brother. Do not humble me further. I will make what
reparation I can--indeed I will--and then perhaps God will spare my
child."

Hope's passing reflection was, "How alike is the superstition of the
ignorant and of the wicked! My poor neighbours stealing to the
conjuror's tent in the lane, and this wretched lady, hope alike to bribe
Heaven in their extremity--they by gifts and rites, she by remorse and
reparation.--How different from the faith which say; `Not as I will, but
as thou wilt!'"

"Where _is_ Margaret? Will you tell me?" asked Enderby, impatiently.
"But before I see her, I ought to ask forgiveness from you, Hope. You
find how cruelly I have been deceived--by what incredible falsehood--.
But," glancing at his pale sister, "we will speak no more of that. If,
in the midst of all this error and wretchedness, I have hurt your
feelings more than my false persuasions rendered necessary... I hope
you will forgive me."

"And me! Will you forgive me?" asked Mrs Rowland, faintly.

"There is nothing to pardon in you," said Hope to Philip. "Your belief
in what your own sister told you in so much detail can scarcely be
called a weakness; and you did and said nothing to me that was not
warranted by what you believed.--And I forgive you, madam. I will do
what I can to relieve your present affliction; and, as long as you
attempt no further injustice towards my family, no words shall be spoken
by any of us, to remind you of what is past."

"You are very good, Mr Hope."

"I tell you plainly," he resumed, "that you cannot injure us beyond a
certain point. You cannot make it goodness in us to forget what is
past. It is of far less consequence to us what you and others think of
us than what we think of our neighbours. Our chief sorrow has been the
spectacle of yourself in your dealings with us. We shall be thankful to
be reminded of it no more. And now enough of this."

"Where _is_ Margaret?" again asked Enderby, as if in despair of an
answer.

"She is nursing Mrs Howell. As soon as I have seen this poor child
again, I will go home, and take care that Margaret is prepared to see
you. Remember how great the surprise, the mystery, must be to her."

"If the surprise were all--" said Philip.--"But will she hear me? Will
she forgive me? Will she trust me?"

"Was there ever a woman who really loved who would not hear, would not
forgive, would not trust?" said Hope, smiling. "I must not answer for
Margaret