Mrs. White was a truly religious woman, and Dr. Duncan, thinking it well, if only from a physical point of view, to divert the girl's thoughts into ways of consolation, had hinted to his sister that Mary had been educated by an atheist, and so most probably herself entertained rather strange opinions on the subject of religion. Thereupon the woman, without obtruding it in any way, yet contrived to bring before the girl's observation, how intimately religion entered into the daily life of herself and others, how in sorrow they were comforted by their faith, and looked forward to happiness beyond the grave. All this seemed so strange to the girl at first. She looked on with a mild mournful wonder, yet envied this mental state so entirely opposite to her own. "The simple happy people," she thought. "Ah! that I was like them and did not know." The two entered the drawing-room of the cottage, a cheerful room, whose graceful ornaments and profusion of flowers reflected the spirit of the lady of that peaceful abode. Mary was forced by her hostess to lie back on the sofa; then Mrs. White sat down at the piano and began to play. It was a new piece of the German school, not cheerful exactly, certainly not melancholy, but full of a dreamy exaltation, suggestive of wanderings into some glorious realm. Indeed, it breathed all the rapture of religion. Mary listened to it, feeling really happy as that noble harmony filled her soul, and for the moment drove away the shadow altogether. She felt as if she were floating away into a shadowless heaven on that flood of music, and odour of flowers, and sunshine, that harmonising together pervaded all the room. Then the music stopped. After a pause Mrs. White said, "How do you like that, dear?" "Oh, it is beautiful! too beautiful! It makes one so sad afterwards!" "Do you find that? I don't at all." "It seems to carry one away into some altogether impossible happiness, and when it is over one feels a regret for it. It is like waking out of a very pleasant dream." "Poor dear, you won't talk like that when we have got you round. I'm a witch, and I foretell lots of happiness for your young life yet." "You are always happy, Mrs. White." "Of course I am. I should be a very discontented person if I was not, with everything to make me happy as I have."