England -- Social life and customs -- 19th century -- Fiction; Inheritance and succession -- Fiction
"You may well be surprised to see me here," said Mrs. Home, "but,
strange as it may seem, things are more right than wrong. My husband
came first, then he brought me."
"Yes, I saw Mr. Home early in the evening. I saw him go into my father's
study. When he went away I went there myself; but the door was locked,
and my father called out from within, 'Not to-night, my child; don't sit
up for me, come to me in the morning, I would rather be alone to-night.'
He never before refused to see me to say good-night. I went to my room.
I could not rest. Everything seems very dark. I have been crying, and
now you have come. Oh, Charlotte! what is the meaning of it all?"
"The meaning is good, Charlotte; but good or bad, you have to thank
yourself for it. Why did you take your father to my husband's church on
Sunday?"
"He came to me on Sunday morning," answered Miss Harman. "He said he
would like to go to church with me. He never did go to church with
me--never, for many months. I asked him where he would go. He said he
would leave it to me. Then it flashed across me that he did not know Mr.
Home, also that I had never heard Mr. Home preach. I resolved to go to
his church. We drove to Kentish Town. I made a few inquiries. I found
out the little church where your husband told the people of his
congregation how best to live, how best to die. Ah, Charlotte! he _did_
preach to us. What a man he is!"
"He realizes the absolute daily presence of God more perfectly than any
man I ever met," answered the wife. "My dear, it was God himself led you
to my husband's church on Sunday. Your father went there again to-day.
After the service he stopped to speak to Angus. He asked him to come to
him this evening. This evening he told my husband all; all the story of
his sin, his repentance. Angus heard all, and when it was over he sent
for me. I saw your father. Charlotte, your father may have been a
sinner, but with such sinners, as he was once, the New Jerusalem will be
filled by and by. Ah! thank God for the peace I saw on his face before I
left him. Do you know that he put his hand on my head and blessed me.
Angus is with him now, and I have come to you."
"My father has told all!" said Charlotte Harman. Her face could scarcely
grow any whiter. She made no further exclamation, but sat quiet.
Charlotte Home, having told her story, watched her face. Suddenly, with
tears springing to her eyes, she turned to the wife and mother who stood
by her side.
"Charlotte, how hard my heart has been! I have passed through some
dreadful weeks. Oh! how heavy was my burden, how heavy was my heart! My
heart was growing very hard; but the hardness has gone now. Now,
Charlotte, I believe, I believe fully what your little Harold said to me
some weeks ago."
"What did he say to you, dearest?"
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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