With these words she held out the ring to Mary, who was almost overcome with so much kindness and ready to sink under the weight of the benefits she had received. Her tears flowed freely, but they were tears of joy. "Poor child," said one of the guests, "take what the Countess offers you. God has given the Count and his wife fortune, but He has given them something more precious--hearts which know how to make the best use of riches." "Why do you flatter us?" said the Countess. "This is not a _generous_ action, it is an act of _justice_." Still Mary hesitated about accepting the valuable gift, and turned with streaming eyes towards the minister, as if to ask his advice. "Yes, Mary," said the venerable man, "you must keep the ring. You see, my good child, how God is blessing your filial piety; for whosoever sincerely honours his parents shall be better for it. Take the valuable present with gratitude, and as adversity found you resigned to the Divine will, so in prosperity show yourself grateful to your heavenly Father--grateful to His dear name, benevolent and kind." Mary put the ring on her finger and attempted to express her thanks, but tears checked her utterance, and were thus the best expression of her gratitude. Amelia, who sat by her with the basket of flowers in her hand, was delighted with the generous proceedings of her parents. Her eyes shone with affection for Mary; and the minister, who had often observed how envious children generally are when their parents exercise their benevolence towards other people, was deeply touched by this disinterested love of Amelia. "May God," said he, "reward the generosity of the Count and Countess. May all that they have done for the poor orphan be rendered to them a hundredfold in the person of their own dear daughter!" CHAPTER XVIII. PINE FARM REVISITED. The Count and his family were just on the eve of leaving for Eichbourg, and next morning at break of day all was bustle in the castle, preparing for their departure. In the midst of all the preparations, however, Mary was not forgotten, and each one vied with the other in the attentions they paid to her. Mary's clothes, which she had bought during her residence at Pine Farm, were made of the coarsest material and of the plainest cut. But one of Amelia's friends, a young lady of the same age and size as Mary, at Amelia's request presented Mary with a complete outfit, which, without being extravagant, was more in keeping with her new situation. In answer to Mary's modest protest against donning what seemed to her, extravagantly grand garments, Amelia said, "You are my friend; you are henceforth to be my companion; you are also to live with me. You ought therefore to dress yourself differently from a farm servant."