"Not exactly a message, for she left no messages except one for my son, and one for Rebecca Pim; but I heard her speaking more pleasantly of your family yesterday than I should have expected. She kept her own opinions to the last; but she seemed to grow tired of the enmities which sprang from them. She felt kindly towards everybody latterly, as far as I know, except Mrs. Mudge's nurse-maid. Why, I can tell you no more of Mrs. Mudge's nurse-maid (nor could poor nurse herself, I fancy) than that she wears, and has for some time worn, a silk gown. It was this which occasioned the message to my son; viz. that, as our firm is now prospering, she hoped we might do very well without tempting people to wear silks who never wore them before; and that, dying, she could not countenance what she had been so little used to, even if it was to benefit her master's trade and family. The message to Rebecca Pim related to those of Rebecca's neighbours who had been kind to nurse's poor son." "Ah! I remember your daughters told my sisters that sad story. Can we be of any service to your family? Shall I send Adèle, or----" "My dear sir! why do you stand here, letting me talk about a hundred things, while your ladies are in suspense about your affair? I deserve----" "Not so. I have sent to relieve them, and shall now follow. Tell me if I can serve you." "Yes, if you can make your sisters forgive the part I have acted towards you. For those who have done worse, I will offer no defence." "None is needed beyond that which is before our eyes in the struggles of an expiring system of monopoly. But a few days ago, I thought I could hardly forgive my opponents; but now I am disposed to wait and see the effects of a natural co-operation of interests. Let your Coopers have hearts open for 'fancies,' and a purse wherewith to indulge them;--let your old friend Short leave an unfinished piece upon his loom when his hour shall come;--let your daughters purchase French or English dresses as they list;--let our neighbours and ourselves be free to sell where we find customers most eager to buy;--let the government trust us to prosper after our own manner,--and there will be no antipathies mixed up with our bargains; no loss of time and temper in suspiciously watching one another's proceedings; no mutual injury in apprehension, any more than in reality." "Do you really expect to see the day when all will go so smoothly with us?" "That the day will fully come I believe, because I already see the dawn. But a few hours ago it seemed to me all clouded, and I fretfully declared I would not abide the uncertainty." "And now? You cannot now think of leaving us,--to our everlasting shame? You will allow us to repair our disgrace?" “We will repent our mutual offences;--I my precipitancy, and you your misapprehension. Yes; I will stay, and in our brotherhood as individuals discern the future brotherhood of our respective nations.”