perament. But neither
the marquis nor Priscilla could excel him in that generosity which does
not always go with genius, and which is not denied to the man of the
plainest gifts. He wrote to the marquis:

"MY DEAR FRIEND: You are a good and generous friend. I have read in
her voice and her eyes what the decision of Priscilla must have
been. If I had not been blind, I ought to have seen it before in
the difference between us. Now I know that it will be a comfort to
you to have that noble woman die your wife. I doubt not it will be
a comfort to her. Do you think it will be any consolation to me to
have been an obstacle in the way? I hope you do not think so meanly
of me, and that you and Priscilla will give me the only consolation
I can have in our common sorrow--the feeling that I have been able
to make her last days more comfortable and your sorrow more
bearable. If you refuse, I shall always reproach myself.

"HENRY."

I need not tell of the discussions that ensued. But it was concluded
that it was best for all three that Priscilla and the marquis should be
married, much to the disgust of Miss Nancy More, who thought that
"she'd better be sayin' her prayers. What good would it do to be a
march-oness and all that when she was in her coffin?"

A wedding in prospect of death is more affecting than a funeral. Only
Henry Stevens and Anna Poindexter were to be present. Priscilla's
mother had completed the arrangements, blinded by tears. I think she
could have dressed Priscilla for her coffin with less suffering. The
white dress looked so like a shroud, under those sunken cheeks as white
as the dress! Once or twice Priscilla had drawn her mother's head to
her bosom and wept.

"Poor mother!" she would say; "so soon to be alone! But Antoine will be
your son."

Just as the dressing of the pale bride was completed, there came one of
those sudden breakdowns to which a consumptive is liable. The doctor
gave hope of but a few hours of life. When the marquis came he was
heartbroken to see her lying there, so still, so white--dying. She took
his hand. She beckoned to Anna and Henry Stevens to stand by her, and
then, with tear-blinded eyes, the old minister married them for
eternity!

Outside the door Priscilla's class of Slabtown boys stood with some
roses and hollyhocks they had thought to bring for her wedding or her
funeral, they hardly knew which. They were all abashed at th