Ten Thousand a-Year Volume Iii Part 16

"No, Mr. Gammon!" replied Mr. Aubrey, eying him steadfastly. "I'm not aware that I ever had any reason for doing so."

Shortly afterwards he took his departure; and as he bent his steps slowly, and with thoughtful air, towards the Temple, he saw one or two things, on his own part, during his interview with Gammon, to regret--namely, his sternness and pride; but nothing on the part of Gammon, that had not been admirable. Could Mr. Aubrey, however, but have seen the satanic smile which settled upon Mr. Gammon's features, as soon as, after cordially shaking his hand, he calmly shut the door upon Mr.

Aubrey, it might have occasioned some few misgivings as to Mr. Gammon's sincerity. He resumed his seat, and meditated upon their recent interview. Almost the first glance which he had caught of Mr. Aubrey's countenance, and the very first tones of his voice which had fallen on Gammon's ear, had inspired him with a deadly animosity against poor Aubrey, whose pride Gammon resolved to trample upon and crush into the dust. He was acquainted with the state of Aubrey's little finances, almost to a pound; for Aubrey had, under the circ.u.mstances, felt it even a duty to be frank with him upon that subject. He turned over in his mind, with great anxiety, the matter of the two promissory notes for five thousand pounds each, which he held in his hands, and which would be the best mode of setting into motion, _but with_ _the hands of another_, those two dreadful instruments of torture and oppression--which, judiciously applied, might have the effect of humbling the pride and breaking the determination of Aubrey and of his sister. Long he considered the subject, in every point of view; and at length--"Ay, that will do!" said he to himself aloud; sighed, smiled, and gently tapped his fingers upon his ample forehead. Shortly afterwards, having ordered his laundress to take away the breakfast things, he took pen, ink, and paper, and sketched off the following draft of a letter, to be copied by Mr. Quirk, and signed in the name of the firm, and sent, Gammon finally determined, early in the ensuing week:--

_"Saffron Hill, 9th July 18--._

"DEAR SIR,--Owing to a most serious and unexpected pecuniary outlay which we are called upon to make, we feel ourselves compelled to avail ourselves of whatever resources lie within our reach. Having been disappointed in several quarters, we are obliged to remind you of the heavy balance we have against you of 1,446, 14s. 6d. You must be aware of the length of time during which it has been standing; and trust you will forgive us if we at length apprise you that it is absolutely impossible for us to allow of any more delay.

Unless, therefore, the whole of the above balance, or at least 1,000 of it, be paid within three days of the date hereof, we regret to inform you we have finally made up our minds to let the law take its usual course. We feel the less hesitation in saying thus much, because we are persuaded that, with a little exertion, you might long ago have liquidated this heavy balance, or the greater part thereof." (Mr. Gammon wrote as nearly in the peculiar style of Mr. Quirk as he could.)

"In writing thus, Messrs. Quirk and Snap feel it only due to their partner, Mr. Gammon, to add that he is no party to this application. Messrs. Q. and S. have felt, however, in making it, that the interests of the firm have already suffered long enough, through their deference to the personal wishes and feelings of _one_ of the members of the firm; and but for whom, their heavy balance would have been called for long ago, and, no doubt, in due course discharged.

"We regret being unable to vary or depart from the determination above expressed; and most sincerely hope your resources are of that nature that we shall be spared the unpleasantness of commencing legal proceedings.

"And we remain, dear sir, "Yours most respectfully, "QUIRK, GAMMON, & SNAP.

"CHARLES AUBREY, Esquire, "Vivian Street."

Exactly on the seventh day from that on which Mr. Gammon had made his ill-omened advances towards Miss Aubrey, did the above dreadful and heartless letter reach its destination--being delivered into Mr.

Aubrey's hands while he was intently perusing a very heavy set of papers, which, at his request, Mr. Weasel had allowed him to take home.

