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save him。〃
Euphra knew well enough that Mrs。 Elton was no tell…tale。 The good
lady had hopes of her from this moment； because she all but quoted
Scripture to condemn her uncle； the verdict corresponding with her
own judgment of Mr。 Arnold； founded on the clearest assertions of
Scripture； strengthened somewhat； it must be confessed； by the fact
that the spirits； on the preceding evening but one； had rapped out
the sentence： 〃Without faith it is impossible to please him。〃
Lady Emily was still in bed； but apparently more sick in mind than
in body。 She said she had tossed about all the previous night
without once falling asleep； and her maid； who had slept in the
dressing…room without waking once； corroborated the assertion。 In
the morning； Mrs。 Elton； wishing to relieve the maid； sent Margaret
to Lady Emily。 Margaret arranged the bedclothes and pillows； which
were in a very uncomfortable condition； sat down behind the curtain；
and； knowing that it would please Lady Emily； began to sing； in what
the French call a； veiled voice； The Land o' the Leal。 Now the air
of this lovely song is the same as that of Scots wha hae； but it is
the pibroch of onset changed into the coronach of repose； singing of
the land beyond the battle； of the entering in of those who have
fought the good fight； and fallen in the field。 It is the silence
after the thunder。 Before she had finished； Lady Emily was fast
asleep。 A sweet peaceful half smile lighted her troubled face
graciously； like the sunshine that creeps out when it can； amidst
the rain of an autumn day； saying； 〃I am with you still； though we
are all troubled。〃 Finding her thus at rest； Margaret left the room
for a minute； to fetch some work。 When she returned； she found her
tossing； and moaning； and apparently on the point of waking。 As
soon as she sat down by her； her trouble diminished by degrees； till
she lay in the same peaceful sleep as before。 In this state she
continued for two or three hours； and awoke much refreshed。 She
held out her little hand to Margaret； and said：
〃Thank you。 Thank you。 What a sweet creature you are！〃
And Lady Emily lay and gazed in loving admiration at the face of the
lady's…maid。
〃Shall I send Sarah to you now； my lady？〃 said Margaret； 〃or would
you like me to stay with you？〃
〃Oh！ you； you； pleaseif Mrs。 Elton can spare you。〃
〃She will only think of your comfort； I know； my lady。〃
〃That recalls me to my duty； and makes me think of her。〃
〃But your comfort will be more to her than anything else。〃
〃In that case you must stay； Margaret。〃
〃With pleasure； my lady。〃
Mrs。 Elton entered； and quite confirmed what Margaret had said。
〃But；〃 she added； 〃it is time Lady Emily had something to eat。 Go
to the cook； Margaret； and see if the beef…tea Miss Cameron ordered
is ready。〃
Margaret went。
〃What a comfort it is；〃 said Mrs。 Elton； wishing to interest Lady
Emily； 〃that now…a…days； when infidelity is so rampant； such
corroborations of Sacred Writ are springing up on all sides！ There
are the discoveries at Nineveh； and now these Spiritual
Manifestations； which bear witness so clearly to another world。〃
But Lady Emily made no reply。 She began to toss about as before；
and show signs of inexplicable discomfort。 Margaret had hardly been
gone two minutes； when the invalid moaned out：
〃What a time Margaret is gone！when will she be back？〃
〃I am here； my love；〃 said Mrs。 Elton。
〃Yes； yes； thank you。 But I want Margaret。〃
〃She will be here presently。 Have patience； my dear。〃
〃Please； don't let Miss Cameron come near me。 I am afraid I am very
wicked； but I can't bear her to come near me。〃
〃No； no； dear； we will keep you to ourselves。〃
〃Is Mr。； the foreign gentleman； I meanbelow？〃
〃No。 He is gone。〃
〃Are you sure？ I can hardly believe it。〃
〃What do you mean； dear？ I am sure he is gone。〃
Lady Emily did not answer。 Margaret returned。 She took the
beef…tea； and grew quiet again。
〃You must not leave her ladyship； Margaret；〃 whispered her mistress。
〃She has taken it into her head to like no one but you； and you must
just stay with her。〃
〃Very well； ma'am。 I shall be most happy。〃
Mrs。 Elton left the room。 Lady Emily said：
〃Read something to me； Margaret。〃
〃What shall I read？〃
〃Anything you like。〃
Margaret got a Bible； and read to her one of her father's favourite
chapters； the fortieth of Isaiah。
〃I have no right to trust in God； Margaret。〃
〃Why； my lady？〃
〃Because I do not feel any faith in him； and you know we cannot be
accepted without faith。〃
〃That is to make God as changeable as we are； my lady。〃
〃But the Bible says so。〃
〃I don't think it does； but if an angel from heaven said so； I would
not believe it。〃
〃Margaret！〃
〃My lady； I love God with all my heart； and I cannot bear you should
think so of him。 You might as well say that a mother would go away
from her little child； lying moaning in the dark； because it could
not see her； and was afraid to put its hand out into the dark to
feel for her。〃
〃Then you think he does care for us； even when we are very wicked。
But he cannot bear wicked people。〃
〃Who dares to say that？〃 cried Margaret。 〃Has he not been making the
world go on and on； with all the wickedness that is in it； yes；
making new babies to be born of thieves and murderers and sad women
and all； for hundreds of years？ God help us； Lady Emily！ If he
cannot bear wicked people； then this world is hell itself； and the
Bible is all a lie； and the Saviour did never die for sinners。 It
is only the holy Pharisees that can't bear wicked people。〃
〃Oh！ how happy I should be； if that were true！ I should not be
afraid now。〃
〃You are not wicked； dear Lady Emily； but if you were； God would
bend over you； trying to get you back； like a father over his sick
child。 Will people never believe about the lost sheep？〃
〃Oh！ yes； I believe that。 But then〃
〃You can't trust it quite。 Trust in God； then； the very father of
youand never mind the words。 You have been taught to turn the
very words of God against himself。〃
Lady Emily was weeping。
〃Lady Emily；〃 Margaret went on； 〃if I felt my heart as hard as a
stone； if I did not love God； or man； or woman； or little child； I
would yet say to God in my heart： 'O God； see how I trust thee；
because thou art perfect； and not changeable like me。 I do not love
thee。 I love nobody。 I am not even sorry for it。 Thou seest how
much I need thee to come close to me； to put thy arm round me； to
say to me； my child； for the worse my state； the greater my need of
my father who loves me。 Come to me； and my day will dawn。 My
beauty and my love will come back； and oh！ how I shall love thee； my
God！ and know that my love is thy love； my blessedness thy being。'〃
As Margaret spoke； she seemed to have forgotten Lady Emily's
presence； and to be actually praying。 Those who cannot receive such
words from the lips of a lady's…maid； must be reminded what her
father was； and that she had lost him。 She had had advantages at
least equal to those which David the Shepherd hadand he wrote the
Psalms。
She ended with：
〃I do not ev