ar than the consciousness of having
committed the fault himself; and he remembered the sweet verses in
the first Epistle of St. Peter: "What glory is it if, when ye be
buffeted for your faults, ye take it patiently; but if when ye do well
and suffer for it, ye take it patiently, this is acceptable with God.
For even hereunto ye were called, because Christ also suffered for us,
leaving us an example that we should follow His steps: who did no sin,
neither was guile found in His mouth; who, when He was reviled, reviled
not again; when He suffered, He threatened not; but committed Himself
to Him that judgeth righteously,"--and the feeling of indignation
against Ferrers was gradually changed into almost pity for him, for
Louis knew by experience the pain of a loaded conscience. While his
thoughts thus ran over the past and present, he heard the firm step
of Dr. Wilkinson crossing the hall, and nearly at the same moment that
gentleman entered the room. There was no pity in his countenance--the
dark lines in his face seemed fixed in their most iron mould; and
briefly announcing to his trembling pupil that the time allowed him
for consideration had expired, he asked whether he were prepared to
acknowledge his fault. Louis meekly persisted in his denial, which
had only the effect of making the doctor consider him a more hardened
offender; and after a few words, expressing the strongest reprehension
of his wickedness and cowardice, he gave him severe caning, and sent
him immediately to bed, although it was but the middle of the day.
In spite of the better feelings which urged poor Louis to acknowledge
the justice, under the circumstances, of his master's proceedings, he
could not help thinking that he had been very hardly treated. He hurried
up stairs, glad to indulge his grief in silence. How many times, in the
affliction of the next few hours, did he repeat a little hymn he had
learned at home:

"Thy lambs, dear Shepherd, that are weak,
Are thy peculiar care;
'Tis Thine in judgment to afflict,
And Thine in love to spare.

"Though young in years, yet, oh! how oft
Have I a rebel been;
My punishment, O Lord, is mild,
Nor equals all my sin.

"Since all the chastisements I feel
Are from Thy love alone,
Let not one murmuring thought arise,
But may Thy will be done.

"Then let me blush with holy shame,
And mourn before my Lord,
That I ha