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diff --git a/.gitattributes b/.gitattributes new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6833f05 --- /dev/null +++ b/.gitattributes @@ -0,0 +1,3 @@ +* text=auto +*.txt text +*.md text diff --git a/24160-h.zip b/24160-h.zip Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..aff29ac --- /dev/null +++ b/24160-h.zip diff --git a/24160-h/24160-h.htm b/24160-h/24160-h.htm new file mode 100644 index 0000000..099c2cd --- /dev/null +++ b/24160-h/24160-h.htm @@ -0,0 +1,4383 @@ +<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.01 Transitional//EN" + "http://www.w3.org/TR/html4/loose.dtd"> +<html lang="en"> +<head> +<meta http-equiv="content-type" content="text/html; charset=iso-8859-1"> +<title> +The Project Gutenberg eBook of The Basket of Flowers, by Christoph Von Schmid +</title> +<style type="text/css"> + + <!-- + body {margin-left: 12%; + margin-right: 12%;} + + p {text-indent: 0em; + text-align: justify; + margin-top: 1em; + margin-bottom: 0em; + line-height: 1.3em;} + + .ctr {text-align: center;} + + .sc {font-variant: small-caps;} + + .chapter {text-indent: 0em; + margin-top: 5em; + margin-bottom: 1.5em; + text-align: center; + font-size: 110%; + font-weight: bold;} + + .head {text-indent: 0em; + margin-top: 1em; + margin-bottom: 2em; + text-align: center; + font-size: 105%; + font-weight: bold;} + + .blockquote {text-align: justify; + text-indent: 0%; + margin-left: 7%; + margin-right: 7%; + font-size: 98%; + margin-top: 1.5em; + margin-bottom: 1.5em;} + + h1, h2, h3, h4, h5, h6 {text-align: center; + margin-top: 1em; + margin-bottom: 1em; + line-height: 1.5em;} + + hr.long {width: 100%; + margin-top: 2.5em; + margin-bottom: 2.5em;} + + hr.med {width: 65%; + margin-top: 2.5em; + margin-bottom: 2.5em;} + + hr.short {width: 45%; + margin-top: 2.5em; + margin-bottom: 2.5em;} + + table {margin-left: auto; + margin-right: auto;} + + td.chpt{vertical-align: top; + text-align: right; + font-size: 98%;} + + td.txt {vertical-align: top; + text-align: justify; + font-size: 98%;} + + td.pg {vertical-align: bottom; + width: 15%; + text-align: right; + font-size: 98%;} + + .poem {margin-left:10%; margin-right:10%; + margin-bottom: 1em; text-align: left;} + .poem .stanza {margin: 1em 0em 1em 0em;} + .poem p {margin: 0; padding-left: 3em; text-indent: -3em;} + .poem p.i2 {margin-left: 1em;} + .poem p.i4 {margin-left: 2em;} + + .figcenter {text-align: center; + margin-top: 2.5em; + margin-bottom: .2em;} + + .caption {font-weight: bold; + font-size: 94%; + text-align: center; + margin-top: 0em; + margin-bottom: 2.5em;} + + a:link {color: #33C; + background-color: inherit; + text-decoration: underline;} + link {color: #33C; + background-color: inherit; + text-decoration: none} + a:visited {color:#33C; + background-color: inherit; + text-decoration: none;} + a:hover {color:#F00; + background-color: inherit;} + + .tn {margin-left: 10%; + margin-right: 10%; + margin-top: 5%; + margin-bottom: 5%; + padding: .25em 1em; + background-color: #EEE; + color: black; + border: solid black 1px; + line-height: 1.2em;} + +</style> +</head> +<body> + + +<pre> + +The Project Gutenberg EBook of The Basket of Flowers, by Christoph von Schmid + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: The Basket of Flowers + +Author: Christoph von Schmid + +Illustrator: Watson Charlton + W. E. Evans + +Release Date: January 4, 2008 [EBook #24160] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE BASKET OF FLOWERS *** + + + + +Produced by David Clarke and the Online Distributed +Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net + + + + + + +</pre> + + +<div class="tn"><p><strong>Transcriber's Note:</strong> The +Frontispiece illustration is not available.</p></div> + +<p class="figcenter"><img src="images/cover.jpg" alt="Front cover" width="489" height="550"></p> + + + +<h1> +THE BASKET OF FLOWERS +</h1> + +<br> +<h3> +By +</h3> + +<h2> +CHRISTOPH VON SCHMID +</h2> + + +<br> +<h4> +With Illustrations<br>By +</h4> + +<h3> +WATSON CHARLTON and W. E. EVANS. +</h3> + +<br> + +<h4> +<span class="sc">Published by</span><br> +JOHN F. SHAW & CO., LTD.,<br> +3, <span class="sc">Pilgrim Street, London.</span> +</h4> + + +<hr class="med"> + +<p class="head"> +PUBLISHER'S NOTE +</p> + + +<p> +In putting forward a new edition of <i>The Basket of Flowers</i> no +apology is needed. This charming story is now something of a children's +classic, and the only merits that the publisher can claim for the +present edition are variety in the manner of the illustration and the +outward design of the book. To these may be added, perhaps, the further +claim that in the present English version, which is copyright, some of +the more glaring faults that mar the original translation are avoided. +For the rest, it is hoped that the charm of the original has been +maintained. +</p> + +<hr class="med"> + + + +<p class="head"> +CONTENTS +</p> + +<table summary="Contents" width="80%" cellpadding="3"> + +<tr> +<td class="chpt"><small>CHAP.