"Perfectly correct, Miss Flora, and just as it is described in the Bible. When the kings and the great men and the rich men will say to the mountains and to the rocks, 'Fall on us, and hide us!'--" "But you talk of being glad?" said Flora, looking a good deal troubled. "Ay, but I was thinking of the other party," said Mr. Murray gravely,--"from whom will go up a very different cry, a shout of gladness--'Lo, this is our God! we have waited for Him, and He will save us.'" "Save them from what?" "From all the oppressions and miseries inflicted upon them by the rulers of this world; and more, from all the evils under which humanity has been groaning ever since the fall. Then will strike the hour of the world's freedom. That will be the time when the bridegroom cometh, and they that are ready will go in with him to the marriage. Don't you think they will be glad, who have been waiting in darkness and weariness for so long? Then comes the marriage supper, and the everlasting union between Christ and His Church. Should not the Church be glad!" "You said, 'they that are ready.'" "Yes." "Who are they?" "Do you remember the parable of the marriage supper? Don't you recollect, one man had not on a wedding garment?" "But what _is_ the wedding-garment?" said Flora, who looked as if she had some difficulty to keep her composure. "Shall I answer you in the words of one of old time?--'I will greatly rejoice in the Lord, my soul shall be joyful in my God; for He hath clothed me with the garments of salvation, He hath covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decketh himself with ornaments, and as a bride adorneth herself with her jewels.'" "Then it is something given," said Flora slowly. "Given, by the King to the guests; a free gift, Miss Flora, to all who accept the King's invitation." Flora asked no more, but lay still on her couch of pine branches, looking out on the calm and glorified hills. Nobody else broke the silence; I think Fenton was gone to sleep; and the others were quiet. "The shadows are going the wrong way," said Flora at last. "I wish this day would last longer!" "'A thing of beauty is a joy for ever,'" said Meredith. "Don't quote such a dreadfully hackneyed sentiment!" said his sister. "How comes it, Mr. Murray, that beautiful things in nature never grow hackneyed?" "They are always fresh. No two days in one's experience are just like each other." "There never was a day in my experience like this one," said Flora. "Ditto, aren't you going to read some more?" "It will be a variety, if I do." "We are made to like variety--as Mr. Murray has just reminded you." Meredith guessed that his sister cared more about putting off the hour of departure than about the reading in the abstract; and he opened his book again, for nobody else made any objection to Flora's proposal. "I shall read you," said he, "the story of a pastor and a farmer."