The most joyous and gladsome natures are often most keenly alive to impressions of reverence, and wonder, and awe. Emily's mind longed and craved to annex itself to all things fervent, deep, and real. As she walked on the common grass, she thought the better of it because the feet of Christ had trodden it also. There were things which she--as the angels--"desired to look into;" but she wanted also to do the right thing, and to love the doing of it. With all this half Methodistic fervour, and longing to lie close at the very heart of Christianity, she had by nature a strange fearlessness; her religion, which was full of impassioned loyalty, and her faith, which seemed to fold her in, had elements in them of curiosity and awed expectation, which made death itself appear something grand and happy, quite irrespective of a simply religious reason. It would show her "the rest of it." She could not do long without it; and often in her most joyous hours she felt that the crown of life was death's most grand hereafter. CHAPTER XVII. AN EASY DISMISSAL. "Admired Miranda! Indeed the top of admiration! worth What's dearest to the world." _The Tempest._ "Well, father, it's too true!" "You don't say so?" "Yes; he died, Dr. Mainby's housekeeper says, at five o'clock this morning. The doctor was there all night, and he's now come home, and gone to bed." "One of the most unfortunate occurrences I ever heard of. Well, that that is, is--and can't be helped. I'd have given something (over and above the ten-and-sixpence) to have had it otherwise; but I 'spose, Jemmy, I 'spose we understand the claims of decency and humanity." It was the editor of the _True Blue_ who said this. "I 'spose we do," answered the son sturdily, though sulkily; "but that's the very best skit that Blank Blank ever did for us." "Blank Blank" was the signature under which various satirical verses appeared in the _True Blue_. "Paid for, too--ten-and-six. Well, here goes, Jemmy." He took a paper from his desk, read it over with a half smile. "One or two of the jokes in it will keep," he observed; then, when his son nodded assent, he folded it up and threw it in the fire. This was a righteous action. He never got any thanks for doing it; also a certain severity that he was inclined to feel against the deceased for dying just then, he quickly turned (from a sense of justice) towards the living members of his family, and from them to their party, the "pinks" in general. Then he began to moralise. "Captain Walker--and so he's dead--died at five o'clock this morning. It's very sudden. Why Mrs. Walker was driving him through the town three days ago." "Yes," answered the son; "but when a man has heart complaint, you never know where you are with him."