“Had he but died before I knew this, I would have mourned for him all my life, even as Christian mourns, but now--but now!--such as he is”--and her burst of sobbing checked the voice of her sorrow. A moment after she started up and dashed the tears from her eyes, with some vehemence. “Should I not rather thank God that I have been saved from uniting myself with a godless man--with my poor brother’s seducer?” and she sank on her knees by the bedside. Poor Mary’s grief was too great for silent supplications, and Christian stood entranced, as that prayer, broken by many a gush of weeping, rose through the stillness of the quiet room. She had never, she thought, heard such eloquence before of supplicating sorrow, had never seen the omnipotence of truth and faith till then; gradually they seemed to subdue and overcome the wildness of that first grief, gradually attuned that sweet young sobbing, struggling voice, to sweetest resignation, and ere Christian echoed the solemn “Amen,” Mary had given thanks for her deliverance, though still natural tears, not to be repressed, broke in on her thanksgiving, and silent weeping followed her ended prayer. But when she bent her head upon her hands again, Christian’s kind arm was around her, Christian’s tears were mingled with her own, Christian’s lips were pressed to her wet cheek in tender sympathy, and the voice of Christian, like a comforter, whispered, “I know all, Mary, I know all; may God strengthen you, my dear sister--you have done nobly, and as you should have done; may God bless you, dearest Mary.” And Mary’s head, as in her old childish sorrows, nestles on Christian’s bosom, and Mary’s heart is relieved of half its heavy and bitter load. Poor Mary! the days of childhood have indeed come back again, and, as the violence of the struggle wears away, she weeps herself to sleep, for sorrow has worn out the strength of her delicate frame, already exhausted by the varied and contending emotions of the day, and now the tears slide slowly from beneath her closed eyelids even in her sleep.