With trembling voice the dear brother was making the aged Father understand; Meta threw herself sobbing with delight into the arms of the long-mourning Mother, trying to tell her of the joy that yet remained to be told; Florence, with sweet touching voice, was preparing the dear enthusiastic aunt. Everybody was beginning to feel and know that there was something still to tell, some event yet to occur, something much beyond what they had yet felt or experienced. But who could look in the agitated faces of the travellers and not see that it was joy which so overcame them? Who could see the radiant smiles shining through the irrepressible tears and not feel a thrill of happiness shoot through them?
And the poor beggars at the great gate, why were they in tears? why so agitated? Oh, make haste, they cannot wait much longer, their impatience is boundless. Think how many years they have been deprived of the sight of those sweet faces, the hearing those dear voices, the feeling those soft kisses. Gatty, Gatty, startle not your Father so, restrain your impatience; he wonders now. Who calls, that wild and passionate "Papa, Papa." Just a few short moments to wait. See, see, my Mother's eyes; she must know now, she is prepared. Almost before the signal is given, before the arms are open, Zoë rushes to her Mother. Winny, Schillie, Gatty (the first of all, with a bound like an antelope) all fly to their own people, and we three, Sybil, Serena, and I, into whose arms we fell I know not; I remember nothing, I can tell nothing but that I heard my grey-headed Father, in a low, distinct, and solemn manner, say—
"Now, Lord, lettest Thou Thy servant depart this life in peace."
FINIS.
Transcriber's Endnotes
The original publication contained many typographical errors. Minor misprints have been corrected without note, however the following amendments deserve further note:
Chapter Titles
The original sequence skipped the numbers 10, 26, 31, 37, 38 whilst using 39 twice. With no discrepancy in the page numbers, the chapters have been renumbered to avoid confusion.
Hargrave/Havord
The character initially introduced as Hargrave is referred to as Havord from Chapter XXIX to part-way through Chapter XXXVI. In light of the poor typography throughout the book, all instances of Havord have been changed to Hargrave.