CHAPTER XXIV. THE VALLEY OF THE SHADOW OF DEATH.

oberttobreakfast.Ihavebeenwithhiminthegarden.Heaskedmetogo.Aheavydewhasrefreshedtheflowers.Thepeachesareripening." "Mydarling!mydarling!"againandagainrepeatedthenurse. "Ithoughtitwasdaylight—longaftersunrise.Itlooksdark.Isthemoonnowset?" Thatmoon,latelyrisen,wasgazingfullandmilduponher.Floatingindeepbluespace,itwatchedherunclouded. "Thenitisnotmorning?Iamnotatthecottage?Whoisthis?Iseeashapeatmybedside." "Itismyself—itisyourfriend—yournurse—your——Leanyourheadonmyshoulder.Collectyourself."Inalowertone—"OGod,takepity!Giveherlife,andmestrength!Sendmecourage!Teachmewords!" Someminutespassedinsilence.Thepatientlaymuteandpassiveinthetremblingarms,onthethrobbingbosomofthenurse. "Iambetternow,"whisperedCarolineatlast,"muchbetter.IfeelwhereIam.ThisisMrs.Pryornearme.Iwasdreaming.ItalkwhenIwakeupfromdreamspeopleoftendoinillness.Howfastyourheartbeats,ma'am!Donotbeafraid." "Itisnotfear,child—onlyalittleanxiety,whichwillpass.Ihavebroughtyousometea,Cary.Yourunclemadeithimself.Youknowhesayshecanmakeabettercupofteathananyhousewifecan.Tasteit.Heisconcernedtohearthatyoueatsolittlehewouldbegladifyouhadabetterappetite." "Iamthirsty.Letmedrink." Shedrankeagerly. "Whato'clockisit,ma'am?"sheasked. "Pastnine." "Notlater?Oh!Ihaveyetalongnightbeforeme.Buttheteahasmademestrong.Iwillsitup." Mrs.Pryorraisedher,andarrangedherpillows. "ThankHeaven!Iamnotalwaysequallymiserable,andill,andhopeless.TheafternoonhasbeenbadsinceHortensewentperhapstheeveningmaybebetter.Itisafinenight,Ithink?Themoonshinesclear." "Veryfine—aperfectsummernight.Theoldchurch-towergleamswhitealmostassilver." "Anddoesthechurchyardlookpeaceful?" "Yes,andthegardenalso.Dewglistensonthefoliage." "Canyouseemanylongweedsandnettlesamongstthegraves?ordotheylookturfyandflowery?" "Iseecloseddaisy-headsgleaminglikepearlsonsomemounds.Thomashasmowndownthedock-leavesandrankgrass,andclearedallaway." "Ialwayslikethattobedoneitsoothesone'smindtoseetheplaceinorder.And,Idaresay,withinthechurchjustnowthatmoonlightshinesassoftlyasinmyroom.ItwillfallthroughtheeastwindowfullontheHelstonemonument.WhenIclosemyeyesIseemtoseepoorpapa'sepitaphinblacklettersonthewhitemarble.Thereisplentyofroomforotherinscriptionsunderneath." "WilliamFarrencametolookafteryourflowersthismorning.Hewasafraid,nowyoucannottendthemyourself,theywouldbeneglected.Hehastakentwoofyourfavouriteplantshometonurseforyou." "IfIweretomakeawill,IwouldleaveWilliamallmyplantsShirleymytrinkets—exceptone,whichmustnotbetakenoffmyneckandyou,ma'am,mybooks."Afterapause—"Mrs.Pryor,Ifeelalongingwishforsomething." "Forwhat,Caroline?" "YouknowIalwaysdelighttohearyousing.Singmeahymnjustnow.Singthathymnwhichbegins,— 'OurGod,ourhelpinagespast, Ourhopeforyearstocome, Ourshelterfromthestormyblast, Ourrefuge,haven,home!'" Mrs.Pryoratoncecomplied. NowonderCarolinelikedtohearhersing.Hervoice,eveninspeaking,wassweetandsilverclearinsongitwasalmostdivine.Neitherflutenordulcimerhastonessopure.Butthetonewassecondary,comparedtotheexpressionwhichtrembledthrough—atendervibrationfromafeelingheart. Theservantsinthekitchen,hearingthestrain,stoletothestair-foottolisten.EvenoldHelstone,ashewalkedinthegarden,ponderingovertheunaccountableandfeeblenatureofwomen,stoodstillamongsthisborderstocatchthemournfulmelodymoredistinctly.Whyitremindedhimofhisforgottendeadwife,hecouldnottellnorwhyitmadehimmoreconcernedthanhehadhithertobeenforCaroline'sfadinggirlhood.HewasgladtorecollectthathehadpromisedtopayWynne,themagistrate,avisitthatevening.Lowspiritsandgloomythoughtswereverymuchhisaversion.Whentheyattackedhimheusuallyfoundmeanstomakethemmarchindouble-quicktime.Thehymnfollowedhimfaintlyashecrossedthefields.Hehastenedhiscustomarysharppace,thathemightgetbeyonditsreach. "Thywordcommandsourfleshtodust,— 'Return,yesonsofmen' Allnationsrosefromearthatfirst, Andturntoearthagain. "AthousandagesinThysight Arelikeaneveninggone— Shortasthewatchthatendsthenight Beforetherisingsun. "Time,likeanever-rollingstream, Bearsallitssonsaway Theyfly,forgotten,asadream Diesattheopeningday. "Likefloweryfields,thenationsstand, Freshinthemorninglight Theflowersbeneaththemower'shand Liewitheringere'tisnight. "OurGod,ourhelpinagespast, Ourhopeforyearstocome, BeThouourguardwhiletroubleslast— OFather,beourhome!" "Nowsingasong—aScottishsong,"suggestedCaroline,whenthehymnwasover—"'Yebanksandbraeso'bonnieDoon.'" AgainMrs.Pryorobeyed,oressayedtoobey.Atthecloseofthefirststanzashestopped.Shecouldgetnofurther.Herfullheartflowedover. "Youareweepingatthepathosoftheair.Comehere,andIwillcomfortyou,"saidCaroline,inapityingaccent.Mrs.Pryorcame.Shesatdownontheedgeofherpatient'sbed,andallowedthewastedarmstoencircleher. "Youoftensoothemeletmesootheyou,"murmuredtheyounggirl,kissinghercheek."Ihope,"sheadded,"itisnotformeyouweep?" Noanswerfollowed. "DoyouthinkIshallnotgetbetter?Idonotfeelveryill—onlyweak." "Butyourmind,Caroline—yourmindiscrushed.Yourheartisalmostbrokenyouhavebeensoneglected,sorepulsed,leftsodesolate." "Ibelievegriefis,andalwayshasbeen,myworstailment.IsometimesthinkifanabundantgushofhappinesscameonmeIcouldreviveyet." "Doyouwishtolive?" "Ihavenoobjectinlife." "Youloveme,Caroline?" "Verymuch—verytruly—inexpressiblysometimes.JustnowIfeelasifIcouldalmostgrowtoyourheart." "Iwillreturndirectly,dear,"remarkedMrs.Pryor,asshelaidCarolinedown. Quittingher,sheglidedtothedoor,softlyturnedthekeyinthelock,ascertainedthatitwasfast,andcameback.Shebentoverher.Shethrewbackthecurtaintoadmitthemoonlightmorefreely.Shegazedintentlyonherface. "Then,ifyouloveme,"saidshe,speakingquickly,withanalteredvoice"ifyoufeelasif,touseyourownwords,youcould'growtomyheart,'itwillbeneithershocknorpainforyoutoknowthatthatheartisthesourcewhenceyourswasfilledthatfrommyveinsissuedthetidewhichflowsinyoursthatyouaremine—mydaughter—myownchild." "Mrs.Pryor——" "Myownchild!" "Thatis—thatmeans—youhaveadoptedme?" "Itmeansthat,ifIhavegivenyounothingelse,IatleastgaveyoulifethatIboreyou,nursedyouthatIamyourtruemother.Nootherwomancanclaimthetitleitismine." "ButMrs.JamesHelstone—butmyfather'swife,whomIdonotrememberevertohaveseen,sheismymother?" "Sheisyourmother.JamesHelstonewasmyhusband.Isayyouaremine.Ihaveprovedit.Ithoughtperhapsyouwereallhis,whichwouldhavebeenacrueldispensationforme.Ifinditisnotso.Godpermittedmetobetheparentofmychild'smind.Itbelongstomeitismyproperty—myright.ThesefeaturesareJames'sown.Hehadafinefacewhenhewasyoung,andnotalteredbyerr