The painful scene which ensued I shall spare the reader--only mentioning that poor Miss Aubrey became almost frantic, treating herself as the sole occasion of this disaster. That very morning, at breakfast, had he been talking of selling out, of their precious remnant in the funds, the sum of 105, to enable him to become a pupil with Mr. Crystal, at the suggestion of the Attorney-General.

What was to be done in this fearful emergency none of them knew--except consenting to an immediate sale of all their plate, books, and furniture. Their affliction, indeed, knew no bounds. Even Mr. Aubrey, though for a long time he bore up heroically, was at length overcome by the agonies of the dear beings whose ruin was involved in his own.

Had not Gammon been prompt in his vengeance? So thought they all.

What _was_ to be done? A word will suffice to explain Mr. Aubrey's position fully. It will be recollected, that about a twelvemonth before, he had been left in possession of a balance of 1,063, after paying the sum of 4,000 to Messrs. Quirk, Gammon, and Snap, Messrs.

Runnington, and Mr. Parkinson, in the way which has been already mentioned. Since then, by his incessant exertions, he had realized the sum of 150 by his contributions to literary journals; and, by means of a severe and systematic economy, this sum, together with about 200 taken from his store of 1,063, had sufficed to cover their whole year's expenditure. 'Twas impossible to carry economy farther than they did, without, poor souls, positive injury to their health, and stinting the little children, as Mr. and Mrs. Aubrey often said to each other when alone, with tears and sighs of anguish.

Alas! misfortune followed him like a bloodhound, let him turn his steps whithersoever he might! Naturally anxious to make the most of his little store of 1,063, so long as any considerable portion of it could be spared from their immediate personal necessities, he looked about in all directions for some safe and profitable investment, which might produce him a little more income than could be derived from the funds. He cautiously avoided having the slightest, connection with any of the innumerable joint-stock speculations then afloat, and of which he saw distinctly the mischievous and ruinous tendency; and this, moreover, in spite of the artful occasional representations of Mr. Gammon. Having consulted his banker, and also a member of the House of Commons--one of the city members--a man of immense wealth, and great mercantile experience and sagacity, and with whom he had been intimate while in the House--confirmed by their approval, and also that of Mr. Weasel and Messrs. Runnington, all of whom poor Aubrey anxiously consulted concerning the disposal of this his little ALL; about six weeks after the period of his settlement with Messrs. Quirk, Gammon, and Snap, he invested five hundred pounds in the purchase of a particular foreign stock. Safe and promising as it appeared, however, at the very moment when it was in the highest repute, with capitalists of all descriptions both at home and abroad--from scarce any a.s.signable reason, but forming one of the many unaccountable instances of fluctuation to which property of that kind is proverbially liable--Aubrey had hardly held his scrip for a month, when--alas!--to his dismay, he found the stock falling--falling--falling; down, down, down, it went, till his scrip was so much waste paper! His loss was irretrievable. The wealthy member whom he had consulted, lost nearly one hundred and twenty thousand pounds, and was driven to the very verge of ruin. Mr. Weasel even--caution personified, in dealing with the little acc.u.mulation of his hard earnings--lost upwards of a thousand pounds; and Mr. Runnington, about double that sum. It required a great stretch of fort.i.tude on the part of Mr. Aubrey to sustain this severe and sudden blow with anything like equanimity.--You should have seen and heard Mrs. Aubrey and Miss Aubrey, on that occasion, in order fully to appreciate the rich and melting tenderness of woman's love, sympathy, and fort.i.tude.

This catastrophe--for surely such it was--had left him about 350 only in the funds, and in his banker's hands a little balance of some fifty or sixty pounds to meet his current expenses. The above amount, at the time when Messrs. Quirk, Gammon, and Snap's letter reached him, had been necessarily diminished to about 290; which was positively all the money he had in the world, to save himself, and those dependent on him, from absolute dest.i.tution. Yet he was now peremptorily called upon, within three days' time, to pay the sum of 1,446, 14s. 6d.

