Produced by Charles Aldarondo. HTML version by Al Haines. [Editor's Note:--The chapter numbering for volume 2 & 3 was changed from the original in order to have unique chapter numbers for the complete version, so volume 2 starts with chapter XV and volume 3 starts with chapter XXX.] SYLVIA'S LOVERS. BY ELIZABETH GASKELL Oh for thy voice to soothe and bless! What hope of answer, or redress? Behind the veil! Behind the veil!--Tennyson IN THREE VOLUMES. VOL. III. LONDON: M.DCCC.LXIII. CONTENTS XXX HAPPY DAYS XXXI EVIL OMENS XXXII RESCUED FROM THE WAVES XXXIII AN APPARITION XXXIV A RECKLESS RECRUIT XXXV THINGS UNUTTERABLE XXXVI MYSTERIOUS TIDINGS XXXVII BEREAVEMENT XXXVIII THE RECOGNITION XXXIX CONFIDENCES XL AN UNEXPECTED MESSENGER XLI THE BEDESMAN OF ST SEPULCHRE XLII A FABLE AT FAULT XLIII THE UNKNOWN XLIV FIRST WORDS XLV SAVED AND LOST CHAPTER XXX HAPPY DAYS And now Philip seemed as prosperous as his heart could desire. The business flourished, and money beyond his moderate wants came in. As for himself he required very little; but he had always looked forward to placing his idol in a befitting shrine; and means for this were now furnished to him. The dress, the comforts, the position he had desired for Sylvia were all hers. She did not need to do a stroke of household work if she preferred to 'sit in her parlour and sew up a seam'. Indeed Phoebe resented any interference in the domestic labour, which she had performed so long, that she looked upon the kitchen as a private empire of her own. 'Mrs Hepburn' (as Sylvia was now termed) had a good dark silk gown-piece in her drawers, as well as the poor dove-coloured, against the day when she chose to leave off mourning; and stuff for either gray or scarlet cloaks was hers at her bidding.