Christian's Mistake

me yet! And

s protract

at bunch of fl

of April'

bination-room. The building itself has no great architectural beauty except the beauty of age. Its courts are gray and still, and its grounds small; in fact, it possesses only the Lodge garden, and a walk between tall trees on the other side of the Avon, wh

quite an Admirable Crichton in his way, who, had his moral equaled his mental qualities, would have carried all before him. As it was, being discovered in offenses not merely against University authority, but obnoxious to society at large, he had been rusticated. Though the matter was kept as private a

ss undergraduates, its two or three tutors, and its dozen or so of gray old fellows, who dozed away their evenings in combinati

clock, with an upright sundial affixed below it, marked the first court, whence, through a passage which, as is usual in colleges, had the hall on one hand and the buttery on the other, you entered t

, mysterious gallery, looking as it must have looked for two centuries at least, you felt an involuntary shiver, as of warm, human, daily life brought suddenly into contact with the pale ghosts of the past. You could not escape the haunting thought that these oaken tables were dined at, these high-backed chairs sat upon, these b

ve behind some few ancestral ties and memories, but came and went, with all that belonged to them; the only trace of their occupancy and themselves being a name on the college books, or a solitary portrait on

youngest master that had ever been known at Saint Bede's; and his election might consequently have been unpopular had he not been personally so much liked, and had there not happened immediately afterward that scandal about Edwin Uniacke. Therein he acted so promptly and wisely, that the sleepy, timid old dons as well as the Uniacke

hey were not imaginative children. To Arthur, an "ally taw," that is, a real alabaster marble, such as he now fumbled in his pocket, was an object of more importance than all the defunct bishops, archbishops, kings, queens, and benefactors of every sort, whose grim portraits stared at him by day and night. And Letitia was far more anxious that the candle she carried should not drop any of its grease upon her best silk frock, than alarmed at the grotesque shadows it cast, making every portrait seem to follow her with his eyes, as old portraits

papa's study fire lit. I knew he was coming home to-night, though aunts won't let us sit up, as he said we

a womanly air, "papa will not be alone now. He may

. Gr

call her so. I'm sure I don't want

Wouldn't I like to pitch into her for marrying papa! But yet," with a sudde

vulgar," said the litt

ke her, for aunts say she

mean to take any no

or that! Who minds yo

ubtless considered justice to his much cleverer, more precocious, and very sharp-tongued sister, even though she was "a girl." It was the only advantage he had over her and he used it, chi

tairs, seeing something was amiss, while not stopping to discover what it was, did as she always

us sobs. The girl yielded, but the boy hung back; and it was not until after a regular stand-up fight between him and the woman-a big, sturd

e portrait of the mild-faced foundress, which seemed through the shadows of centuries to look down pitifully on these motherless children, as

ver since they were born. All the womanly bringing up they had had,

Though past thirty, she was still comely, and when she looked pleasant, it was not an unpleasant face. Yet there lurked in it possibilities of passion that made you tremble, especially c

cally, no children could be better cared for than the little Greys. They were always well washed, well clad, and, in a certain external sense, well managed. The "rod in pickle," which Phillis always kept in the nursery, maintained a form of outward discipline and even manners, so far as Phillis knew what manners meant; morals too, in Phillis's style of morality. Beyond that Phillis's own will-strong and obstinate as it was-made laws for itself, whi

n her arms with the fondest soothing; the fiercest threatenings between whiles being directed to Letitia and Arthur,

e; the angry flush melted from Arthur's hot cheeks; Oliver had already been transferred to

se ladies still remained at the Lodge. Dr. Grey had asked Christian if she wished them to leave, for they had a house of their own near Avonsbridge, and she had answered indifferently, "Oh no; let them

least for the present, "for the sake of those poor, dear children." And, dressed in at their best, they sat solemnly wa

ces has a right to say, "I will marry," and had done it. Besides, he was a just man; he was fully aware that to his sisters Christian was not-could not be as yet

te mouse. She was neither clever nor wise, but she was very sweet-tempered. She had loved Dr. Grey all her life. From the time that she, a big girl, had dandled him, a baby, in her lap; throughout her brief youth, when she was engaged to y

out her was decidedly prononcé. There was no extinguishing her or putting her into a corner. Rather than be unnoticed-if such a thing she could ever believe possible-she would make herself noticeable in

value at your

ld will

the world had paid i

nning a little to weary

ht that, as there nev

not a woman any wher

rie

ot possible, or probable, in the wider or wholesomer life of a family. And if, as is almost invariably the case- indeed otherwise such a tie between women could not long exist-the stronger governs the weaker, one domineers and the other obeys, the result is bad for both. It might be seen in the fidgety restlessness of Miss Gascoigne, whose eyes, still full of passionate fire, lent a painful youthfulness to her faded face, and in the l

of people who are so used to one another that they feel no necessi

! And to order a tea-dinner! No wonder Barker looked astonished! He never knew my poor sister have anything but a proper din