</small></td> +<td class="txt"> </td> +<td class="pg"><small>Page</small></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td class="chpt">I.</td> +<td class="txt">THE GARDENER'S DAUGHTER</td> +<td class="pg"><a href="#I">1</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="chpt">II.</td> +<td class="txt">THE BASKET OF FLOWERS</td> +<td class="pg"><a href="#II">12</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="chpt">III.</td> +<td class="txt">THE MISSING RING</td> +<td class="pg"><a href="#III">21</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="chpt">IV.</td> +<td class="txt">MARY IN PRISON</td> +<td class="pg"><a href="#IV">30</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="chpt">V.</td> +<td class="txt">THE TRIAL</td> +<td class="pg"><a href="#V">36</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="chpt">VI.</td> +<td class="txt">A PAINFUL MEETING</td> +<td class="pg"><a href="#VI">42</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="chpt">VII.</td> +<td class="txt">SENTENCED</td> +<td class="pg"><a href="#VII">49</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="chpt">VIII.</td> +<td class="txt">FINDING NEW FRIENDS</td> +<td class="pg"><a href="#VIII">58</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="chpt">IX.</td> +<td class="txt">A NEW HOME</td> +<td class="pg"><a href="#IX">65</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="chpt">X.</td> +<td class="txt">A FATHER'S LAST WORDS</td> +<td class="pg"><a href="#X">72</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="chpt">XI.</td> +<td class="txt">MARY'S GREAT LOSS</td> +<td class="pg"><a href="#XI">82</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="chpt">XII.</td> +<td class="txt">CHANGES AT PINE FARM</td> +<td class="pg"><a href="#XII">90</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="chpt">XIII.</td> +<td class="txt">AGAIN A WANDERER</td> +<td class="pg"><a href="#XIII">97</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="chpt">XIV.</td> +<td class="txt">A STRANGE MEETING</td> +<td class="pg"><a href="#XIV">104</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="chpt">XV.</td> +<td class="txt">THE YOUNG COUNTESS'S STORY</td> +<td class="pg"><a href="#XV">108</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="chpt">XVI.</td> +<td class="txt">HOW THE RING WAS FOUND</td> +<td class="pg"><a href="#XVI">115</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="chpt">XVII.</td> +<td class="txt">REPARATION</td> +<td class="pg"><a href="#XVII">123</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="chpt">XVIII.</td> +<td class="txt">PINE FARM REVISITED</td> +<td class="pg"><a href="#XVIII">127</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="chpt">XIX.</td> +<td class="txt">RETRIBUTION</td> +<td class="pg"><a href="#XIX">134</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="chpt">XX.</td> +<td class="txt">FORGIVING AN ENEMY</td> +<td class="pg"><a href="#XX">140</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="chpt">XXI.</td> +<td class="txt">CONCLUSION</td> +<td class="pg"><a href="#XXI">145</a></td> +</tr> +</table> + +<hr class="short"> + +<p class="head"> +LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS +</p> + +<table summary="Illustrations" width="90%" cellpadding="3"> + +<tr> +<td class="txt">AN OFFICER CAME TO MARY'S CELL</td> +<td class="pg"><i>Frontispiece</i></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td class="txt"> </td> +<td class="pg"><i><small>Facing p.</small></i></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td class="txt">MARY SHYLY OFFERED HER PRESENT</td> +<td class="pg"><a href="#16">16</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td class="txt">"OH, MY FATHER, BE SURE THAT I HAVE NOT THE RING"</td> +<td class="pg"><a href="#32">32</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td class="txt">SHE RAISED HERSELF HASTILY, FORGETTING HER CHAINS</td> +<td class="pg"><a href="#48">48</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td class="txt">SHE THREW THE BASKET AT MARY'S FEET</td> +<td class="pg"><a href="#64">64</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td class="txt">LOOKING UP SHE SAW THE BEAUTIFUL FACE AND +FIGURE OF A WOMAN</td> +<td