d from view.

Leonard slowly and sorrowfully returned to Wood-street. On arriving
there, he assured his master that he might with entire safety open his
house, as he proposed, on the morrow; and Doctor Hodges, who visited the
grocer the same evening, confirmed the opinion. Early, therefore, the
next morning, Mr. Bloundel summoned his family to prayers; and after
pouring forth his supplications with peculiar fervour and solemnity, he
went, accompanied by them all, and threw open the street-door. Again,
kneeling down at the threshold, he prayed fervently, as before. He then
proceeded to remove the bars and shutters from the windows. The
transition from gloom and darkness to bright daylight was almost
overpowering. For the first time for six months, the imprisoned family
looked forth on the external world, and were dazzled and bewildered by
the sight. The grocer himself, despite his sober judgment, could
scarcely believe he had not been in a trance during the whole period.
The shop was scarcely opened before it was filled with customers, and
Leonard and Stephen were instantly employed. But the grocer would sell
nothing. To those who asked for any article he possessed, he presented
them with it, but would receive no payment.

He next dispatched Blaize to bring together all the poor he could find,
and distributed among them the remainder of his store--his casks of
flour, his salted meat, his cheeses, his biscuits, his wine--in short,
all that was left.

"This I give," he said, "as a thanksgiving to the Lord, and as a humble
testimony of gratitude for my signal deliverance."

II.

THE MIDNIGHT MEETING.

The first day of his deliverance being spent by the grocer in the
praiseworthy manner before related, he laid his head upon his pillow
with a feeling of satisfaction such as he had not for months
experienced. A very remarkable dream occurred to him that night, and its
recollection afterwards afforded him the greatest consolation. While
thinking of Amabel, and of the delight her presence would have afforded
him, slumber stole upon him, and his dreams were naturally influenced by
his previous meditations. It appeared to him that he was alone within
his house, and while visiting one of the upper rooms, which had formerly
been appropriated to his lost daughter, he noticed a small door in the
wall that had never before attracted his attention. He immediately
pushed against it, and yielding to the touch, it admitted him to