful secrets as it were, of which I had no idea before. The secret
of all secrets, the secret of the other life, and the better world
beyond ours, may not this be unrevealed to some? I pray for them all,
dearest Laura, for those nearest and dearest to me, that the truth may
lighten their darkness, and Heaven's great mercy defend them in the
perils and dangers of their night.

"My boy at Sandhurst has done very well indeed; and Egbert, I am happy
to say, thinks of taking orders; he has been very moderate at College.
Not so Alfred; but the Guards are a sadly dangerous school for a young
man; I have promised to pay his debts, and he is to exchange into the
line. Mamma is coming to us at Christmas with Alice; my sister is very
pretty indeed, I think, and I am rejoiced she is to marry young Mr.
Mumford, who has a tolerable living, and who has been attached to her
ever since he was a boy at Rugby School.

"Little Barnes comes on bravely with his Latin; and Mr. Whitestock, a
most excellent and valuable person in this place, where there is so much
Romanism and Dissent, speaks highly of