He hurried off, early the next morning, in consternation, to Messrs.

Runnington. Mr. Runnington, with a heavy heart and a gloomy countenance, set off instantly, alone, to the office of Messrs. Quirk, Gammon, and Snap. He saw Mr. Gammon, who told him, with a well-dissembled air of disgust, to go in to Mr. Quirk, or Mr. Snap. He did so, and found them inexorable. Mr. Quirk doggedly told Mr. Runnington that he had been out of pocket long enough, and would not be fooled by one of his own partners any longer. Mr. Runnington quitted them, fairly at his wits'

end; and, on his return, told Mr. Aubrey, whom he had left at his office, that he had done, and could do, "nothing with the vultures of Saffron Hill." Mr. Runnington felt that his unhappy client, Mr. Aubrey, was far too critically situated with respect to Messrs. Quirk, Gammon, and Snap, to admit of his threatening, on Mr. Aubrey's behalf, to refer their exorbitant and monstrous bill to taxation. He knew not, in fact, what suggestion to offer--what scheme to devise--to extricate Mr. Aubrey from his present dreadful dilemma. As for applying for pecuniary a.s.sistance from friends, Mr. Aubrey's soul revolted at the bare thought.

What--borrow! Overwhelmed as he already was, it would be indeed grossly unprincipled! Was not one alone of his generous friends at that moment under a liability on his behalf of more than ten thousand pounds! No; with gloomy composure he felt that, at last, _his hour was come_; that a prison wall must soon intervene between him--poor broken-hearted soul!--and the dear beloved beings from whom, as yet, he had never been once separated--no! not for one moment deprived of blessed intercourse and communion with them--his wife--Kate--his unconscious little children----

Kate, however, got desperate; and, unknown to her brother, though with the full privity of his weeping wife, wrote off a long--a heart-rending letter to good old Lady Stratton, whose G.o.d-daughter she was, telling her everything. Kate sat up half the night writing that letter, and it was blistered with her tears. She took it very early in the morning, herself, to the post-office, and she and Mrs. Aubrey awaited the issue with the most trembling and fearful solicitude.

I have hardly heart to recount the events which followed upon poor Kate's adventure; but they form a striking exemplification of the mysterious manner in which frequently Providence, for its own awful and wise purposes, sees fit to acc.u.mulate troubles and sorrows upon the virtuous.

Old Lady Stratton had been for some months in very feeble health, and the receipt of Kate's letter occasioned her infinite distress. It will be remembered that she had long before effected a policy of insurance upon her life for 15,000, always intending to bequeath it as a little portion to poor Kate. She had many months--in fact, nearly a year and a half before--given the necessary instructions to her solicitor, good Mr.

Parkinson of Grilston, for making her will, so as to carry into effect her kind intentions towards Kate; bequeathing also legacies of 500 a-piece to each of Mr. Aubrey's little children. How it came to pa.s.s, however, I scarcely know--except by referring it to that sad superst.i.tious weakness which makes people often procrastinate the execution of so all-important an instrument as a will; but at the time when Kate's letter arrived, that will had not been executed, but still lay at Mr. Parkinson's office. Feeling greatly indisposed, however, shortly after she had received Miss Aubrey's letter, she sent off an express for Mr. Parkinson to attend with her will; and a few minutes afterwards her attendants found it necessary to send off another express for her physician, Dr. G.o.ddart. Before drawing a check for the sum of 700, or 800, which she intended instantly to place at Mr. Aubrey's disposal, she awaited Mr. Parkinson's return, that he--who managed all her affairs--might inform her of the exact balance then at her banker's.

