her table it is very late i shall want nothing more to night ah miss returned the i m sure i often wish for them old times when i sat up with you hours later than this and fell asleep through being tired out when you were as broad awake as spectacles but you ve ma s in law to come and sit with you now miss and i m thankful for it i m sure i ve not a word to say em i shall not forget who was my old companion when i had none returned gently never and looking up she put her arm round the neck of her humble friend drew her face down to hers and bidding her good night kissed it which so miss that she fell a sobbing now my dear miss said let me go down stairs again and see how your pa is i know you re wretched about him do let me go down stairs again and knock at his door my own self no said go to bed we shall hear more in the morning i will inquire myself in the morning mamma has been down i dare say blushed for she had no such hope or is there now perhaps night was too much softened to express her private opinion on the probability of mrs s l in attendance on her husband and silently withdrew alone soon hid her head upon her hands as she had done in other days and did not restrain the tears from down her face the misery of this domestic discord and the withered hope she cherished now if hope it could be called of ever being taken to and son ber father s heart her doubts and fears between the two the yearning of her innocent breast to both the heavy disappointment and regret of such an end as this to what had been a vision of bright hope and promise to her all crowded on her mind and made her tears flow fast her mother and her brother dead her father unmoved towards her opposed to him and casting him away but loving her and loved by her it seemed as if her could never prosper rest where it would that weak thought was soon hushed but the thoughts in which it had arisen were too true and strong to be dismissed with it and they made the night desolate among such reflections there rose up as there had risen up all day the image of her father wounded and in pain alone in his own room by those who should be nearest to him and passing the hours in lonely suffering a frightened thought which made her start and clasp her hands � though it was not a new one in her mind � that he might die and never see her or pronounce her name thrilled her whole frame in her agitation she thought and trembled while she thought of once more stealing down stairs and venturing to his door she listened at her own the house was quiet and all the lights were out it was a long long time she thought since she used to make her nightly to his door it was a long long time she tried to think since she had entered his room at midnight and he had led her back to the stair foot with the same child s heart within her as of old even with the child s sweet timid eyes and hair as strange to her father in her early maiden bloom as in her nursery time crept down the staircase listening as she went and drew near to his room no one was stirring in the house the door was partly open to admit air and all was so still within that she could hear the burning of the fire and count the of the clock that stood upon the chimney piece she looked in in that room the housekeeper wrapped in a blanket was fast asleep in an easy chair before the fire the doors between it and the next were partly closed and a screen was drawn before them but there was a light there and it shone upon the of his bed all was so very still that she could and son hear from his breathing that he was asleep this gave her courage to pass round the screen and look into his chamber it was as great a start to come upon his sleeping face as if she had not expected to see it stood arrested on the spot and if he had awakened then must have remained there there was a cut upon his forehead and they had been his hair which lay and entangled on the pillow one of his arms resting outside the bed was up and he was very white but it was not this that the first quick glance and first assurance of his sleeping quietly held rooted to the ground it was something very from this and more than this that made him look so solemn in her eyes she had never seen his face in all her life but there had been upon it� or she fancied so � some disturbing consciousness of her she had never seen his face in all her life but hope had sunk within her and her timid glance had drooped before its stem and as she looked upon it now she saw it for the first time free from the cloud that had darkened her childhood calm tranquil night was in its stead he might have gone to sleep for anything she saw there blessing her awake unkind father awake now sullen man the time is flitting by the hour is coming with an angry tread awake there was no change upon his face and as she watched it awfully its motionless repose recalled the faces that were gone so they 