overcomes the sky, and then, while none
withstand it, and all is its own, it will change as if wearied, and on a
sudden be over; or with pathetic withdrawal faint slowly away.

Her apathy, too--her surrender, when she has had everything, and felt
the toil in it, and found the hurry of living. The young seldom perceive
the apathy of nature; eyes that are enlightened by age can often see her
quiet in the autumn, folding up her best things, as they have done, and
getting ready to put them away under the snow. They both expect the
spring.

Emily was thinking some such thoughts as these while she walked on to
the small country church alone. She went in. This was the first Sunday
after the funeral of old Augustus Mortimer. A glance showed her that
John was at church, sitting among his children.

The Mortimers were much beloved thereabout. This was not the place where
the old man had worshipped, but a kindly feeling towards his son had
induced the bringing out of such black drapery as the little church
possessed. It was hung round the pulpit, and about the wall at the back
of his pew; and as he sat upright, perfectly still, and with his face
set into a grave, immobile expression, the dark background appeared to
add purity to the fair clear tints of his hair and complexion, and make
every line of his features more distinct.

And while she looked from time to time at this face, the same thing
occurred to her, as does to us in looking at nature; either she
perceived something she had never known of or looked for before, or she
imparted to his manhood something from the tenderness of her womanhood,
and mourned with him and for him.

For this was what she saw, that in spite of the children about him (all
in deep mourning), his two tall young daughters and his sweet little
girls and boys, there was a certain air of isolation about him, a sort
of unconsciousness of them all as he towered above them, which gave him
a somewhat desolate effect of being alone. The light striking down upon
his head and the mourning drapery behind him, made every shadow of a
change more evident. She knew how the withdrawal of this old father
weighed on his heart, and his attitude was so unchanging, and his
expression so guarded, that she saw he was keeping watch over his
self-possession, and holding it well in hand.

All this appeared so evident to her that she was relieved, as the
service went on, to find him still calm and able to command himself,