class="pg"><a href="#96">96</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td class="txt">MARY WAS AFFECTED TO THE HEART WHEN SHE +HEARD JULIETTE'S STORY</td> +<td class="pg"><a href="#144">144</a></td> +</tr> +</table> + + +<hr class="long"> +<br> +<h2> +THE BASKET OF FLOWERS +</h2> + + + +<a name="I"> </a> +<p class="chapter"> +CHAPTER I. +</p> + +<p class="head"> +THE GARDENER'S DAUGHTER. +</p> + + +<p> +The simple story which is told in this little book treats of things +which happened a long time ago in a foreign country, where the manners +and customs are widely different from our own. It is necessary to +explain this at the beginning, because the reader will meet with +incidents in the narrative which would otherwise seem strange and +inconsistent. Two lessons which the story teaches, however, may be +learned in all countries. The first is that the human heart has from +the beginning been full of sin, producing, for the most part, evil +fruit, which results in misery; and in the second place, that there is +only one remedy for this state of the soul, the remedy of God's Holy +Spirit, which, wherever it enters, produces the fruits of righteousness +and perfect peace. It is because we believe that the study of these +opposing principles as exhibited in the experience of others may be +profitable to young readers, that the story of the Basket of Flowers is +now presented. +</p> + +<p> +James Rode, who, with his daughter Mary, forms the subject of our tale, +lived over one hundred years ago in the village of Eichbourg, in +Germany. When he was very young his parents sent him to be trained as a +gardener in the beautiful grounds of the Count of Eichbourg. James was +a bright, intelligent lad, fond of work, and of an amiable disposition, +and he soon made himself a favourite with the people among whom he +associated. His happy genial disposition and his readiness to oblige +endeared him to all with whom he came in contact. The secret of James' +character lay deeper than mere disposition. He had early given his +heart to the Lord Jesus Christ, and the amiable qualities which he now +displayed were the fruits of the Holy Spirit which had been implanted +in him. But it was not only among his companions that James was well +liked. He was a favourite with the Count's children, and so modest and +unassuming was his behaviour that he was sometimes allowed to be in the +Castle with them, and to share in the lessons which they got. +</p> + +<p> +Being of an intelligent turn of mind, James profited by all the +advantages which his position gave him, and, after his engagement was +completed, the Count offered him a well-paid position in his large +household at Vienna. It was a temptation for James, who had the +ambition common to young men, and, but for one thing, he would have +gladly accepted his master's offer. The Count was a kind man, but he +was not a Christian, and God was not honoured in his household. James +knew that if he took the place in his house, he might be asked to do +things which as a Christian he believed to be wrong; and so he decided +to refuse the offer, tempting as it was, and to remain in the humble +position in which he had been born. The Count was not offended with +James for his decision; and to show his respect for him he gave him an +easy lease of a little property, consisting of a cottage, a +well-stocked orchard, and a kitchen garden. +</p> + +<p> +By and by James married a young woman, whose principles, like his own, +were deeply religious, and together they lived in comfort and harmony +many years. Then children came to brighten their life, but one after +another was taken away, and at last only Mary remained, whose history +this story is mainly occupied in telling. +</p> + +<p> +When James Rode was a little over sixty years of age his wife died. +Mary was now five years old, and a fine, beautiful girl. The neighbours +were foolish enough sometimes to call her pretty to her face, and, +although this was a dangerous thing to do, it had not the effect of +spoiling her. Besides being beautiful in face, Mary had a beautiful +character, and was modest and obedient, and possessed unbounded love +for her father. When she came to be fifteen years of age, she became +her father's housekeeper, and so thorough and constant were her habits +of cleanliness that the kitchen utensils shone brightly enough to be +easily mistaken for new. +</p> + +<p> +We have already informed our readers that her father, James Rode, +earned his living as a gardener. Twice a week he carried the vegetables +and fruit which he cultivated to the nearest market-town. But, while +the growing of fruits and vegetables had to be looked after in order to +secure his subsistence, his greatest delight was in the cultivation of +flowers; and in this pleasant task Mary assisted him every hour which +she could spare from the work of the house. She counted the hours +devoted to this task among the happiest of her life, for her father had +the art of turning labour into pleasure by his interesting and +entertaining conversation. To Mary, who had grown up, as it were, in +the midst of plants, there had come a natural taste for flowers, and +the garden was to her a little world. She was never at a loss for a +delightful occupation, for every hour which she had at her disposal was +spent in cultivating the young plants with the utmost care. +</p> + +<p> +Specially did she find pleasure in studying the buds of every strange +species. Her young imagination delighted in picturing what kind of +flowers they would become; and so impatient was she to see her +expectations fulfilled, that she was hardly able to wait until the +flowers had unfolded. When the flower for which she had waited long +appeared in all its beauty, the sight filled her with a strange joy. In +truth, there was not a day which did not bring some new pleasure to +Mary's heart. Sometimes it was by a stranger passing the garden and +stopping to admire the beauty of the flowers. The children of the +neighbourhood, as they passed on their way to school, never failed to +peep through the hedge, and were generally rewarded by Mary with some +little present of flowers as a token of her goodwill. +</p> + +<p> +James, as a wise father, knew how to direct the taste of his daughter +towards the most noble ends. Often he used to say, "Let others spend +their money for jewels and silks and other adornments; I will spend +mine for flower-seeds. Silks and satins and jewels cannot procure for +our children so pure a pleasure as these beautiful exhibitions of the +wisdom and benevolence of God." +</p> + +<p> +In the beauty of the various flowers which adorned their garden, in the +charming variety of their shapes, in the perfection of their +proportions, in the glory of their colours, and in the sweetness of +their perfumes, he taught Mary to see and admire the power and wisdom +and goodness of God. It was his custom to begin each day with God by +spending the first hours of the morning in prayer; and, in order to +accomplish this without neglecting his work, it was his habit to rise +early. In the beautiful days of spring and summer, James would lead +Mary to an arbour in the garden, and, while the birds sang their joyous +songs, and the dew sparkled on the grass and flowers, he delighted to +talk with his daughter of God, whose bounty sent the sun and the dew, +and brought forth the beauty and life of the world. It was here that he +first instilled into Mary's mind the idea of God as the tender Father +of mankind, whose love was manifested not only in all the beautiful +works of nature, which were round them, but above all in the gift of +Jesus Christ. It was in this arbour that James had the happiness of +seeing Mary's heart gradually unfold to the reception of the truth. +</p> + +<p> +Once in the early part of March, when with shining eyes and bounding +feet she brought him the first violet, he said, "Let this beautiful +flower serve to you as an emblem of humility and sweetness, by its +modest colour, its disposition to flourish in hidden places, and the +delicate perfume which it sends forth. May you, my dear child, be like +the violet, modest in your demeanour, careless of gaudy clothing, and +seeking to do good without making any fuss about it." +</p> + +<p> +At the time when the lilies and roses were in full bloom and when the +garden was resplendent with beautiful flowers, the old man, seeing his +daughter filled with joy, pointed to a lily unfolding in the rays of +the morning sun. "See, in this lily, my daughter, the symbol of +innocence. Its leaves are finer than richest satin, and its whiteness +equals that of the driven snow. Happy is the daughter whose heart also +is pure, for remember the words, 'The pure in heart shall see God.' The +more pure the colour, the more difficult to preserve its purity. The +slightest spot can spoil the flower of the lily, and so one word can +rob the mind of its purity. Let the rose," said he, pointing to that +flower, "be the image of modesty. The blush of a modest girl is more +beautiful than that of the rose." +</p> + +<p> +Mary's father then made a bouquet of lilies and roses, and, giving it +to Mary, he said, "These are brothers and sisters, whose beauty no +other flowers can equal. Innocence and modesty are twin sisters, which +cannot be separated. Yes, my dear child, God in His goodness has given +to modesty, innocence for a sister and companion, in order that she +might be warned of the approach of danger. Be always modest, and you +will be always virtuous. Oh, if the will of God be so, I pray that you +may be enabled to preserve in your heart the purity of the lily!" +</p> + +<p> +One ornament of their garden, which James and his daughter most dearly +prized, was a dwarf apple-tree little higher than a rose-bush, which +grew in a small round bed in the middle of the garden. The old man had +planted it on his daughter's birthday, and every year it gave them a +harvest of beautiful golden yellow apples spotted with red. One season +it seemed specially promising, and its blossom was more luxurious than +ever. Every morning Mary examined it with new delight. One morning she +came as usual, but what a change had taken place! The frost had +withered all the flowers, which were now brown and yellow and fast +being shrivelled up by the sun. Poor Mary's sensitive feelings were so +affected that she burst into tears, but her father turned the incident +to good account. +</p> + +<p> +"Look, my child," said he, "as the frost spoils the apple-blossoms, so +wicked pleasures spoil the beauty of youth. Oh, my dear Mary, tremble +at the thought of going aside from the path of right. If the time +should ever come when the delightful hopes which I have had for your +future should vanish, I should shed tears more bitter than you do now. +I should not enjoy another hour of pleasure, and my grey hairs would be +brought with sorrow to the grave." At the mere thought of such a +calamity the old man could not keep back his tears, and his words of +tender solicitude made a deep impression on Mary's heart. +</p> + +<p> +Brought up under the care of a father so wise and loving, Mary grew up +like the flowers of her garden, fresh as the rose, pure like the lily, +modest as the violet, and full of promise for the future, as a +beautiful shrub in the time of flourishing. +</p> + +<p> +When James viewed his beautiful garden, with its luxuriant flowers and +its prolific fruits, which so well repaid his constant care, it was +with a feeling of satisfaction and gratitude. But this feeling was +nothing compared with the joy he felt when he saw his daughter, as the +reward of his pious efforts to train her in the love of God, bringing +forth the most precious fruits of the Holy Spirit. +</p> + + + +<a name="II"> </a> +<p class="chapter"> +CHAPTER II. +</p> + +<p class="head"> +THE BASKET OF FLOWERS. +</p> + + +<p> +One day, early in the charming month of May, Mary went into a wood near +her home to get some branches and twigs of the willow and hazel. When +her father was not busily engaged in the garden, he occupied his time +in making baskets of all sorts, and particularly lady's work-baskets. +While he busied himself in this way, Mary read to him from the Bible or +some good book, or, as her father worked, he talked to her about the +highest matters. +</p> + +<p> +While Mary was gathering the materials for her father's basket-work, +she found some beautiful specimens of lily-of-the-valley; and, +gathering sufficient of the flowers, she made two bunches, one for her +father and the other for herself. After she had finished her work, and +when she was returning home through a meadow, she met the Countess of +Eichbourg and her daughter Amelia who were taking an afternoon walk. +The ladies spent the greater part of their time in the city, but +occasionally they lived for a few days at the Castle. +</p> + +<p> +Some of the most important circumstances of life spring from apparently +trifling events. In the case of Mary, this accidental meeting with the +Countess and her daughter proved the beginning of the painful +circumstances of this story. But God overrules all events, and this +tale gives abundant proof that all things work together for good to +them that love God. +</p> + +<p> +As the ladies came near Mary, she stood a little on one side to let +them pass; but when they saw the beautiful bunches of lilies in her +hand they stopped to admire them, and wanted to buy one. Mary +respectfully declined to sell her flowers, but she begged that the +ladies would each accept a bunch. They were so struck with the girl's +unaffected grace and modesty, that they gladly took her little +offering, and Amelia requested her to gather more and bring them to the +Castle every day for the rest of the season. +</p> + +<p> +Mary faithfully performed this duty, and every