CHAPTER I. BRETTON.

MygodmotherlivedinahandsomehouseinthecleanandancienttownofBretton.Herhusband’sfamilyhadbeenresidentsthereforgenerations,andbore,indeed,thenameoftheirbirthplace—BrettonofBretton:whetherbycoincidence,orbecausesomeremoteancestorhadbeenapersonageofsufficientimportancetoleavehisnametohisneighbourhood,Iknownot. WhenIwasagirlIwenttoBrettonabouttwiceayear,andwellIlikedthevisit.Thehouseanditsinmatesspeciallysuitedme.Thelargepeacefulrooms,thewell-arrangedfurniture,theclearwidewindows,thebalconyoutside,lookingdownonafineantiquestreet,whereSundaysandholidaysseemedalwaystoabide—soquietwasitsatmosphere,socleanitspavement—thesethingspleasedmewell. Onechildinahouseholdofgrownpeopleisusuallymadeverymuchof,andinaquietwayIwasagooddealtakennoticeofbyMrs.Bretton,whohadbeenleftawidow,withoneson,beforeIknewherherhusband,aphysician,havingdiedwhileshewasyetayoungandhandsomewoman. Shewasnotyoung,asIrememberher,butshewasstillhandsome,tall,well-made,andthoughdarkforanEnglishwoman,yetwearingalwaystheclearnessofhealthinherbrunettecheek,anditsvivacityinapairoffine,cheerfulblackeyes.Peopleesteemeditagrievouspitythatshehadnotconferredhercomplexiononherson,whoseeyeswereblue—though,eveninboyhood,verypiercing—andthecolourofhislonghairsuchasfriendsdidnotventuretospecify,exceptasthesunshoneonit,whentheycalleditgolden.Heinheritedthelinesofhismother’sfeatures,howeveralsohergoodteeth,herstature(orthepromiseofherstature,forhewasnotyetfull-grown),and,whatwasbetter,herhealthwithoutflaw,andherspiritsofthattoneandequalitywhicharebetterthanafortunetothepossessor. Intheautumnoftheyear——IwasstayingatBrettonmygodmotherhavingcomeinpersontoclaimmeofthekinsfolkwithwhomwasatthattimefixedmypermanentresidence.Ibelieveshethenplainlysaweventscoming,whoseveryshadowIscarceguessedyetofwhichthefaintsuspicionsufficedtoimpartunsettledsadness,andmademegladtochangesceneandsociety. Timealwaysflowedsmoothlyformeatmygodmother’ssidenotwithtumultuousswiftness,butblandly,liketheglidingofafullriverthroughaplain.MyvisitstoherresembledthesojournofChristianandHopefulbesideacertainpleasantstream,with“greentreesoneachbank,andmeadowsbeautifiedwithliliesalltheyearround.”Thecharmofvarietytherewasnot,northeexcitementofincidentbutIlikedpeacesowell,andsoughtstimulussolittle,thatwhenthelattercameIalmostfeltitadisturbance,andwishedratherithadstillheldaloof. Onedayaletterwasreceivedofwhichthecontentsev