He was absent from Grilston when the express arrived; but he was followed, and about seven o'clock that evening entered Lady Stratton's residence, carrying with him her will, ready prepared for execution. His chief clerk also accompanied him, lest, by any possibility, a _witness_ should be wanting. The countenances of the domestics warned him that there was not one moment to be lost; and he hastened at once into Lady Stratton's bedchamber. There she lay, venerable old lady, propped up by pillows--her long white hair partially visible from under her cap. A hasty whisper from Dr. G.o.ddart apprised him of the very critical situation of Lady Stratton. Writing materials stood ready prepared in the room against Mr. Parkinson's arrival. She recognized him on his pa.s.sing the foot of the bed, and in a feeble voice whispered--_"My will!--my will!"_

[Oh, hasten! delay not an instant, Mr. Parkinson! If you did but know what depends on your movements--could you but at this moment--oh me!--could you but catch a glimpse of the scene pa.s.sing in Vivian Street!--Give her the pen, Mr. Parkinson--guide her hand--place it upon the paper.]

_But it was too late._ Before the pen could be placed within her fingers, those fingers had become incapable of holding it--for Lady Stratton at that moment experienced the paralytic seizure which Dr.

G.o.ddart had been dreading for three or four hours before. Alas, alas! 't was all useless: pen, ink, and paper were removed. She lingered till about nine o'clock the next morning, when, in the presence of Mr.

Parkinson, who had not quitted the room for one instant, death released the venerable sufferer. She had thus died _intestate_; and her next of kin became ent.i.tled to her property--which consisted of personalty only.

Had this event happened but two years before, Mr. Aubrey and Kate would have been Lady Stratton's only next of kin: but now--alas!--Mr. t.i.tmouse was also one of her next of kin, and ent.i.tled, as such, to a THIRD of all that which had been destined to the Aubreys alone!--In what a position were the Aubreys now placed? t.i.tmouse would directly insist on his right to administer, in preference to Aubrey--and would succeed in establishing his right; for was he not equally near of kin, and moreover the creditor, to a very large extent, of Mr. Aubrey--who was, besides, utterly insolvent? What, then, would be the consequences of this move on the part of t.i.tmouse? He would get into his possession all the property of Lady Stratton--and though not ent.i.tled to withhold payment to Mr.

Aubrey and his sister of the shares due to them, he might interpose many obstacles in the way of their recovering, and avail himself of their insisting upon _their_ rights, as a pretext for his insisting on _his_ rights against Mr. Aubrey, even to the uttermost extremity!--All these, and many other similar considerations, pa.s.sed quickly in review before the troubled mind of Mr. Parkinson. His fears were soon realized by events. Before the venerable deceased had been laid in Yatton churchyard, not far from her, beloved friend, Mrs. Aubrey, who had preceded her by a few months only, Mr. Parkinson received a letter from Messrs. Quirk, Gammon, and Snap, as the solicitors of Mr. t.i.tmouse, giving him formal notice of the t.i.tle of their client, and requesting Mr. Parkinson to lose no time in making an inventory of the effects of her Ladyship, to whom Mr. t.i.tmouse intended to administer immediately.

Mr. Gammon himself went down, and arrived the day after the funeral.

Guess his delighted astonishment on discovering the windfall which had come to his client, Mr. t.i.tmouse, in the policy of 15,000, the existence of which they had, of course, never dreamed of!

But there was another discovery, which occasioned him not a little excitement, as his flushed cheek and suspended breath testified--alas!

poor Aubrey's BOND for 2,000, _with interest at five per cent_!--an instrument which poor Lady Stratton, having always intended to destroy, latterly imagined that she had actually done so. It had, however, got accidentally mingled with other papers, which had found their way, in the ordinary course, to Mr. Parkinson, and who was himself ignorant of its existence, since it lay folded in a letter addressed to Lady Stratton, till it turned up while he was sorting the papers, in obedience to the request of Messrs. Quirk, Gammon, and Snap. He turned pale and red by turns as he held the accursed doc.u.ment in his fingers; probably, thought he, no one on earth but himself knew of its existence; _and_--_and_--he knew what the _deceased_ would have done--but his sense of duty prevailed! Of course the party ent.i.tled to sue for the princ.i.p.al money secured by it, together with all arrears of interest which might be due upon it, was now Mr. t.i.tTLEBAT t.i.tMOUSE!

