"When I am dead and buried will you forgive me?" "I will forgive you now. I forgave you long ago, freely and fully, as I hope my Saviour has forgiven me." "Say it again," said he, gasping. "It seems too strange to be real." She repeated her words, adding; "God will forgive you, if you humbly ask him for the sake of his Son." "No, you don't understand. Your brother will tell you I've lost all chance of being saved." "'The Son of Man is come to seek and to save that which was lost.' If you had not sinned you would not have been under the law. Now you confess yourself a sinner too vile to enter heaven by your own merits. Christ offers to make atonement for you. He says, 'I have died the death of the cross to satisfy divine justice and reconcile you to your offended God. I have taken your sins, and now offer you my righteousness' Can you refuse such an offer?" "If you knew how I'd spent these last years, you'd say it was impossible. But you've promised to forgive me; and I never knew you to say what you didn't mean. I never shall forgive myself. I never can. I'd give my right hand; both my hands, if I could forget how I broke all my promises to you; and after taking you away from your pleasant home trying to break your heart." "I thought we were to forget all the past. I can truly say all is forgiven and forgotten. My only desire is to do you good. If you really wish to give me greater happiness than any thing else can give, submit yourself, with all your sins, to your Saviour. He will take care of you. His promise is sure. He says, I came not to call the righteous but sinners to repentance!' You confess that remorse for the past has made your life very bitter. Pray God now to give you true penitence, 'that godly sorrow,' not for the consequences of your sin, but for sin itself, because it is displeasing to a holy God,—'which is not to be repented of.'" She placed the Bible within his reach, repeated her command to Pedro to order whatever his master fancied in the way of food; and left the room. CHAPTER XIX. GOOD FOR EVIL. FOR some days, the sick man continued in a convalescent condition. He enjoyed his food, partaking heartily of whatever was brought him; coughed but little, and was evidently much stronger than when they found him, in his wretched garret. Every morning Gertrude went in to read to him and had once sung the beautiful hymn commencing: "Just as I am, without one plea, But that thy blood was shed for me, And that thou bid'st me come to thee, O Lamb of God, I come!" This sentiment of the author deeply affected the invalid, who did not speak for some time after her voice ceased. Gertrude longed to ask him why he delayed to throw himself upon the mercy of Christ; but she saw the Holy Spirit was working on his heart; and she trembled lest an untimely word should do harm.