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soon after all； and had to creep into the wood； and be sick。 But it
is all the same for the story。〃
Euphra laughed a feeble but delighted laugh； and applied the story
for herself。
So the winter days passed on。
〃I wish I could live till the spring；〃 said Euphra。 〃I should like
to see a snowdrop and a primrose again。〃
〃Perhaps you will； dear； but you are going into a better spring。 I
could almost envy you； Euphra。〃
〃But shall we have spring there？〃
〃I think so。〃
〃And spring…flowers？〃
〃I think we shallbetter than here。〃
〃But they will not mean so much。〃
〃Then they won't be so good。 But I should think they would mean
ever so much more； and be ever so much more spring…like。 They will
be the spring…flowers to all winters in one； I think。〃
Folded in the love of this woman； anointed for her death by her
wisdom； baptized for the new life by her sympathy and its tears；
Euphra died in the arms of Margaret。
Margaret wept； fell on her knees； and gave God thanks。 Mrs。 Elton
was so distressed； that； as soon as the funeral was over； she broke
up her London household； sending some of the servants home to the
country； and taking some to her favourite watering place； to which
Harry also accompanied her。
She hoped that； now the affair of the ring was cleared up； she
might； as soon as Hugh returned； succeed in persuading him to follow
them to Devonshire； and resume his tutorship。 This would satisfy
her anxiety about Hugh and Harry both。
Hugh's mother died too； and was buried。 When he returned from the
grave which now held both father and mother； he found a short note
from Margaret； telling him that Euphra was gone。 Sorrow is easier
to bear when it comes upon sorrow； but he could not help feeling a
keen additional pang； when he learned that she was dead whom he had
loved once； and now loved better。 Margaret's note informed him
likewise that Euphra had left a written request； that her diamond
ring should be given to him to wear for her sake。
He prepared to leave the home whence all the homeness had now
vanished； except what indeed lingered in the presence of an old
nurse； who had remained faithful to his mother to the last。 The
body itself is of little value after the spirit； the love； is out of
it： so the house and all the old things are little enough； after the
loved ones are gone who kept it alive and made it home。
All that Hugh could do for this old nurse was to furnish a cottage
for her out of his mother's furniture； giving her everything she
liked best。 Then he gathered the little household treasures； the
few books； the few portraits and ornaments； his father's sword； and
his mother's wedding…ring； destroyed with sacred fire all written
papers； sold the remainder of the furniture； which he would gladly
have burnt too； and so proceeded to take his last departure from the
home of his childhood。
CHAPTER XXIII。
NATURE AND HER LADY。
Die Frauen sind ein liebliches Geheimniss； nur verh黮lt； nicht
verschlossen。NOVALIS。…Moralische Ansichten。
Women are a lovely mysteryveiled； however； not shut up。
Her twilights were more clear than our mid…day；
She dreamt devoutlier than most used to pray。
DR。 DONNE。
Perhaps the greatest benefit that resulted to Hugh from being thus
made a pilgrim and a stranger in the earth； was； that Nature herself
saw him； and took him in； Hitherto； as I have already said； Hugh's
acquaintance with Nature had been chiefly a second…hand onehe knew
friends of hers。 Nature in poetrynot in the form of Thomsonian or
Cowperian descriptions； good as they are； but closely interwoven
with and expository of human thought and feelinghad long been dear
to him。 In this form he had believed that he knew her so well； as
to be able to reproduce the lineaments of her beloved face。 But now
she herself appeared to himthe grand； pure； tender mother； ancient
in years； yet ever young； appeared to him； not in the mirror of a
man's words； but bending over him from the fathomless bosom of the
sky； from the outspread arms of the forest…trees； from the silent
judgment of the everlasting hills。 She spoke to him from the depths
of air； from the winds that harp upon the boughs； and trumpet upon
the great caverns； and from the streams that sing as they go to be
lost in rest。 She would have shone upon him out of the eyes of her
infants； the flowers； but they had their faces turned to her breast
now； hiding from the pale blue eyes and the freezing breath of old
Winter； who was looking for them with his face bent close to their
refuge。 And he felt that she had a power to heal and to instruct；
