, quite distinct from that which
lay so still before me; beautiful as nothing but death can be, younger
much than he had looked this very morning--younger by twenty years.

Farewell, John! Farewell, my more than brother! It is but for a
little while.

As I sat, thinking how peacefully the hands lay, clasped together
still, how sweet was the expression of the close mouth, and what a
strange shadowy likeness the whole face bore to Muriel's little face,
which I had seen resting in the same deep rest on the same pillow; some
one touched me. It was Mrs. Halifax.

How she came I do not know; nor how she had managed to steal out from
among her children. Nor how she, who had not walked for weeks, had
found her way up hither, in the dark, all alone. Nor what strength,
almost more than mortal, helped her to stand there, as she did stand,
upright and calm--gazing--gazing as I had done.

"It is very like him; don't you think so, Phineas?" The voice low and
soft, unbroken by any sob. "He once told me, in case of--this, he
would rather I did not come and look at him; but I can, you see."

I gave her my place, and she sat down by the bed. It might have been
ten minutes or more that she and I remained thus, without exchanging a
word.

"I think I hear some one at the door. Brother, will you call in the
children?"

Guy, altogether overcome, knelt down beside his mother, and besought
her to let him take her home.

"Presently--presently, my son. You are very good to me; but--your
father. Children, come in and look at your father."

They all gathered round her--weeping; but she spoke without single tear.

"I was a girl, younger than any of you, when first I met your father.
Next month we shall have been married thirty-three years. Thirty-three
years."

Her eyes grew dreamy, as if fancy had led her back all that space of
time; her fingers moved to and fro, mechanically, over her wedding-ring.

"Children, we were so happy, you cannot tell. He was so good; he loved
me so. Better than that, he made me good; that was why I loved him.
Oh, what his love was to me from the first! strength, hope, peace;
comfort and help in trouble, sweetness in prosperity. How my life
became happy and complete--how I grew worthier to myself because he had
taken me for his own! And what HE was--Children, no one but me ever
knew all his goodness, no one but himself ever knew how dearly I loved
your father. We were more precious each to e