--Surely it is hard to imagine a more dismal and wanton freak of fortune than this--as far, at least, as concerned poor Kate Aubrey.

CHAPTER V.

"Fly! Fly!--For G.o.d's sake fly! Lose not one moment of the precious respite which, by incredible efforts, I have contrived to secure you--a respite of but a few hours--and wrung from heartlessness and rapacity. In justice, much injured man! to yourself--to all you hold dear upon earth--to the precious interests intrusted to your keeping, and involved in your destruction--again I say _Fly_! Quit the country, if it be but for never so short a time, till you or your friends shall have succeeded in arranging your disordered affairs. Regard this hasty and perhaps incoherent note, in what light you please--but I tell you it comes, _in sacred confidence_, from a firm and inalienable friend, whose present desperate exertions in your behalf you will one day perhaps be able to appreciate. Once more I conjure you to fly!--From other and greater dangers than you at present apprehend. _I see the rack preparing for you!_--Will you stay to be tortured?--and in the presence of the incomparable beings who--but my feelings overpower me! Indeed, Mr. Aubrey, if you disregard this intimation through weak fears as to its writer's sincerity, or a far weaker, and a wild, notion of Quixotic honor and heroism--remember, in the moment of being overwhelmed, _this note_--and then do justice to its writer.--Your faithful, unhappy, _distrusted_ friend,

"O. G.

"P.S.--For G.o.d's sake burn, or otherwise destroy, this letter, as soon as you shall have read it."

Such was the letter which got into Mr. Aubrey's hands just as the time which had been fixed by Messrs. Quirk, Gammon, and Snap, for payment of their bill, was expiring, and which occasioned him, as may be easily imagined, dreadful disquietude. It had found him in a state of the deepest depression--but yet vigorously striving to preserve, in the presence of his wife and sister, a semblance of composure and cheerfulness. More to pacify them than to satisfy himself, he had walked about town during the two preceding days till nearly dropping with exhaustion, in fruitless quest of those who might be disposed to advance him a thousand pounds on his own personal security, and on terms he scarce cared how exorbitant, to free him, at all events for a while, from his present exigency. All had been, however, in vain--indeed he had had no hopes from the first. And what was then to be done? His soul seemed dying away within him. At times he almost lost all consciousness of his situation, and of what was pa.s.sing around him. It appeared to be the will of Heaven that his misfortunes should press him down, as it were, by inches into the dust, and crush him. Those there were, he well knew, who needed but to be apprised of his circ.u.mstances, to step forward and generously relieve him from his difficulties. But where was all that to end? What real good could it serve? Awfully involved as he was already--one, alone, of his friends being at that moment under a liability which must be discharged within a few months, of nearly _eleven thousand pounds_--was he to place others in a similar situation?

What earthly prospect had he of ever repaying them? Lamentable as was his position, his soul recoiled from the bare thought. But then came before his anguished eye, his wife--his sister--his children; and he flung himself, in an ecstasy, on his knees, remaining long prostrate--and, for a while, _the heaven that was over his head seemed to be bra.s.s, and the earth that was under him, iron_. His heart might be wrung, however, and his spirit heavy and darkened; but no extent or depth of misery could cause him to forget those principles of honor and integrity by which all his life had been regulated. He resolved, therefore, to submit to the stroke apparently impending over him, with calmness, as to inevitable ruin; nor would he hear of any further applications to his friends, which, indeed, he felt would be only encouragement to those who held him in thraldom, to renew their exactions, when they found each succeeding pressure successful. Poor Kate had told him, as soon as her letter had been put into the post, with trembling apprehension as to the consequences, of her application to Lady Stratton; but did she think her fond broken-hearted brother could chide her? He looked at her for a moment, with quivering lip and eyes blinded with tears--and then wrung her hand, simply expressing a hope, that, since the step _had_ been taken, it might be, in some measure at least, successful.

