Fabiola : or, The church of the catacombs - Digital Repository Services

4 TRUE TO 77.
As Lady Adelina entered the house a letter was placed in
lier hands.
' Who brought iiv' slit; inquired eagerly.
'The servant of Mr Elvertou,' was tlie reply.
'That is good,' said the lady as she hurried upstairs.
Xo sooner was she alone in her chamber than she hastened to
open the letter as she read the paper dropped from her hand,
while a look of deep sorrow pased over her face. With a sigh
he seated herself in the deep embrasure of the window.
The note which had so excited her feelings and produced this
despair came from the friend of Sir Cuthbert to whom she had
written on the previous evening his words, more polite perhaps
than those of Lady Somers, were no less destructive of hope, and
gave no promise at ail of help He declared that it would be
dangerous for him even to express sympathy tor any or those
concerned in the late conspiracy. The Queen and her Ministers
were alarmed, he said, and at such a moment they would not
hesitate to arrest any person suspected of belonging to the party
of Lord Essex- and consequently he felt himself obliged, though
with deep regret, to beg Lady Adelina not to address herself any
more to him- adding that he would notwithstanding continue to
watch with interest the course of events in which the dictates of
prudence forbade him to interfere.
No help from that side either!' Such was the sad exclama-
tion in which Lady Adelina added her testimony to that of so
many afilieted, and declared with them that human friendships
are vain in the hour of need. She had sought comfort from one
united to her by the tics of kindred; in her she had found a cold
indifference and a bitter irony. She had next applied to an. in-
timate friend of him in whose favor she pleaded; but Jte feared
fbrhis own safety, and felt no inclination to risk it in behalf of
his former companion. Yet Adelina well remembered hearing
him since the commencement of the conspiracy, frequently as-
sure Sir Cuthbert that he would always stand by him, happen
what might.
The sun had set, but Adclina still remained at the open window.
Her eye wandered over the garden, now in its full summer
beauty and rested on the river, where many a gaily-painted
. barge glided along but
the cheerful voices and merry laughter
which proceeded from the parties who were thus enjoying the
cool evening air seemed only sad music to the poor lady. For
the soul invests with its own sentiments the sounds and objects
which impress it; and so what to one speaks of joy, to another
will frequently bring sorrow.
One face constantly appeared before Adelina's troubled vision,
and its recollection seemed to soothe her; one voice sounded in
her ear, and its tones were soft and sweet as those which fancy
loves to impart to heavenly spirits. The words it repeated were
'
'
grave yet consoling. We have a Heavenly Father,' it said, to
whom we can always have recourse, and the thought that it is
Ulx will that we should suffer brings consolation."
Yes, the calm happy look, the simple words, of Catherine
brought more comfort to Lady Adelina than all the gay and
powerful friends who, a few weeks ago pressed round her, but
now prudently held aloof.
To seek consolation in God was an idea quite new to that poor
"afflicted soul In days of prosperity she had seldom thought of
Him; never as of a Father full of compassion for His en-ing children.
The dislanee between the Almighty Creator of the
universe and a weak creature seemed to her so great that she
dared not implore His assistance. Could her sorrow touch His
heart? Would He deign to listen to her prayers? She doubted
it; but still the words of Catherine returned again and again to
her mind. 'Surely,' thought she, 'that Heavenly Father of
whom the young girl spoke with such confidence will not be
deaf to my cries.'
In a moment of filial love inspired by Catherine's words, and
In r own ni-L'i ni in i il of consolation and help, Adelina threw
herself on her kneos, and she prayed. What words she uttered
.she scarcely knew, but that they were heartfelt is certain. The
gloom was fas' ; the voices from the river had ceased;
all was husliod jn silence; but still she knelt motionless by the
open casement, (he fresh night brec/.e pl:> My with her
golden hair, on which that day less time and art had been
bestowed
Yes. sulTering is a wonderful purifier of the human heart, and
often possesses greater power to detach it from earthly
than the most eloquent sermons The gay and thoughtless
Adelina now experienced its influence.
CHAPTER XXI.
SHORTLY after the unsuccessful attempt of Lord Essex, and
while the trial of that unfortunate nobleman and his acconiphees
almost exclusively occupied the public attention, Master Alwin
received secret information that Father Ralph would say Mass at
his house on the following Sunday.
It was then the middle of the week; the intervening days were
to Catherine and Barbara days of solemn and anxious interest,
for they dreaded that those hours were to be the last they were %
ever to spend together. But steady to her purpose, the young
girl frequently reminded her little pupil of the good instructions
she hnd received, and earnestly conjured her never to neglect
them.
'
Thy position will change, my little Barbara,' she said, 'but
God's law does not change, and thou wilt find in thy new station
duties to perform just as much as thou dost here."
Saturday evening came, but no priest appeared.
' He
will be
here to-morrow,' said Master Alwin as he retired to bed ; after
waiting up an hour later than usual to receive his expected
guest.
Sunday morning passed, as had the previous evening, without
bringing any intelligence of Father Ralph. The merchant and
his household concluded that some urgent need had called
him elsewhere, or that he had not deemed it safe to come; but
when a whole week had clasped without their gaining any knowl-
to fear that he had been
edge concerning him, they began
apprehended.
During this time Lady Adelina was plunged in a like painful
uncertainty as to what would be the fate of her husband; access
to him had been refused her.
She was one day musing on the events which then occupied
most people's attention, and which had, for her in particular, so
keen an interest, when her favorite waiting-woman entered the
room
'
Bring your work here, Jane,' said Adelina, 'and sit with me,
for truly I feel most sad and lonely when by myself. Hand me
that embroidery; it might perchance divert my (noughts, if only
I can fix them on it. But what is that piece of paper you hold
in your hand?'
'
It was about that I came, my lady. A man brought it here
saying it was from Sir Cuthbert, and '
'Give it '.o me!' exclaimed the poor lady, interrupting the
speaker; and with trembling hands she hastened to unfold the
paper, inside which was another piece, tout nothing appeared to
be written on either.
'What can this mean?' she said, appealing
to her maid.
'Who brought it, say you? '
'A strange man, Thomas told me, who went off in a great
hurry."
Adelina remained silent, turning the paper round in her hand.
Fortunately for her the waiting-woman had more quicki:
than her mistress, and suggested that the mysterious note might
be secret writing. 'If you will it, my lady, I shall put it in
water or hold it by the fire, and perchance something may ap-
pear thereon.'
It being summer there was no fire at hand, so the lady pronounced
in favor of the trial by water. How anxiously she
watched that scrap of paper as.it floated in the bowl!
'There, I see something!' she exclaimed, as a few faint char-
acters became visible on one of the papers. They were written