“Squire Darlington stroked down the hair again, and looked in the bright eyes, but with something of wistfulness now; and without stirring his hand from the boy’s head, his look went towards the fire.
“The Yule Clog was blazing there steadily, although it now shewed a great front of glowing coals that yet had not fallen from their place. A clear red heat was all that part of the log, and hardly to be distinguished from the bed of coals below; while bright points of flame curled and danced and ran scampering up the chimney, as if they were playing Christmas games. But each end of the log yet held out against the fire, and had not even lost its native brown.
“The Squire looked there with an earnest gaze that was not daunted by the glowing light; but his brows were slightly raised, and though the caressing movement of his hand was repeated, it seemed now to keep time to sorrowful music; and his lips had met on that boundary line between smiles and tears. Presently a little hand was laid against his cheek, and a little lace ruffle brushed lightly over its furrows.
“‘Grandfather, what’s the matter? What makes you look grave?’
“The Squire looked at him, and taking the hand in his own patted it softly against his face.
“‘The matter? my dear,’ he said. ‘Why the matter is that Christmas has come and gone a great many times.’
“‘But that’s good, grandfather,’ said Edric, clapping his hands together. ‘Just think! there’ll be another Christmas in a year, only a year, and we had one only a year ago—and such a nice time!’
“‘Only a year’—repeated the old man slowly. ‘No Edric, it is only sixty years.’
“‘What do you mean, grandfather?’ said the boy softly.
“‘Sixty years ago, my dear,’ said Squire Darlington, ‘there was just such a Yule Clog as that burning in this very fire-place. And the windows, and picture frames—there were not quite so many then—were trimmed with holly berries and yew from the same trees from which these wreaths have come to-day. And this old chair stood here, and everything in this old hall looked just as it does now.’