ach than anything on
earth; except His service, who gave us to one another."

Her voice dropped all but inaudible; but she roused herself, and made
it once more clear and firm, the mother's natural voice.

"Guy, Edwin, all of you, must never forget your father. You must do as
he wishes, and live as he lived--in all ways. You must love him, and
love one another. Children, you will never do anything that need make
you ashamed to meet your father."

As they hung round her she kissed them all--her three sons and her
daughter, one by one; then, her mind being perhaps led astray by the
room we were in, looked feebly round for one more
child--remembered--smiled--

"How glad her father will be to have her again--his own little Muriel."

"Mother! mother darling! come home," whispered Guy, almost in a sob.

His mother stooped over him, gave him one kiss more--him her favourite
of all her children--and repeated the old phrase:

"Presently, presently! Now go away, all of you; I want to be left for
a little, alone with my husband."

As we went out, I saw her turn toward the bed--"John, John!" The same
tone, almost the same words, with which she had crept up to him years
before, the day they were betrothed. Just a low, low murmur, like a
tired child creeping to fond protecting arms. "John, John!"

We closed the door. We all sat on the stairs outside; it might have
been for minutes, it might have been for hours. Within or without--no
one spoke--nothing stirred.

At last Guy softly went in.

She was still in the same place by the bed-side, but half lying on the
bed, as I had seen her turn when I was shutting the door. Her arm was
round her husband's neck; her face, pressed inwards to the pillow, was
nestled close to his hair. They might have been asleep--both of them.

One of her children called her, but she neither answered nor stirred.

Guy lifted her up, very tenderly; his mother, who had no stay left but
him--his mother--a widow--

No, thank God! she was not a widow now.

End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of John Halifax, Gentleman, by
Dinah Maria Mulock Craik

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