of our mutual account. Meddle not.
God is the arbiter. This world's laws never came near us--never! They
were powerless as a rotten bulrush to protect me--impotent as idiot
babblings to restrain him! As you said, it is all over now; the grave
lies between us. There he sleeps, in that church. To his dust I say this
night, what I have never said before, 'James, slumber peacefully! See!
your terrible debt is cancelled! Look! I wipe out the long, black
account with my own hand! James, your child atones. This living likeness
of you--this thing with your perfect features--this one good gift you
gave me has nestled affectionately to my heart, and tenderly called me
"mother." Husband, rest forgiven!'"

"Dearest mother, that is right! Can papa's spirit hear us? Is he
comforted to know that we still love him?"

"I said nothing of love. I spoke of forgiveness. Mind the truth, child;
I said nothing of love! On the threshold of eternity, should he be there
to see me enter, will I maintain that."

"O mother, you must have suffered!"

"O child, the human heart _can_ suffer! It can hold more tears than the
ocean holds waters. We never know how deep, how wide it is, till misery
begins to unbind her clouds, and fill it with rushing blackness."

"Mother, forget."

"Forget!" she said, with the strangest spectre of a laugh. "The north
pole will rush to the south, and the headlands of Europe be locked into
the bays of Australia ere I forget."

"Hush, mother! Rest! Be at peace!"

And the child lulled the parent, as the parent had erst lulled the
child. At last Mrs. Pryor wept. She then grew calmer. She resumed those
tender cares agitation had for a moment suspended. Replacing her
daughter on the couch, she smoothed the pillow and spread the sheet. The
soft hair whose locks were loosened she rearranged, the damp brow she
refreshed with a cool, fragrant essence.

"Mamma, let them bring a candle, that I may see you; and tell my uncle
to come into this room by-and-by. I want to hear him say that I am your
daughter. And, mamma, take your supper here. Don't leave me for one
minute to-night."

"O Caroline, it is well you are gentle! You will say to me, Go, and I
shall go; Come, and I shall come; Do this, and I shall do it. You
inherit a certain manner as well as certain features. It will always be
'mamma' prefacing a mandate--softly spoken, though, from you, thank God!
Well," she added, under her breath, "he spoke softly too, once, like