to
what among us a bright face of love is, when it smiles upon us. That is
"light," isn't it?'

'Yes,' said Esther. 'But how can this be, Pitt?'

'I cannot tell. But that is what it means. "The Lord make His face to
shine upon thee." They are very fine words.'

'Then I suppose,' said Esther slowly, 'if anybody had _that_, he
wouldn't want comfort?'

'He wouldn't be without it, you mean? Well, I should think he would
not. "The Lord lift up His countenance upon thee, and give thee peace."'

'But I don't understand, Pitt.'

'No, Queen Esther. This is something beyond you and me.'

'How can one come to understand?'

Pitt was silent a minute, looking down at the words. 'I do not know,'
he said. 'That is a question. It is a look of favour and love described
here; but of course it would not give peace, unless the person
receiving it knew he had it. How that can be, I do not see.'

Both were silent a little while.

'Well,' said Esther, 'you have given me a great deal of help.'

'How?'

'Oh, you have told me what this means,' said the child, hanging over
the words, which Pitt still held.

'That does not give it to you.'

'No; but it is a great deal, to know what it means,' said Esther, in a
tone which Pitt felt had a good element of hopefulness in it.

'What are you going to do about it?'

Esther lifted her head and looked at him. It was one of those looks
which were older than her years; far-reaching, spiritual, with an
intense mixture of pathos and hope in her eyes.

'I shall go on trying to get it,' she said. 'You know, Pitt, it is
different with you. You go out into the world, and you have everything
you want; but I am here quite alone.'

CHAPTER XI.

_DISSENT_.

The summer months were very rich in pleasure, for all parties; even
Colonel Gainsborough was a little roused by the presence of his young
friend, and came much more than usual out of his reserve. So that the
conversations round the tea-table, when Pitt made one of their number,
were often lively and varied; such as Esther had hardly known in her
life before. The colonel left off his taciturnity; waked up, as it
were; told old campaigning stories, and gave out stores of information
which few people knew he possessed. The talks were delightful, on
subjects natural and scientific, historical and local and picturesque.
Esther luxuriated in the new social life which had blossomed out
suddenly at home, perhaps with even an intensified k