morning while the +flowers were in bloom she carried a bunch of lilies to the young lady. +By and by an intimacy, which was something more than ordinary between +two girls of such widely different positions, sprang up between Mary +and Amelia. They were nearly of the same age, their tastes were +similar, and it is not surprising that the acquaintance begun in a +chance manner developed into a sincere friendship. +</p> + +<p> +The anniversary of Amelia's birthday drew near, and Mary determined to +make her some little present. She had given her so many bunches of +flowers, that she puzzled her brain to think of some new gift. During +the winter her father had been making a beautiful basket, which he +intended to give to Mary herself. It was the most finished piece of +work he had ever done, and he had worked on it a design of the village +in which they lived. Mary's idea now was to fill this basket with +flowers, and to offer it to the young Countess as her birthday present. +Her father readily fell in with the plan, and added a finishing touch +to it by weaving Amelia's name in on one side of the basket and the +Count's coat-of-arms on the other. +</p> + +<p> +The long-expected day arrived, and early in the morning Mary gathered +the freshest and most beautiful roses, the richest pinks, and other +flowers of beautiful colours. She picked out some green branches full +of leaves, and arranged them in the basket, so that all the colours, +though perfectly distinct, were sweetly and delicately blended. A light +garland composed of rosebuds and moss was passed around the basket, and +Amelia's name could be distinctly read enclosed in a coronet of +forget-me-nots. The basket when completed was a thing of uncommon +beauty. +</p> + +<p> +When Mary went to the Castle with her basket-present, the young +Countess Amelia was sitting at her toilet. Her maid was with her busily +engaged on making her young mistress's head-dress for the birthday +feast. Mary shyly offered her present, adding the best wishes of her +heart for the young Countess's happiness. Amelia received the present +with unaffected pleasure, and in an impulsive manner she warmly +expressed her delight, as she viewed first of all the charming flowers +with which the basket was filled, and examined more carefully the +beautiful design of the basket itself. +</p> + +<p class="figcenter"><a name="16"><img src="images/001.jpg" alt="Mary shyly offered her present." width="365" height="550"></a></p> +<p class="caption">"Mary shyly offered her present."<br><i>See page 15.</i> +</p> + +<p> +"Dear Mary," she said, "why, you have robbed your garden to make me +this present. As for the basket, I have never seen anything so +beautiful in all my life. Come, we will go and show it to my mother." +Taking Mary affectionately by the hand, the girls went together to the +apartments of the Countess. "See, mother," cried Amelia, "of all my +birthday presents, surely nothing can equal the one I have received +from Mary. Never have I seen so beautiful a basket, and nowhere can you +find such beautiful flowers." The Countess was equally pleased with +Mary's present, although she expressed herself more moderately. "What a +charming basket!" she said, "and its flowers, how beautiful! They are +yet wet with dew. The basket of flowers does credit to the taste of +Mary but more to the kindness of her heart." Asking Mary to remain in +the room, she made a sign to Amelia to follow her into another +apartment. +</p> + +<p> +"Amelia," said the Countess, "Mary must not be permitted to go away +without some suitable return. What have you to give her?" +</p> + +<p> +Amelia paused for a moment's reflection. "I think," she replied, "one +of my dresses would be a most acceptable gift. For instance, if you +will permit me, my dear mother, that one with the red and white flowers +on the deep green ground. It is almost new; I have worn it but once. It +is a little too short for me, but it will almost fit Mary, and she can +arrange it herself. She is so handy with her needle. If, therefore, you +do not think the present too valuable——" +</p> + +<p> +The Countess interrupted her. "Too valuable! certainly not. When you +wish to give anything it ought to be something good and serviceable. +The green robe with the flowers will be very appropriate for Mary." +</p> + +<p> +"Go now, my dear children," said the Countess, when they returned to +the room where Mary was, "take good care of the flowers, that they may +not fade before dinner. I want the guests to admire the basket also, +which will be the most beautiful ornament on our table." +</p> + +<p> +Amelia ran to her