But instead of obeying, she stood like a statue before him.
Then he took her hand and led her through the door, and closed it behind her.
Catherine stood there where he had placed her, amazed, confounded, unable to move a step forward, until the thought of practical duties, now pressing upon her, gave her strength, and she passed on to summon those whose office it was to prepare the dead for burial. But amid all the multifarious tasks that devolved upon her at that trying time, as newly installed and unassisted mistress of the house, she could not for an instant forget her awful bereavement, or the dreadful anger of her husband.
He came out of the room of death at last, and passed Catherine on the stairs, and his stern, averted countenance at that moment almost broke her heart. But she went on enduringly with her tasks. Often she raised her soul in prayer to God for help. Once, during that desolate night, she found time to open her Bible, and her eyes fell upon this text: Romans, 8, 28. “And we know that all things work together for good, to them that love God”—she paused upon the text, repeating, “‘all things,’ all things, even this! I will believe it!” And her face grew beautiful with divine faith, and she reverently closed the book, and went on her way comforted. She had need of fresh strength and comfort, indeed, to meet a fresh trial. On coming down stairs she met Henny, who seemed to be on the look out for her. and who placed a note in her hand. It was from Major Clifton, and read as follows—
“I desire that you keep your chamber to-morrow, or, at least, refrain from insulting the memory of the dead, by appearing at the funeral.
ARCHER CLIFTON.”
She nodded her head slowly, meditatively, with a look of sweetest resignation; then beckoned Henny to follow her, and returned to her chamber. There she sat down and wrote the following note—
“I will absent myself from the funeral, since you wish me to do so; I will also keep my room, if you desire it, when I remind you that there is no one to supply my place in the household arrangements for the solemnities of the day.
“CATHERINE.”
She sent this by Henny, but received no reply to it. Construing silence into consent, she went about the house as usual attending to her duties.