The Old Helmet, Volume II

k, is

ou have wound

rswear't: howe'e

l work in me f

l me t

g it up again after that evening, and Eleanor did not. The household went on with its quiet ways. Perhaps Mrs. Caxton was a trifle more silent and ruminative, and Eleanor mor

ill, Eleanor?" she sai

itting at work some

What do you mea

gged sch

eading, ma'am; and there

ell th

time will come, I hope; the time fo

arlisle could have

have heard of him, I h

ery generous," rem

I left London I had little hope

re you wear

! not par

work for you to do. Your voice s

feel it, a

any part of your decision and ac

Caxton. How c

might feel weariness n

rospect of a con

led down and put her arms about her; kissing her wit

of my life has been so pleasant as the part spent here. If I am weary, I sometimes feel as if my life were singularly cut off from its natural

and her eyes grew somewhat misty. But that was a rare occurrence, and the exhibition

take another subject, you must forgive me for

ded," said Eleanor; "i

alone,

ve he feels alo

e must feel, I should think, in his circumstances, that he has

had almost no fami

when you used to see him here, that there was so

aid with some energy. "I neve

owly, "until a little while before he went away-some time

ed her; Eleanor's head was bent down over her sewing; but when she raised it to cha

d anything of the k

take strong testimony

so, p

-but it is no matter w

is matter. Why should i

s espec

ht, if he liked any one, a woman,-

would have chosen to go with him to such a home-perhaps for th

; and any woman whom he would have li

onder at his having doubted. There are a great ma

o?" said Eleanor bending over

ever asked her. I a

ng. She might like him without his knowing it; it was not fair

axton; "and he went alone. I th

ew, or than was in the least called for by the work in hand. Mrs. C

you, Eleanor," she went on very

was even pitiful in

aid hastily. "Except-O aunt Caxto

t,-my

in overwhelmed confusion. "One day, for a little t

nted to make sure that I should do no harm in tellin

face and went on with her sewing. Or essayed to do it, for

hat time, Eleanor? and wh

I liked him very much, as I had reason; but I never had cause to fanc

occasion,

nothing-a chance word. I saw i

hought dis

ing up such a thing now?" said

splease yo

irl; and her head dro

I did; but it was best to bring it out openly, for I could not else have

said Eleanor withou

were not

wh

summer sun gives to the mountain tops before he gets up. Mrs. Caxton looked at her flushed tearful face, and

e, it i

aunt

e not mi

hat,

ay, when something-a mere nothing-ma

illing the cheeks which had partially faded,-"I

y believe it now, for he told me; and

y glow, that almost reminded Mrs. Caxton of the perfume as well as of the colour of the flower it was likened to. There was a certain unfolding sweetness in Eleanor's face, that was most like the opening of a ros

to tell you an

now, aunt Caxton?" Eleanor said

desired

aunt C

desire such things to be m

Eleanor, the crim

, my

le breadth of the

it," said Mrs.

uick, too mingled, too subtle in their expression, to be described. So it was at this instant. Half eage

"I do not mean that. He would not leave

hen, m

k. Are you sorry-do you feel any regre

Eleanor low, and

tical question which I must now put to you. If Mr. Rhys were stationed in Engl

e, aunt Caxton," said El

d be a grant o

uld, ma'am, wit

stion. He cannot leave

him enough to mak

aunt Caxton," Elean

he has as

voice, "he never said one word to me of his likin

he has

By word, or

writ

ead turned away; then she said in a sub

ou were favourably disposed towards the object of them. If yo

to me, aunt Caxton," Eleanor

eanor's hand. Then folding her arms round her, stooped down and kissed the turned-away face. Eleanor rose u

her. "You must make these letters a matter of prayer. And take

s this not told me long ago-before Mr. Rhys we

owards him-ignorant too how far you might be willing to do and dare for Christ's sake-and doubtful how far the world and Mr. Carlisle m

of me, and yet lik

nting for these things," Mr

hese with you

l you about them to-morrow. It is too long a story for to-night;

hich comforts the eye and not a little disposes the mind to be comfortable in conformity. The only wood fire used in the house was the one in the sitting parlour. Before her grate-full of glowing coals Eleanor sat down; and looked at the two letters she held in her hand. Looked at the handwriting too, with curious scrutiny, before she ventured to open and read either paper. Wondered too, with an odd side thought, why her

which possesses me whether that condition will be ever fulfilled, and consequently whether I am not writing what no one will ever read, I find it very difficult to say anyth

ould have it in my own words; that-not the first place in my heart-but the second-is yours; and yours without any

