The Clever Woman of the Family

"Did you not know that he had been married? It was when he first had the

living twelve years ago. She was a very lovely young thing, half Irish,

and this was the happiest place in the world for two years, till her

little brother was sent home here from school without proper warning of

a fever that had begun there. We all had it, but she and her baby were

the only ones that did not recover! There they lie, under the yew-tree,

where my uncle likes to teach the children. He was terribly struck

down for years, though he went manfully to his work, and it has been

remarkable how his spirits and sociability have returned since he lost

his sight; indeed, he is more consistently bright than ever he was."

"I never saw any one like him," said Rachel. "I have fallen in with

clergy that some call holy, and with some that others call pious, but he

is not a bit like either. He is not even grave, yet there is a calming,

refreshing sense of reverence towards him that would be awe, only it is

so happy."

Alick's response was to bend over her, and kiss her brow. She had never

seen him so much gratified.

"What a comfort your long stay with him must have been," she said

presently, "in the beginning of his blindness!"

"I hope so. It was an ineffable comfort to me to come here out of

Littleworthy croquet, and I think cheering me did him good. Rachel, you

may do and say what you please," he added, earnestly, "since you have

taken to him."

"I could not help it," said Rachel, though a slight embarrassment came

over her at the recollection of Bessie, and at the thought of the narrow

views on which she expected to differ. Then, as Alick continued to

search among the music, she asked, "Will he like the piano to be used?"

"Of all things. Bessie's singing is his delight. Look, could we get this

up?"

"You don't sing, Alick! I mean, do you?"

"We need not betray our talents to worldlings base."

Rachel found her accompaniment the least satisfactory part of the

affair, and resolved on an hour's practice every day in Mr. Clare's

absence, a wholesome purpose even as regarded her health and spirits.

She had just sat down to write letters, feeling for the first time as if

they would not be a toil, when Mr. Clare looked in to ask Alick to refer

to a verse in the Psalms, quoting it in Greek as well as English, and

after the research had been carried to the Hebrew, he told Rachel that

he was going to write his sermon, and repaired to the peacock path,

where he paced along with Ranger and the cat, in faithful, unobtrusive

attendance.