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Richard； that I love her in my soul。 That I never lie down to
sleep； but I bless her； and pray for her。 That； in my solitary
work； I never cease to have her in my thoughts。 That she is with
me； night and day。 That if I died to…morrow； I would remember her
with my last breath。 But； that I cannot look upon it！'
He slowly recalled his hand； and crushing the purse together； said
with a kind of drowsy thoughtfulness：
'I told her so。 I told her so； as plain as words could speak。
I've taken this gift back and left it at her door； a dozen times
since then。 But when she came at last； and stood before me； face
to face； what could I do？'
'You saw her！' exclaimed Meg。 'You saw her！ O； Lilian； my sweet
girl！ O； Lilian； Lilian！'
'I saw her；' he went on to say； not answering； but engaged in the
same slow pursuit of his own thoughts。 'There she stood：
trembling！ 〃How does she look； Richard？ Does she ever speak of
me？ Is she thinner？ My old place at the table： what's in my old
place？ And the frame she taught me our old work on … has she burnt
it； Richard！〃 There she was。 I heard her say it。'
Meg checked her sobs； and with the tears streaming from her eyes；
bent over him to listen。 Not to lose a breath。
With his arms resting on his knees； and stooping forward in his
chair； as if what he said were written on the ground in some half
legible character； which it was his occupation to decipher and
connect； he went on。
'〃Richard； I have fallen very low； and you may guess how much I
have suffered in having this sent back； when I can bear to bring it
in my hand to you。 But you loved her once； even in my memory；
dearly。 Others stepped in between you； fears； and jealousies； and
doubts； and vanities； estranged you from her； but you did love her；
even in my memory！〃 I suppose I did；' he said； interrupting
himself for a moment。 'I did！ That's neither here nor there … 〃O
Richard； if you ever did； if you have any memory for what is gone
and lost； take it to her once more。 Once more！ Tell her how I
laid my head upon your shoulder； where her own head might have
lain； and was so humble to you； Richard。 Tell her that you looked
into my face； and saw the beauty which she used to praise； all
gone： all gone： and in its place； a poor； wan； hollow cheek； that
she would weep to see。 Tell her everything； and take it back； and
she will not refuse again。 She will not have the heart！〃'
So he sat musing； and repeating the last words； until he woke
again； and rose。
'You won't take it； Margaret？'
She shook her head； and motioned an entreaty to him to leave her。
'Good night； Margaret。'
'Good night！'
He turned to look upon her； struck by her sorrow； and perhaps by
the pity for himself which trembled in her voice。 It was a quick
and rapid action； and for the moment some flash of his old bearing
kindled in his form。 In the next he went as he had come。 Nor did
this glimmer of a quenched fire seem to light him to a quicker
sense of his debasement。
In any mood； in any grief； in any torture of the mind or body；
Meg's work must be done。 She sat down to her task； and plied it。
Night； midnight。 Still she worked。
She had a meagre fire； the night being very cold； and rose at
intervals to mend it。 The Chimes rang half…past twelve while she
was thus engaged； and when they ceased she heard a gentle knocking
at the door。 Before she could so much as wonder who was there； at
that unusual hour； it opened。
O Youth and Beauty； happy as ye should be； look at this。 O Youth
and Beauty； blest and blessing all within your reach； and working
out the ends of your Beneficent Creator； look at this！
She saw the entering figure； screamed its name； cried 'Lilian！'
It was swift； and fell upon its knees before her： clinging to her
dress。
'Up； dear！ Up！ Lilian！ My own dearest！'
'Never more； Meg； never more！ Here！ Here！ Close to you； holding
to you； feeling your dear breath upon my face！'
'Sweet Lilian！ Darling Lilian！ Child of my heart … no mother's
love can be more tender … lay your head upon my breast！'
'Never more； Meg。 Never more！ When I first looked into your face；
you knelt before me。 On my knees before you； let me die。 Let it
be here！'
'You have come back。 My Treasure！ We will live together； work
together； hope together； die together！'
'Ah！ Kiss my lips； Meg； fold your arms about me； press me to your
bosom； look kindly on me； but don't raise me。 Let it be here。 Let
me see the last of your dear face upon my knees！'
O Youth and Beauty； happy as ye should be； look at this！ O Youth
and Beauty； working out the ends of your Beneficent Creator； look
at this！
'Forgive me； Meg！ So dear； so dear！ Forgive me！ I know you do； I
see you do； but say so； Meg！'
She said so； with her lips on Lilian's cheek。 And with her arms
twined round … she knew it now … a broken heart。
'His blessing on you； dearest love。 Kiss me once more！ He
suffered her to sit beside His feet； and dry them with her hair。 O
Meg； what Mercy and Compassion！'
As she died； the Spirit of the child returning； innocent and
radiant； touched the old man with its hand； and beckoned him away。
CHAPTER IV … Fourth Quarter。
SOME new remembrance of the ghostly figures in the Bells； some
faint impression of the ringing of the Chimes； some giddy
consciousness of having seen the swarm of phantoms reproduced and
reproduced until the recollection of them lost itself in the
confusion of their numbers； some hurried knowledge； how conveyed to
him he knew not； that more years had passed； and Trotty； with the
Spirit of the child attending him； stood looking on at mortal
company。
Fat company； rosy…cheeked company； comfortable company。 They were
but two； but they were red enough for ten。 They sat before a
bright fire； with a small low table between them； and unless the
fragrance of hot tea and muffins lingered longer in that room than
in most others； the table had seen service very lately。 But all
the cups and saucers being clean； and in their proper places in the
corner…cupboard； and the brass toasting…fork hanging in its usual
nook and spreading its four idle fingers out as if it wanted to be
measured for a glove； there remained no other visible tokens of the
meal just finished； than such as purred and washed their whiskers
in the person of the basking cat； and glistened in the gracious；
not to say the greasy； faces of her patrons。
This cosy couple （married； evidently） had made a fair division of
the fire between them； and sat looking at the glowing sparks that
dropped into the grate； now nodding off into a doze； now waking up
again when some hot fragment； larger than the rest； came rattling
down； as if the fire were coming with it。
It was in no danger of sudden extinction； however； for it gleamed
not only in the little room； and on the panes of window…glass in
the door； and on the curtain half drawn across them； but in the
little shop beyond。 A little shop； quite crammed and choked with
the abundance of its stock； a perfectly vo