"But what does he mean?" said Ellen, uneasily; "I don't see what he means; he doesn't say she is worse, and he doesn't say she is better; what does he say?"
"He don't say much about anything."
"Does he say when they are coming home?"
Miss Fortune mumbled something about "spring," and whisked off to the buttery; Ellen thought no more was to be got out of her. She felt miserable. Her father and her aunt both seemed to act strangely; and where to find comfort she scarcely knew. She had one day been telling her doubts and sorrows to John. He did not try to raise her hopes, but said
"Troubles will come in this world, Ellie; the best is to trust them and ourselves to our dear Saviour, and let trials drive us to him. Seek to love him more, and to be patient under his will; the good Shepherd means nothing but kindness to any lamb in his flock you may be sure of that, Ellie."
Ellen remembered his words, and tried to follow them now, but she could not be "patient under his will" yet not quite. It was very hard to be patient in such uncertainty. With swimming eyes she turned over her Bible in search of comfort, and found it. Her eye lit upon words she knew very well, but that were like the fresh sight of a friend's face for all that, "Let not your heart be troubled; ye believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father's house are many mansions." There is no parting there, thought little Ellen. She cried a long time, but she was comforted, nevertheless. The heart that rests on the blessed One who said those words can never be quite desolate.
For several days things went on in the old train, only her aunt, she thought, was sometimes rather queer not quite as usual in her manner towards her. Mr. Van Brunt was not rather, but very queer; he scarce spoke or looked at Ellen; bolted down his food, and was off without a word; and even stayed away entirely from two or three meals. She saw nobody else. Weather and other circumstances prevented her going to the mountain.
One afternoon, she was giving her best attention to a French lesson, when she heard herself called. Miss Fortune was in the lower kitchen, dipping candles. Ellen ran down.
"I don't know what's got into these candles," said Miss Fortune. "I can't make 'em hang together; the tallow ain't good, I guess. Where's the nearest place they keep bees?"
"They have got bees at Mrs. Hitchcock's," said Ellen.