CHAPTER XLII. FINIS.

AndwasIgrateful?Godknows!Ibelievethatscarcealivingbeingsoremembered,sosustained,dealtwithinkindsoconstant,honourableandnoble,couldbeotherwisethangratefultothedeath. Adherenttohisownreligion(inhimwasnotthestuffofwhichismadethefacileapostate),hefreelyleftmemypurefaith.Hedidnotteasenortempt.Hesaid:— “RemainaProtestant.MylittleEnglishPuritan,IloveProtestantisminyou.Iownitsseverecharm.ThereissomethinginitsritualIcannotreceivemyself,butitisthesolecreedfor‘Lucy.’” AllRomecouldnotputintohimbigotry,northePropagandaitselfmakehimarealJesuit.Hewasbornhonest,andnotfalse—artless,andnotcunning—afreeman,andnotaslave.Histendernesshadrenderedhimductileinapriest’shands,hisaffection,hisdevotedness,hissincerepiousenthusiasmblindedhiskindeyessometimes,madehimabandonjusticetohimselftodotheworkofcraft,andservetheendsofselfishnessbutthesearefaultssoraretofind,socostlytotheirownertoindulge,wescarceknowwhethertheywillnotonedaybereckonedamongstthejewels. Andnowthethreeyearsarepast:M.Emanuel’sreturnisfixed.ItisAutumnheistobewithmeerethemistsofNovembercome.Myschoolflourishes,myhouseisready:Ihavemadehimalittlelibrary,filleditsshelveswiththebooksheleftinmycare:Ihavecultivatedoutofloveforhim(Iwasnaturallynoflorist)theplantshepreferred,andsomeofthemareyetinbloom.IthoughtIlovedhimwhenhewentawayIlovehimnowinanotherdegree:heismoremyown. Thesunpassestheequinoxthedaysshorten,theleavesgrowserebut—heiscoming. FrostsappearatnightNovemberhassenthisfogsinadvancethewindtakesitsautumnmoanbut—heiscoming. Thes