looking upon that mother now taking of her surroundings st s young indignation once again hot while since it was the tendency of her mind to run eagerly towards theory to pass from the particular to the general and instinctively to apprehend the relation of the individual to the mass looking thus upon she not only against the doom of this one woman but against that doom of universal womanhood of which she offered s progress just now only too eloquent an example and a burning compassion animated for all feminine as against all masculine creatures for the bitter patience demanded of the passive as against the large latitude permitted the active principle for the perpetual humiliation of the and spiritual under the heavy yoke of the and practical for the brief joy and long of all those who are condemned to obey and to wait merely as against those who are bom to command and to create from a child she had been aware of the element of tragedy inherent in the fact of womanhood it had quickened of sentiment in her at times and pushed her into not a little knight � witness the affair of lady s engagement but though more sober in judgment than of old and less ready to set her lance in rest the existence of that tragic element had never disclosed itself more to her than at the present moment nor had the necessity to attempt the of the smart of it called upon her with more urgent voice yet she recognised that such attempt all her all her imaginative sympathy and tact very free criticism of the master of the house of his sins of and commission alike were in the chapel room and in the presence of her late companions the subject unhappily had called for too frequent mention by now for any to be incumbent in the discussion of it but here in the brooding quiet of this bed chamber and in lady s presence all that was changed statements of opinion words of blame were the sinner if spoken of at all must be spoken of with due and respect his ignored the of his conduct gently even eagerly explained away and therefore it came about that this fair champion of womanhood though fired with the zeal of righteous anger had to go very softly and set a watch before her lips but as she paused fearful to break in too abruptly upon lady s repose she began to question fearfully whether speech was in truth still available as a means of communication between herself and the object of her solicitude for lady lay so very still her sweet face showed so transparent against the rose silk muslin covered pillows that the younger woman was shaken by a swift dread that dr s melancholy had already found fulfilment and that the lovely labour wasted body had let the love wasted soul depart cousin dear cousin she called very sir richard gently under her breath and then waited almost sensible to the point of distress alike of the profound quiet which it seemed as an act of to have even to break and of the activity of those little figures so wildly in the chimney space and on the hearth seconds to of duration elapsed before lady gave sign of life at length she moved her hands as though gathering with infinite tenderness some small and helpless creature close and warm against her bosom s vision grew somewhat and misty then with along drawn fluttering sigh looked up at the tall straight figure dick � ah youve come in my beloved � have you had good sport she said sat down on the end of the sofa bowing her head alas alas it is only me cousin nothing better than me st would that it were better and her voice broke but lady had come into full possession of herself my dear i must have been and my thoughts had wandered far on the backward road as is the foolish habit of thoughts when one grows old and is not altogether well and strong � spoke faintly yet with an air of sweetly playful apology one is liable to be confused under such circumstances when one first wakes � and � you have the smell of the and the freshness of the upon you she paused and then added � but indeed the confusion of sleep once past i could hardly have dearer for my eyes first to light on than your very dear self hearing which gracious words indignation in the cause of this woman burning compassion for the wrongs and sorrows of universal womanhood both of which must be denied utterance worked very forcibly in she bent down and taking lady s hand kissed it and as she did this her eyes were those of an ardent yet very lover and so when next she spoke were the tones of her voice but still anxious to repair any defect in her recognition and greeting and still with that same effect of playful self spoke first i had been many things with the help of thomas k here before i became so drowsy the dear man lays his finger upon all the weak places in one s fancied of it is sometimes not quite easy to be s progress altogether grateful to him for instance he has pointed out to me that i grow selfish oh come come answered in loving thomas is acute to the point of lying if he has convinced you of that unhappily no returned i know it i fear without any pointing of thomas s finger but i rather admission of my knowledge � well for the very bad reason that i wanted very badly to put off the day of now the holy man has touched my witness and � she turned her head against the pillows and looked full at the younger 