zzo e quiete a chiunoque, in
qualsivoglia congiuntura, a qualsivoglia termine, ricorra ad essa.
Se al passato v'e rimedio, essa lo prescrive, lo somministra, presta
lume e vigore per metterlo in opera a qualunque costo; se non v'e,
essa da il, modo di fare realmento e in effeto, cio che 1' uom dice
in proverbio, della necessita virtu. Insegna a continuare con
sapienza cio che e stato intrapreso per leggerezza, piega l'animo ad
abbracciare con propensione cio che e stato imposto dalla prepotenza,
e da ad un elezione che fu temeraria, ma che e irrevocabile, tutta la
santita, tutto il consiglio, diciamolo pur francamenta, tutte le
gioje della vocazione.--MANZONI.

The wedding-day was fixed for the 20th of January, since it was less
risk to Flora as an absolute invalid, than as convalescent enough to
take any share in the doings.

Meta managed her correspondence with her own relatives, and obtained her
uncle's kind approval, since he saw there could be nothing else; while
her aunt treated her as an infatuated victim, but wished, for her
mother's sake, to meet her in London before she sailed.

The worst stroke of all was to Bellairs, who had never chosen to believe
that her mistress could move without her, and though mortally afraid in
crossing to the Isle of Wight, and utterly abhorring all "natives," went
into hysterics on finding that her young lady would take out no maid but
a little hard-working village girl; and though transferred in the most
flattering manner to Mrs. Rivers's service, shed a tear for every stitch
she set in the trousseau, and assured her betrothed butler that, if Miss
Rivers would only have heard reason, she would have followed her to the
world's end, rather than that her beautiful hair should never look like
anything again.

So the wedding-day came, and grass and trees wore a fitting suit of
crisp hoariness. Nothing could be quieter. Meta was arrayed by the
sobbing Bellairs in her simple bridal white, wrapped herself in a large
shawl, took her brother's arm, and walked down the frosty path with him
and Mrs. Arnott, as if going merely to the daily service.

The time had not been made known, and there was hardly an addition to
the ordinary congregation, except the May family and Dr. Spencer; but
the Christmas evergreens still adorned aisle and chancel, and over the
altar stood the motto that Meta herself had woven of holly, on that
Christmas Eve of grief and anxiety, without