e on me his loving, patient, heartbroken humility and
cheerfulness; and I saw such a character, such a course, as showed me
how much better he had deserved her, and filled me with shame at having
ever less esteemed him. And through all, there was the same dear Dick
May, that never, since the day we first met at the pump in the school
court, had I been able to help loving with all my heart--the only being
that was glad to see me again. When he begged me to stay and watch
over your sister, what could I do but remain while she lived?'

'So he bound you down! Oh, you know how we thank you! no, you can't,
nor what you have been to him, and to all of us, through the worst of
our sad days. And though it was a sacrifice, I do not think it was bad
for you.'

'No, Ethel. When you implored me to give up my Crimean notion, to
spare your father pain, I did feel for once that you at least thought
me of value to some one.'

'I cannot bear you to speak so,' cried Ethel. 'You to talk of having
been of no use!'

'No honest man of principle and education can be utterly useless; but
when, three days ago, I recollected that it was my sixtieth birthday, I
looked back, and saw nothing but desultory broken efforts, and restless
changes. Your father told me, when I thought him unaware of the
meaning of his words, that if I had missed many joys, I had missed many
sorrows; but I had taken the way to make my one sorrow a greater burden
than his many.'

'But you do not grieve for my mother still?' said Ethel, anxiously.
'Even his grief is a grave joy to him now; and one is always told that
such things, as it was with you, are but a very small part of a man's
life.'

'I am not one of the five hundred men, whom any one of five hundred
women might have equally pleased,' said Dr. Spencer; 'but it is so far
true, that the positive pain and envy wore out, and would not have
interfered with my after life, but for my own folly. No, Ethel; it was
not the loss of her that embittered and threw away my existence; it was
my own rash vow, and its headstrong fulfilment, which has left me no
right to your father's peaceful spirit.'

'How little we guessed!' said Ethel. 'So cheerful and ready as you
always are.'

'I never trouble others, he said abruptly. 'Neither man nor woman ever
heard a word of all this; and you would not have heard it now, but for
that sea; and you have got your mother's voice, and some of her ways,
since you have grown ol