She clasped her hands and bowed her chin upon them, awed by his tones, and unable to met his grave, pleading eyes. "Faith and prayer are the talismans that render all things possible to an earnest Christian; and it has been truly said 'We mount to heaven mostly on the ruins of our cherished schemes, finding our failures were successes.' Recollect,-- 'There is a pleasure which is born of pain: The grave of all things hath its violet,' and do not indulge a corroding bitterness that has almost destroyed the nobler elements of your nature. I will exact no promise, but when I am gone, do not forget the request that my soul makes of yours. May God point out your work and help you to perform it faithfully. May His hand guide and uphold, and His merciful arms enfold you, now and forever, is and shall be my prayer." For a moment his hand lingered as if in benediction upon the drooping gray head, then he quietly turned and walked away, knowing full well that he was bidding adieu to the most precious of all earthly objects,--that he too was shattering a lovely "graven image," before which his heart had fondly bowed. As the sound of his firm step died away, the lonely woman lifted her face and looked after the form, vanishing in the gloom of the overarching trees. When he had disappeared, and she turned seaward, where the moon, as if inviting her to heaven, had laid a broad shining band of beaten silver from wave to sky,--the miserable wife raised her hands appealingly, and made a new covenant with her pitying God. ... "Wherefore thy life Shall purify itself, and heal itself, In the long toil of love made meek by tears." CHAPTER XXVIII. "Merton, you are not conscious of the extent of your infatuation, which has already excited comment in our limited circle of acquaintances." "Indeed! The members of 'our limited circle of acquaintances' are heartily welcome to whatever edification or amusement they may be able to derive from the discussion of my individual affairs, or the analysis of my peculiar tastes. You forget, my dear Constance, that to devour and in turn be devoured is an inexorable law of this world; and if my eccentricities furnish a _ragout_ for omnivorous society, I should be philanthropically glad that tittle-tattledom owes me thanks." The speaker did not lay aside the newspaper that partially concealed his countenance; and when he ceased speaking, his eyes reverted to the statistical table of Egyptian and Algerine cotton, which for some moments he had been attentively examining. "My dear brother, you are spasmodically and provokingly philosophical! Pray do me the honor to discard that stupid _Times_, which you pore over as if it were the last sensation novel, and be so courteous as to look at me while you are talking," replied the invalid sister, beating a tattoo on the side of her couch.