? anything? and what wil

inite hope. It is much to ask-I hardly dare put it in words-it is hardly possible-that you should come to me. But if you are ready to do and venture anything in the service of Christ-and if you are willing to share a life that i

ay you know the fulness of joy that Jesus can give hi

Rh

nger. It was dated "Isl

Marc

ear E

ion. I feel very far from you to-day; the tops of the bread-fruit trees that I see from my window, the banana tree with its bunches of fruit and broad bright leaves just before my door-this very hot north wind that is blowing and making it so difficult to do anything and almost to breathe-all remind me that I am in another land, and by the ver

s. We cannot teach all that ask for teaching; we can hardly attend to the calls of the sick; hundreds and hundreds stand stretching out their hands to us with the prayer that we would come and tell them about religion, and we cannot go! Our hands are already full; our hearts break for the multitudes who want the truth, to whom we cannot give it. We wish that every talent we have were multiplied. We wish that we could work all night as well as all day. Above all I wan

ere the golden beams of Fiji's morning lie; it is a bright spot here and there; but our eyes long for the day. We know and believe it is coming. But when? I understand out here the meaning of

r think you unreasonable for refusing-so extravagant a demand. Even if you were willing, your friends would not allow it. And I would not disguise from you that the difficulties and dangers to be met in coming here, are more and greater than can possibly have been represented to you. Humanly speaking, that is; I have myself no fear, and never have felt any. But the evils that surround us-that come to our knowledge and under our very eyes-are real and tangible and dreadful. So much the more reason for our being here;-but so much the less likely that you, gently reared and delicately cared for, will be allowed to risk your delicate nurture in this land

rass wall of the house; and nobody knew anything of the matter till next morning. Then the signs shewed that the depredators had been prepared to commit violence if resisted. I do not know-but I am inclined to think such a thing would not happen in my house. I have been enabled to gain the good will of the people very generally, by kindness to the si

is very near heaven, Eleanor; nearer than England; and if I dared, I would say, I wish you were here;-but I do not dare. I do not know what is best. I leave you to your own judgment of what you ought to do, and to that better direction which will tell you. For me, I know that I shall not want; not so but that I can find my supply; and

n. I have resigned the expectations of a moment. But it is no harm for me to say I love you as well as ever; that I shall do, I think, till I die; although I shall never see you again, and dare

and R

as defenceless. Tears came with that resistless, ceaseless, measureless flow, as when the secret nerve of tenderness has been reached, and every barrier of pride or self-consideration is broken down or passed over. So keen the touch was to Eleanor, that weeping could not quiet it. Aft

fter prayers breakfast was brought in. It was a silent meal for the first half of it. Mrs. Caxton still watched Eleanor, whose eyes did not readily meet hers. What about her? Her manner was as usual, one would have said, yet it was not; nor was she. A little delicate undefined difference made itself felt; and that Mrs. Caxton was studying. A little added grace; a little added deftness and alacrity; Mrs. Caxton had seen it in that order taken of the fire before breakfast; she saw it and read it then. And in Eleanor's face cor

will go,

then looked down at her plate

decided,

e question came the remembrance of last night's burd

sponsible to a degree in this ma

-the flash of hidden light, there was no need to ask from what magazine, answered so complete

e to come to any ot

know, Mr. Rhys himself would be unwilling you sh

ds; a perfect rush of confusion bringing over face and neck and almost even

s I can. I think I would go anywhere and do anything where I saw clearly m

I spoke, because I needed to ask the question he would have asked if he h

as to me

ssary to be said about it. Conscience should be clear on that point, and the question s

need it, a

ved, full of satisfaction with it too. A very unusual sort of demonstration from Mrs. Caxton, as was the occasion that called for it. Eleanor received it as the seal of the whole business between them. Her aunt's arms detained her lovingly while she pressed her lips to every part

l you go,

doubtfully. "Whe

Fi

lution or uncertainty in the g

bt much-my mother w

so that her opposition can be ove

rite to-d

Supposing she does not oppose, or that her opposition is

don't know, ma'am-I suppose opportuni

or your going would come only rarely. You must think about

ent; her colour

wait four or five months for an opportunity to make the voyage, and have a reasonably good passage, you may see your friend in three years from now. But it might well happen that l

said, while the colour which had been varying in

ishing her coffee and putting the cups together on

aunt Caxton," Eleanor repeate

my l

cheeks and brow were all one crimson flush-"is it unmai

not as

ma'am

ha

ce he go

think his mind is al

id Eleanor, dro

own feeling bid

he girl slowly,-"I did that last night; I have th

, my

ncerned-was to take the first

t is a woman's time to speak. The fact that your speaking must be action does not alter the matter. When it takes two years for people to hear from each other, life would very soon be spent in t

s head b

wants you even more than I do; and I have known for some time that you w

made no

ow?" was Mrs. Caxton's ques

e to

our letter to her without

nd, and I do not care for people-my only fear is, lest Mr. Rhys himself should think I come too easily.

" said Mrs. Caxton tranquilly. "I will give you that

uggestion, Eleanor w