CHAPTER XXV. CONCLUSION

oulovemethen?”saidhe,ferventlypressingmyhand. “Yes.” HereIpause.MyDiary,fromwhichIhavecompiledthesepages,goesbutlittlefurther.Icouldgoonforyears,butIwillcontentmyselfwithadding,thatIshallneverforgetthatglorioussummerevening,andalwaysrememberwithdelightthatsteephill,andtheedgeoftheprecipicewherewestoodtogether,watchingthesplendidsunsetmirroredintherestlessworldofwatersatourfeet—withheartsfilledwithgratitudetoheaven,andhappiness,andlove—almosttoofullforspeech. Afewweeksafterthat,whenmymotherhadsuppliedherselfwithanassistant,IbecamethewifeofEdwardWestonandneverhavefoundcausetorepentit,andamcertainthatInevershall.Wehavehadtrials,andweknowthatwemusthavethemagainbutwebearthemwelltogether,andendeavourtofortifyourselvesandeachotheragainstthefinalseparation—thatgreatestofallafflictionstothesurvivor.But,ifwekeepinmindthegloriousheavenbeyond,wherebothmaymeetagain,andsinandsorrowareunknown,surelythattoomaybeborneand,meantime,weendeavourtolivetothegloryofHimwhohasscatteredsomanyblessingsinourpath. Edward,byhisstrenuousexertions,hasworkedsurprisingreformsinhisparish,andisesteemedandlovedbyitsinhabitants—ashedeservesforwhateverhisfaultsmaybeasaman(andnooneisentirelywithout),Idefyanybodytoblamehimasapastor,ahusband,orafather. Ourchildren,Edward,Agnes,andlittleMary,promisewelltheireducation,forthetimebeing,ischieflycommittedtomeandtheyshallwantnogoodthingthatamother’scarecangive.Ourmodestincomeisamplysufficientforourrequirements:andbypractisingtheeconomywelearntinhardertimes,andneverattemptingtoimitateourricherneighbours,wemanagenotonlytoenjoycomfortandcontentmentourselves,buttohaveeveryyearsomethingtolaybyforourchildren,andsomethingtogivetothosewhoneedit. AndnowIthinkIhavesaidsufficient. Spottiswode&Co.Ltd.,Printers,London.ColchesterandEton.