Mr. Gammon's letter, as I have already intimated, filled Mr. Aubrey with inexpressible alarm. Again and again he read it over with increasing agitation, and at the same time uncertain as to its true character and import--as to the real motive and object of its writer. Was he guilty of the duplicity which Mrs. Aubrey and Kate so vehemently imputed to him?

Was he actuated by revenge? Or was he, as represented by Mr. Quirk's letter, overpowered by his partners, and still sincere in his wishes to shield Mr. Aubrey from their rapacity? Or was Mr. Gammon suggesting _flight_ only as a snare? Was Mr. Aubrey to be seduced into an act warranting them in proceeding to instant extremities against him? What could be the other matters so darkly alluded to in the letter? Were they the two promissory notes of five thousand pounds each, which he had deposited with Mr. Gammon, who at length was peremptorily required by Mr. t.i.tmouse to surrender them up, and permit them to be put in suit?

They were payable _on demand_--he shuddered! Might it be, that t.i.tmouse was desperately in want of money, and had therefore overpowered the scruples of Gammon, and disregarded the sacred pledge under which he a.s.sured t.i.tmouse the notes had been given? Mr. Aubrey rejoiced that Mr.

Gammon's letter had been placed in his hands by the servant when alone in his study, whither he had gone to write a note to Mr. Runnington; and resolved not to apprise Mrs. Aubrey and Kate of its arrival. The _fourth_ day after the receipt of Messrs. Quirk and Snap's letter had now elapsed. Mr. Aubrey did not venture to quit the house. All of them were, as may well be imagined, in a state of pitiable distress, and agitation, and suspense. Thus also pa.s.sed the _fifth_ day--still the blow descended not. Was the arm extended to inflict it, held back, still, by Mr. Gammon continuing thus the "_incredible efforts_" spoken of in his note?

The _sixth_ morning dawned on the wretched family. They all rose at a somewhat earlier hour than usual. They could scarce touch the spare and simple breakfast spread before them, nor enjoy--nay, they could hardly bear--the prattle and gambols of the lively little ones, Charles and Agnes, whom at length they despatched back again to the nursery; for they were, in the highest possible state of excitement and anxiety, awaiting the arrival of the postman--this being the first morning on which they could, in the ordinary course, receive a letter from Lady Stratton in answer to that of Kate. 'T was now a little past ten. The breakfast things had been removed; and on hearing the agitating though long-expected _rat-tat_ of the postman a few doors down the street, Mrs.

Aubrey and Kate started to the window. Their hearts beat violently when their eye at length caught sight of him, with his arm full of letters, knocking at the door opposite. Oh, had he a letter for _them_? How long were their opposite neighbors in answering his summons, and in paying the postage! Then he stood for nearly a minute laughing with a servant in the adjoining area--intolerable indeed was all this, to the agitated beings who were thus panting for his arrival! Presently he glanced at the packet in his hand, and taking one of the letters from it, crossed the street, making for their door.

"Heavens! He _has_ a letter!" cried Miss Aubrey, excitedly--"I sha'n't wait for f.a.n.n.y!" and, flying to the front door, plucked it open the instant after the postman had knocked. He touched his hat on seeing, instead of a servant, the beautiful but agitated lady, who stretched forth her hand and took the letter, exclaiming, "f.a.n.n.y will pay you"--but in an instant her cheek was blanched, and she nearly fell to the floor, at sight of the black border, the black seal, and the handwriting, which she did not at the instant recognize. For a moment or two she seemed to have lost the power of speech or motion; but presently her trembling limbs bore her into the parlor. "Oh! Charles--Agnes--I feel as if I were going to _die_--look"--she faltered, sinking into the nearest chair, while Mr. Aubrey, with much agitation, took the ominous-looking letter which she extended towards him. 'T was from Mr.