Dissent she never did, in any thing, from

head-dress, for Miss Grey always insisted that "dear Henrietta" was too young to wear caps, and admi

annoying-most impertinent-to keep us waiting for ou

cident," said Miss Gre

be dangerous o

y rail at all-of course not. On the very first day of term, when Dr. Grey would meet so many people he knew to have to

foolish thing in his life, except, perhaps, in making this unfortunate marriage. And she may i

sharply round, but there was not a shadow of satire in her

t moment the heavy oak door was thrown wide open, and Barker, the butler (time-honored institution of Sai

er and Mr

rmally, like a stranger, in he

f birth and condition, rarely produced. She would have been the same even if attired in hodden gray, but now she was well-dressed in silks and furs. Dr. Grey had smiled at the modest trousseau, and soon settled every thing by saying, "My wife must wear so and so." In this rich clothing, which set off her fair large Saxon beaut

ugh: "Christian, these are my sisters. This is

ting glance at Miss Gascoigne, was accepted timidly by Miss Grey. "I couldn't help it, my d

known Christian before her marriage, she would have appeared greatly altered, as if some strange mental convulsion had passed over her-passed, and been subdued. In two weeks she had grown ten years older-was, a matron, not a girl. Yet still she was herself. We often come to learn that change-which include

ather, their journey, and so forth, the master, suddenly l

nity. It was impossible they could be kept up to th

With the quick, resolute movement of a master in h

n bed. If not, say I wish them sent down to me;

r, and busied herself over the tea equipage; while Miss Grey, after one or two deprecating looks at dear Arnold, began knitting n

bability, was now her home for life. For life! Did that overpowering sense of the inevitable-so maddening to some, so quieting to others-cause all small t

he children were fast asleep, but nurse said, "

istian. "Little Oliver will

n, and all the father's heart was in his loving eyes. "Come away, then," he said,

!" cried Miss Gascoigne, indignantly

if she had lighted upon a perfect solution of the difficulty, sa

lead to a prison in a tower or a dormitory in a monastery- any where except to ordinary, natural bedchambers. And when she reached them, what gloomy rooms they were, leading one out of another, up a step and down a step,

, send Mrs. Grey's ma

dge cold at first, but

she was pressing eager

-opened nursery

Dr. G

right into them, for she was as tall as he. There was a sad quietness

afraid of any thing or

now

which feel strange now will cease

smile; but, at least, the

will always come at once and tell it to me

wil

is wife in his inexpressibly tender

a score of monks, as very likely it was in the early days of Saint Bede's. Phillis, sewing by her little table in the far corner, kept guard over a large

le folk?" said the master, in a pleasant

ughing, half screaming, and kicking his little bare legs with glee as his father took him in his arms; Arthur came running in, clad in the very airiest costume possible; and Letitia appeared sedatel

of Saint Bede's, with all his children round him, hugging him, kissing him, chattering to him, while he hung over them in an absorption of enjoyment so deep that, for a moment, Christian was

was very good to you one day lately. An

mouth at once for a kiss. "I like her v

sight of his daughter's face-the mouth pursed into that hard. line which made her so exactly like her mother. Arthur, too, looked sullen and shy. Nobod

ent which, once let slip, might take years afterward to recall. He said, nervously eno

her

w differently it came to her from the way it comes upon most women-gradually, deliciously, with long looking forward and tremulous hope and fear-still it was pleasant. The maternal

o mammas; and our mam

ook us there yest

arbed with truth-literal truth; which, however, sore it be, people in many difficult circumstances of life are obliged to face, to recognize, and abide by-to soften and

uttered a fact. In one sense, nobody could have two mothers; and Christian, almost with contrition, thought of the poor dead woman whose children were now taught to call another woman by that sacred name. But the pang passed. Had she known the first Mrs. Grey, it might not have been so sharp; in

itated he was, and there seemed to co

could be that to you again; but I mean to be as like her as I can. I mean to love you and take care of you;

her one bit," said A

"She was very pretty, and alw

silence, and the

Grey 'mamma,' they had better call me 'mother.' It is a pleasanter word than

-nurse, who, standing apart, with her great black eyes had already taken the measure of the new wife, of the children's future, and of the chances of her own authority.

e burnt on the old-fashioned hearth, and glimmered cheerily on the white toilet- table, crimson sofa, and bed. It was a room comforta

y things; the more so, because she had never possessed them. Even now, though her heart was so moved an

urnished. I thought you

r

How very kind

only

em, were all the old treasures of her maidenhood- desk, work-table, chair. She guessed all th

w good

caress, and again she sighed. Dr. Grey looked

e you hurt at what occurred ju

e least. It wa

inevitable, have yet to be met and

if we

rembled at the knowledge, so solemn was the responsibility it brought, had loved her, and did lo

ery errors, leading us through them into light and truth. Only we must follow Him, and hold fast to the right, however difficult it may be. We must not be disheartened: we must leave the past where it is, and go on to the future; do what we have

rds struck home. That great "mistake"-was it his first marriage? which, perhaps, had not been a happy one. At least, he never spoke of it, or of his chi

, or about any thing. She was like a person in a state of moral catalepsy, to wh

o ordinary talk, showing her what he had done in the room to make it pretty and pleasant for his bride, and

he. "I fancied you had found out my harmless deceit long ago. But you are

he was gone, and the moment had passed by. With it passed the slight quivering and softening which had been visible in he

w nothing. Then she knelt before the fire, warming her ice-cold hands on which the two- weeks' familiar ring seemed to

s he may himself think now, only he was too kind to let me see it. What am I to do? Nothing. I can

en to herself, an

is very wise, far wiser and better than I am. I might have loved him. Oh that I had only waited till I did really love him, inst

r mindfulness that would have made the heart of any newly-married wife, married for love, leap for joy, and look forward hopefully to that life which, with all its added cares, a good man's affection can make so happy to the woman wh

his, no fear of that! He is so good-far

these three; but the grea

others. When faith and hope fail, as they do sometimes, we must try charity, which is love in action. We must speculate

te calmly, to spend-and she did spend it, painlessly