"Why do you weep, dear madam!" said she, with the most affectionate attention.
"Sit down, dear Bella, and I will tell you," said Mrs. Meridith, wiping her eyes: "you have witnessed all my sorrows, and much of repining under them; but I weep now from a sense of the blessings I have still left me, and with shame for my former ingratitude."
"Oh, dear lady," said Bella, her eyes overflowing, "and what have I been delivered from? and what dreadful things did I know before I came to you? and yet my heart sometimes complains, because people do call me black woman; but you love me for all that, and I do wish to be more thankful and more useful to you, my dear mistress, I am not too old yet."
"And when you are, my dear Bella, that will not alter my affection for you; have I not received your former services? and I can never forget your faithful attachment to me."
"I have seen so much of your goodness, madam," said Bella, "that I do not doubt it, and so has Syphax; we never grieve to know what will become of us in old age, but lest we should forget what you have been to us."
Syphax now brought his mistress the first opening violet, which he had been carefully looking for among the shrubs which sheltered them, and Mrs. Meridith received it with her accustomed kindness; and shaking both her faithful attendants by the hand, she told them she once more welcomed them to Rosewood, with the sincerest pleasure.
"And I am sure I am glad enough we are got back again," said Syphax, "for I do not like the town at all; the boys did all run about me, and whisper black man, black man, to each other; not that I did mind that, but so much company, and saucy footmen, and chairmen, that I thought to myself, my good lady will be soon tired of this; and I am glad I was not mistaken."
"But my mistress knew nothing of the footmen and chairmen," returned Bella, observing a smile upon her features.