Parkinson; and told the news of Lady Stratton's death, and the lamentable circ.u.mstances attending it; that--as the reader has heard--she had died intestate--and that Mr. t.i.tmouse had, as next of kin, become ent.i.tled to administration to her effects. All this disastrous intelligence was conveyed in a very few hurried lines. "Oh, my G.o.d!" exclaimed Mr. Aubrey, on having glanced over them. His color fled, and he pressed his hand against his forehead. "She is dead!" said he, in a low tone, at the same time giving Kate the letter, and hastening to Mrs. Aubrey, who seemed nearly fainting. Each had uttered a faint scream on hearing his words. Mrs. Aubrey swooned in his arms --and Kate sat like a statue, without even glancing at the fatal letter which she held in her hand, but gazing in a sort of stupor at her brother. She was unable to rise to Mrs. Aubrey's a.s.sistance--of whose state, indeed, she appeared, from her vacant eye, to be hardly aware. At length a slight sigh announced the returning consciousness of Mrs.

Aubrey; and at the same time Miss Aubrey, with a manifestly desperate effort, regained her consciousness, and with a cheek white as the paper at which she was looking, read it over.

"This is very--very--dreadful--Heaven is forsaking us!" at length she murmured, gazing wofully at her brother and sister.

"Say not so--but rather G.o.d's will be done," faltered Mr. Aubrey, his voice and his countenance evincing the depth of his affliction. "G.o.d help us!" he added in a tone which at length, thrilling through the overcharged heart of his sister, caused her to weep bitterly; and if ever there was a mournful scene, it was that which ensued, ere this doomed family, slowly recovering from the first stunning effects of the shock which they had just received, had become aware of the full extent of their misery. They had ever felt towards Lady Stratton--who, as has been already said, had been poor Kate's G.o.dmother--as towards a parent; and their affection had been doubled after the death of Mrs. Aubrey. Now she was _gone_; she who would have stood for a little while at least between them and ruin, was gone! And by an inscrutable and awful Providence, that which she had sacredly destined to them, and made great sacrifices to secure to them--and which would have effectually shielded them from the cruelty and rapacity of their enemies--had been diverted from them, into the coffers of the most selfish and worthless of mankind--who seemed, indeed, as if he had been called into existence only to effect their ruin; even, as it were, _the messenger of Satan to buffet them_! At length, however, the first natural transports of their grief having subsided, their stricken hearts returned to their allegiance towards Heaven; and Mr. Aubrey, whose constancy at once strengthened and encouraged his partners in affliction, with many expressions of sincere and confident piety and resignation reminded them that they were in the hands of G.o.d, who intended all earthly suffering--however unaccountable--however harsh and apparently undeserved its infliction--to contribute infallibly to the ultimate benefit of His children. And he reminded them, on that melancholy occasion, of the example afforded by one whose griefs had far transcended theirs--the patriarch Job; on whom were suddenly--and to him apparently without any reason or motive, except the infliction of evil--acc.u.mulated almost every species of misfortune which could befall humanity. The sudden and total loss of his substance, and of all his servants, he appears to have borne with fort.i.tude. At length, however, was announced to him the loss of all his sons and daughters----

_"Then Job arose and rent his mantle, and shaved his head, and fell down upon the ground and worshipped,

"And said, Naked came I out of my mother's womb, and naked shall I return thither: the Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away: blessed be the name of the Lord.

"In all this Job sinned not, nor charged G.o.d foolishly."_

Out of respect to the memory of their dear, venerable, departed friend, they drew down all the blinds of their little house, thereby spreading around them a gloom similar to that within. A sad, a mournful little group they looked! This last sorrow seemed for a while to divert their thoughts from the peril which momentarily menaced them. They talked with frequent emotion, and with many tears, of their late friend--recalling, fondly, innumerable little traits of her gentle and benignant character.