On
the features of her child only, she now looked with joy; there, she
fancied she saw William at every glance, and, in the fond imagination,
felt at times every happiness short of seeing him.

By herding with the brute creation, she and her child were allowed to
live together; and this was a state she preferred to the society of human
creatures, who would have separated her from what she loved so tenderly.
Anxious to retain a service in which she possessed such a blessing, care
and attention to her humble office caused her master to prolong her stay
through all the winter; then, during the spring, she tended his yeaning
sheep; in the summer, watched them as they grazed; and thus season after
season passed, till her young son could afford her assistance in her
daily work.

He now could charm her with his conversation as well as with his looks: a
thousand times in the transports of parental love she has pressed him to
her bosom, and thought, with an agony of horror, upon her criminal, her
mad intent to destroy what was now so dear, so necessary to her
existence.

Still the boy grew up more and more like his father. In one resemblance
alone he failed; he loved Agnes with an affection totally distinct from
the pitiful and childish gratification of his own self-love; he never
would quit her side for all the tempting offers of toys or money; never
would eat of rarities given to him till Agnes took a part; never crossed
her will, however contradictory to his own; never saw her smile that he
did not laugh; nor did she ever weep, but he wept too.

CHAPTER XXXIV.

From the mean subject of oxen, sheep, and peasants, we return to
personages; i.e., persons of rank and fortune. The bishop, who was
introduced in the foregoing pages, but who has occupied a very small
space there, is now mentioned again, merely that the reader may know he
is at present in the same state as his writings--dying; and that his
friend, the dean, is talked of as the most likely successor to his
dignified office.

The dean, most assuredly, had a strong friendship for the bishop, and
now, most assuredly, wished him to recover; and yet, when he reflected on
the success of his pamphlet a few years past, and of many which he had
written since on the very same subject, he could not but think "that he
had more righteous pretensions to fill the vacant seat of his much
beloved and reverend friend (should fate ordain it to be vacated) than
any othe