room with Mary, and told Juliette, her maid, to bring +the dress with the white and red flowers. +</p> + +<p> +"Do you wish to wear that dress to-day, miss?" said her maid. +</p> + +<p> +"No," said Amelia, "I intend to make a present of it to Mary." +</p> + +<p> +"Give that dress away!" replied Juliette hastily. "Does the Countess +know?" +</p> + +<p> +"You forget yourself, I think, Juliette," said Amelia with dignity. +"Bring me the dress, and give yourself no trouble about the rest." +</p> + +<p> +Juliette turned away hastily, her face burning with anger, and her +heart full of spite. Pulling the door of the wardrobe open, she took +from it the young Countess's dress. "Oh, I could tear it to pieces," +she said passionately. "This sly Mary has already wormed her way into +the affections of my young mistress, and now she steals from me this +dress which ought to have been mine when the Countess had done with it. +I could tear the eyes out of this little flower-girl; but some day I +will be revenged." For the time being, however, she had to suppress her +anger, and, taking the dress on her arm, she returned to her mistress +and gave her the dress with a pleasant air. +</p> + +<p> +"Dear Mary," said Amelia, "many of the presents which I have had to-day +have cost more money than your basket, but none of them have given me +so much pleasure. Will you take this dress from me as a token of my +affection, and carry my best wishes to your good old father?" +</p> + +<p> +Mary was not a vain girl, but her eyes sparkled at the sight of the +beautiful dress, which surpassed anything she had ever dreamed of +possessing. After warm thanks, she kissed the hand of the young +Countess and left the Castle. +</p> + +<p> +Amelia's maid continued her work in silence, but with jealous fury +burning at her heart. The many tugs which she gave to the head-dress +she was preparing made Amelia at length inquire— +</p> + +<p> +"Are you angry, Juliette?" +</p> + +<p> +"I should be silly indeed, miss," answered Juliette; "to be angry +because you choose to be generous." +</p> + +<p> +"That is a very sensible answer, Juliette," replied Amelia, "I hope you +may feel just as sensible." +</p> + +<p> +Meantime Mary ran home to her father to show her new dress. The good +old man, while pleased at his daughter's pleasure, could not help +feeling a little anxiety when he saw the present. "I would much rather, +my child," he said, "that you had not taken the basket to the young +Countess, but it cannot be helped now. I fear that this valuable +present will but rouse the jealousy of some of our neighbours, and, +what would be still worse, that it may make you vain. Take care, my +dear Mary, that you fall not into this great evil. No costly and +beautiful garments so much adorn a young girl as modesty and good +manners. It is the Bible that says the ornament of a meek and quiet +spirit is in the sight of God of great price." +</p> + + + +<a name="III"> </a> +<p class="chapter"> +CHAPTER III. +</p> + +<p class="head"> +THE MISSING RING. +</p> + + +<p> +Shortly after Mary had left the Castle the Countess missed a valuable +diamond ring. No one had been in the room where she had left it but +Mary, and it is not surprising that suspicion fell upon the humble +flower-girl. Calling Amelia to her, the Countess told her of her loss +and of her suspicions, and bade her go to the cottage in order that she +might induce Mary to restore the ring before the theft became known. +</p> + +<p> +When Amelia arrived at Mary's home, the young girl was busily engaged +trying on her beautiful dress. She was frightened to see the young +Countess enter her little room, pale and trembling, and out of breath +with her haste. +</p> + +<p> +"Dear Mary," said Amelia, "what have you been doing? My mother's +diamond ring, which she left lying in the room where you were, is lost. +No one has been in the chamber but you. Do give it up at once, and no +harm will be done." +</p> + +<p> +The unexpected charge of theft stunned and frightened Mary. Earnestly +she declared her innocence. She had never seen the ring, nor had she +moved from the place where she stood when she entered the room. But +Amelia found it impossible to believe her, and continued to urge her to +give up the ring, which she said was worth a large sum of money. To be +suspected of theft was bad enough, but to have her friend Amelia +unwilling to believe her, made Mary burst into tears. +</p> + +<p> +"Truly," she cried, "I have no ring. Never in all my life have I +ventured to touch anything which did not belong to me, much less to +steal. My dear father has always taught me