CHAPTER XXV. THE WEST WIND BLOWS.

Notalwaysdothosewhodaresuchdivineconflictprevail.NightafternightthesweatofagonymayburstdarkontheforeheadthesupplicantmaycryformercywiththatsoundlessvoicethesoulutterswhenitsappealistotheInvisible."Sparemybeloved,"itmayimplore."Healmylife'slife.Rendnotfrommewhatlongaffectionentwineswithmywholenature.Godofheaven,bend,hear,beclement!"Andafterthiscryandstrifethesunmayriseandseehimworsted.Thatopeningmorn,whichusedtosalutehimwiththewhisperofzephyrs,thecarolofskylarks,maybreathe,asitsfirstaccents,fromthedearlipswhichcolourandheathavequitted,"Oh!Ihavehadasufferingnight.ThismorningIamworse.Ihavetriedtorise.Icannot.DreamsIamunusedtohavetroubledme." Thenthewatcherapproachesthepatient'spillow,andseesanewandstrangemouldingofthefamiliarfeatures,feelsatoncethattheinsufferablemomentdrawsnigh,knowsthatitisGod'swillhisidolshallbebroken,andbendshishead,andsubdueshissoultothesentencehecannotavertandscarcecanbear. HappyMrs.Pryor!Shewasstillpraying,unconsciousthatthesummersunhungabovethehills,whenherchildsoftlywokeinherarms.Nopiteous,unconsciousmoaning—soundwhichsowastesourstrengththat,evenifwehavesworntobefirm,arushofunconquerabletearssweepsawaytheoath—precededherwaking.Nospaceofdeafapathyfollowed.Thefirstwordsspokenwerenotthoseofonebecomingestrangedfromthisworld,andalreadypermittedtostrayattimesintorealmsforeigntotheliving.Carolineevidentlyrememberedwithclearnesswhathadhappened. "Mamma,Ihavesleptsowell.Ionlydreamedandwoketwice." Mrs.Pryorrosewithastart,thatherdaughtermightnotseethejoyfultearscalledintohereyesbythataffectionateword"mamma,"andthewelcomeassurancethatfollowedit. Formanydaysthemotherdaredrejoiceonlywithtrembling.Thatfirstrevivalseemedliketheflickerofadyinglamp.Iftheflamestreamedupbrightonemoment,thenextitsankdiminthesocket.Exhaustionfollowedcloseonexcitement. Therewasalwaysatouchingendeavourtoappearbetter,buttoooftenabilityrefusedtosecondwilltoooftentheattempttobearupfailed.Theefforttoeat,totalk,tolookcheerful,wasunsuccessful.ManyanhourpassedduringwhichMrs.Pryorfearedthatthechordsoflifecouldnevermorebestrengthened,thoughthetimeoftheirbreakingmightbedeferred. Duringthisspacethemotheranddaughterseemedleftalmostaloneintheneighbourhood.ItwasthecloseofAugusttheweatherwasfine—thatistosay,itwasverydryandverydusty,foranaridwindhadbeenblowingfromtheeastthismonthpastverycloudless,too,thoughapalehaze,stationaryintheatmosphere,seemedtorobofalldepthoftonetheblueofheaven,ofallfreshnesstheverdureofearth,andofallglowthelightofday.AlmosteveryfamilyinBriarfieldwasabsentonanexcursion.MissKeeldarandherfriendswereattheseasidesowereMrs.Yorke'shousehold.Mr.HallandLouisMoore,betweenwhomaspontaneousintimacyseemedtohavearisen—theresul