The consultation with the physician had taken place,
and it was not concealed from us that Clarence’s
health was completely shattered, and his state still
very precarious, needing the utmost care to give
him any chance of recovering the effects of the last
two years, when he had persevered, in spite of warning,
in his eagerness to complete his undertaking, and
then to secure what he had effected. The upshot
of the advice given him was to spend the summer by
the seaside, and if he had by that time gathered
strength, and surmounted the symptoms of disease,
to go abroad, as he was not likely to be able as
yet to bear English cold. Business and cares
were to be avoided, and if he had anything necessary
to be done, it had better be got over at once, so
as to be off his mind. Martyn and Frith gathered
that the case was thought doubtful, and entirely
dependent on constitution and rallying power.
Clarence himself seemed almost passive, caring only
for our presence and the accomplishment of his task.
We had a blessed thanksgiving for mercies received
in the Margaret Street Chapel, as we called what
is now All Saints; but he and I were unfit for crowds,
and on Sunday morning availed ourselves of a friend’s
seat in our old church, which felt so natural and homelike
to us elders that Martyn was scandalised at our taste.
But it was the church of our Confirmation and first
Communion, and Clarence rejoiced that it was that
of his first home-coming Eucharist. What a
contrast was he now to the shrinking boy, scarcely
tolerated under his stigmatised name. Surely
the Angel had led him all his life through!
How happy we two were in the afternoon, while the
others conducted Lawrence to some more noteworthy
church.
‘Now,’ said Clarence, ’let us go
down to Beachharbour. It must be done at once.
I have been trying to write, and I can’t do
it,’ and his face lighted with a quiet smile
which I understood.
So we wrote to the principal hotel to secure rooms,
and set forth on Tuesday, leaving Frith to finish
with Mr. Castleford what could not be settled in
the one business interview that had been held with
Clarence on the Monday.
CHAPTER XLVI—RESTITUTION
’Ah! well for us all some sweet hope lies Deeply
buried from human eyes.’
Whittier.
Things always happen in unexpected ways. During
the little hesitation and difficulty that always
attend my transits at a station, a voice was heard
to say, ’Oh! Papa, isn’t that Edward
Winslow?’ Martyn gave a violent start, and
Mr. Fordyce was exclaiming, ’Clarence, my dear
fellow, it isn’t you! I beg your pardon;
you have strength enough left nearly to wring one’s
hand off!’
‘I—I wanted very much to see you,
sir,’ said Clarence. ’Could you
be so good as to appoint a time?’
’See you! We must always be seeing you
of course. Let me think. I’ve got
three weddings and a funeral to-morrow, and Simpson
coming about the meeting. Come to luncheon—all
of you. Mrs. Fordyce will be delighted, and
so will somebody else.’
Copyrights
Chantry House from Project Gutenberg. Public domain.