yea； that she was a power of life； and could speak to the heart and
conscience mighty words about God and Truth and Love。
For he did not forsake his dead home in haste。 He lingered over it；
and roamed about its neighbourhood。 Regarding all about him with
quiet； almost passive spirit； he was astonished to find how his eyes
opened to see nature in the mass。 Before； he had beheld only
portions and beauties。 When or how the change passed upon him he
could not tell。 But he no longer looked for a pretty eyebrow or a
lovely lip on the face of nature： the soul of nature looked out upon
him from the harmony of all； guiding him unsought to the discovery
of a thousand separate delights； while from the expanded vision new
meanings flashed upon him every day。 He beheld in the great All the
expression of the thoughts and feelings of the maker of the heavens
and the earth and the sea and the fountains of water。 The powers of
the world to come； that is； the world of unseen truth and ideal
reality； were upon him in the presence of the world that now is。
For the first time in his life； he felt at home with nature； and
while he could moan with the wintry wind； he no longer sighed in the
wintry sunshine； that foretold； like the far…off flutter of a
herald's banner； the approach of victorious lady…spring。
With the sorrow and loneliness of loss within him； and Nature around
him seeming to sigh for a fuller expression of the thought that
throbbed within her； it is no wonder that the form of Margaret； the
gathering of the thousand forms of nature into one intensity and
harmony of loveliness； should rise again upon the world of his
imagination； to set no more。 Father and mother were gone。 Margaret
remained behind。 Nature lay around him like a shining disk； that
needed a visible centre of intensest lighta shield of silver； that
needed but a diamond boss： Margaret alone could be that centrethat
diamond light…giver； for she alone； of all the women he knew； seemed
so to drink of the sun…rays of God； as to radiate them forth； for
very fulness； upon the clouded world。
She had dawned on him like a sweet crescent moon； hanging far…off in
a cold and low horizon： now； lifting his eyes； he saw that same moon
nearly at the full； and high overhead； yet leaning down towards him
through the deep blue air； that overflowed with her calm triumph of
light。 He knew that he loved her now。 He knew that every place he
went through； caught a glimmer of romance the moment he thought of
her； that every most trifling event that happened to himself； looked
like a piece of a story…book the moment he thought of telling it to
her。 But the growth of these feelings had been gradualso slow and
gradual； that when he recognized them； it seemed to him as if he had
felt them from the first。 The fact was； that as soon as he began to
be capable of loving Margaret； he had begun to love her。 He had
never been able to understand her till he was driven into the
desert。 But now that Nature revealed herself to him full of Life；
yea； of the Life of Life； namely； of God himself； it was natural
that he should honour and love that 'lady of her own'； that he
should recognize Margaret as greater than himself； as nearer to the
heart of Natureyea； of God the father of all。 She had been one
with Nature from childhood； and when he began to be one with nature
too； he must become one with her。
And now； in absence； he began to study the character of her whom； in
presence； he had thought he knew perfectly。 He soon found that it
was a Manoa； a golden city in a land of Paradisetoo good to be
believed in； except by him who was blessed with the beholding of it。
He knew now that she had always understood what he was only just
waking to recognize。 And he felt that the scholar had been very
patient with the stupidity of the master； and had drawn from his
lessons a nourishment of which he had known nothing himself。
But dared he think of marrying her； a creature inspired with a
presence of the Spirit of God which none but the saints enjoy； and
thence clothed with a garment of beauty； which her spirit wove out
of its own loveliness？ She was a being to glorify any man merely by
granting him her habitual presence： what； then； if she gave her
love！ She would bring with her the presence of God himself； for she
walked ever in his light； and that light clung to her and radiated
from her。 True； many young maidens must be walking in the sunshine
of God； else whence the light and loveliness and bloom； the smile
and the laugh of their youth？ But