er charge that
he wished to leave. She thought he had mentioned almost every one with
whom he had had any interchange of kindness at either of his homes, even
to old nurse at Hollywell, remembering them all with quiet pleasure. At
half-past eleven, he sent her to bed, and she went submissively, cheered
by thinking him likely to sleep.

As soon as she could conscientiously call the night over, she returned
to him, and was received with one of the sweet, sunny, happy looks
that had always been his peculiar charm, and, of late, had acquired an
expression almost startling from their very beauty and radiance. It was
hardly to be termed a smile, for there was very little, if any, movement
of the lips, it was more like the reflection of some glory upon the
whole countenance.

'You have had a good night?' she said.

'I have had my wish, I have seen Redclyffe;' then, seeing her look
startled, 'Of course, it was a sort of wandering; but I never quite lost
the consciousness of being here, and it was very delightful. I saw the
waves, each touched with light,--the foam--the sea-birds, floating in
shade and light,--the trees--the Shag--the sky--oh! such a glory as I
never knew--themselves--but so intensely glorious!'

'I am glad' said Amabel, with a strange participation of the delight it
had given him.

'I don't understand such goodness!' he continued. 'As if it were not
enough to look to heaven beyond, to have this longing gratified, which I
thought I ought to conquer. Oh, Amy! is not that being Fatherly!'

'Yes, indeed.'

'Now after that, and with mamma's coming (for you will have her if I
don't see her), I have but one wish unfulfilled.'

'Ah! a clergyman.'

'Yes, but if that is withheld, I must believe it is rightly ordered. We
must think of that Sunday at Stylehurst and Christmas-day, and that last
time at Munich.'

'Oh, I am so glad we stayed at Munich for that!'

'Those were times, indeed! and many more. Yes; I have been a great deal
too much favoured already, and now to be allowed to die just as I should
have chosen--'

He broke off to take what Amabel was preparing for him, and she felt
his pulse. There was fever still, which probably supplied the place
of strength, for he said he was very comfortable, and his eyes were as
bright as ever; but the beats were weak and fluttering, and a thrill
crossed her that it might be near; but she must attend to him, and could
not think.

When it was time for her to go d