And, the Moment I heard his pleasant Voice, I was quite comfortable again, and felt myself at Home for the first Time.
“Quite, thank you, Sir,” said I, “and I hope you are better than you were.”
“Well, now that civil Things have passed on both Sides,” said the Squire, who had already seated himself, “come and say Grace, Nat, for here’s a Couple of beautiful Fowls getting cold.”
—Well, the Supper was as pleasant as could be, and it was growing quite dusk before the Table was cleared, yet the Squire would not hear of having Candles; so then his Lady desired Gatty to carry Lights into the green Parlour, “Where,” says she, “I and this young Person will retire, and be good enough Company for each other, I dare say.”
Oh, I’m a young Person, am I? thought I. So I followed her into the green Parlour, where she settled herself in an easy Chair, with her Feet on a Footstool, and made me sit facing her. “Now,” says she, “the Men can prose by themselves, and we’ll have a Coze by ourselves. Pray, Child, how was it you came to think of nursing my Brother?”
So I began to tell her how I went to him in Hope of his telling me how to find my Father; but then, she wanted to know how my Father came to be missing, so I had to go further back. And then I could not help putting in by the Way how good and excellent a Man he was, how tender a Father, how loving a Husband, which brought in my Mother. But I checked myself, and begged the Lady’s Pardon for entering on that, which I knew could no Ways interest her.—“Nay, let me hear it all,” says she, “I shall like to hear Something about your Mother.” So then I told her of her holy Life, and saintlike End; and of Master Blower’s invaluable Ministrations, which of course interested her a good deal; and indeed I saw a Tear steal down her Cheek, while I kept mine down as well as I could. Then I went on to the Plague, and my Father’s Heaviness of Spirits; and his going forth and never coming back, and my going in quest of him, and all the Events of that terrible Day, which I could not go over without crying very heartily. She wept too; yet cried, “Go on, go on!” So then I got to Master Blower, and the sleeping Watchman, and my getting into the House, and going from Room to Room, and hearing him yawn,—which made her laugh; though she cried again when she heard of his praying, and of his Sufferings that fearful Night and many Days after. At the End of all, she got up, put her Arms about my Neck, and kissed me. “Cherry,” says she, “you’re an excellent Creature!”—Just then, a great Bell began to ring,—“That’s the Prayer-bell!” says she. “We will return to the Hall, my Dear.”
So we returned to the Hall, much more at our Ease together than when we left it. And there, standing in a Row, were half a Dozen Men and Women Servants, and the Table had Candles and a large Bible on it. Master Blower read, and then prayed: had I not been so tired, I could have wished him to go on all Night! Then we dispersed to our several Chambers; and I had so much to think about that it seemed as though I should never get to sleep: however, I did at last.