better." +</p> + +<p> +Her father, who had been at work in his garden, now came in to learn +the young Countess's errand, and to him Amelia told the story. Shocked +beyond measure at the charge, the old man was so overcome that he was +obliged to sink into a chair. +</p> + +<p> +"My dear child," he said to Mary solemnly, "to steal a ring of this +price is a crime which in this country is punished with death. But +this is not all. Your action is not only one for which you must +account to men, but to that God who reads the heart and with whom all +false denials amount to nothing. Have you forgotten His holy +commandment, 'Thou shalt not steal?' Have you forgotten all the advice +that I have given you? Were you tempted with the gold and the precious +stones? Alas, do not deny the fact, but give back the ring to the +Countess. It is the only return you can make for your crime." +</p> + +<p> +"My father, oh, my father," cried Mary, weeping bitterly, "be sure, be +very sure that I have not the ring. If I had even found such a ring on +the road I could not have rested till I had restored it to its owner. +Indeed, believe me, I have it not." +</p> + +<p> +"Look at this dear young lady," said the old man, without replying to +Mary's protestations, "her affection for you is so great that she +wishes to save you from the hands of justice. Mary, be frank, and do +not add falsehood to the crime of theft." +</p> + +<p> +"My father," cried Mary, "well do you know that never in my life have I +stolen even the smallest coin, and how should I take anything so +valuable as the Countess's ring? I pray you, believe me; I have never +in my life told you a lie." +</p> + +<p> +"Mary," again said her father, "see my grey hairs. Do not bring them +down with sorrow to the grave. Spare me so great an affliction. Before +that God who made you, into whose presence there can come no thief, +tell me if you have the ring?" +</p> + +<p> +Thus adjured, Mary raised her eyes, and once more assured her father in +the most solemn manner that she was innocent of the charge. The old man +had put his daughter to a severe test, and now he was satisfied of her +innocence. +</p> + +<p> +"My child," he cried, "I do believe you. You would not dare to tell a +lie in the presence of God and before this young Countess and your +father. You are innocent, and therefore you may take comfort and fear +nothing. There is nothing to fear on earth but sin. Prison and death +are not to be compared to it. Whatever happens, we will put our trust +in God. All will yet come right, for He says, 'I will make thy +righteousness as the light and thy just dealings as the noonday.'" +</p> + +<p> +Touched to the heart by the old man's faith, Amelia's suspicions also +vanished. "Truly," she said, "when I hear you speak in this way, I +believe that you have not the ring; but when I examine all the +circumstances how can I help believing? My mother says she knows +exactly the place where she laid it down. Not a living soul has been in +the room but Mary, and as soon as she left the Castle my mother missed +the ring. Who else, then, can have taken it?" +</p> + +<p> +"It is impossible for me to say," replied Mary's father. "May God +prepare us for a severe trial, but whatever happens," said he, turning +his eyes to heaven, "I am ready. Give me but Thy grace, O Lord; it is +all I ask." +</p> + +<p> +"Truly," said Amelia, "I came here with a heavy heart. It will be for +me the saddest birthday I have ever had. My mother has not yet spoken +to any one of her loss but myself, but it will not be possible to keep +the secret much longer. My father returns to the Castle at noon, and he +will certainly ask her where the ring is. It was a gift to her on the +day when I was born, and on every succeeding birthday she has worn it. +Farewell," said Amelia, turning to Mary, "I will tell my mother that I +consider you are innocent, but who will believe me?" Her eyes filled +with tears, and she left the cottage with a sad heart. +</p> + +<p> +After the young Countess had gone, Mary's father sat for a long time +resting his head on his hand and with his eyes fixed on the ground. The +tears fell down his wrinkled cheeks, and Mary, touched by his grief, +threw herself at his knees and besought him to believe in her +innocence. +</p> + +<p> +The old man raised himself and looked for a long time in her eyes, and +then said— +</p> + +<p> +"Yes, Mary, you are innocent. That look, where integrity and truth are +painted, cannot be the look of guilt." +</p> + +<p> +"But, my father," asked Mary, "what will be the end of it? What will +they do to us? I do not fear what they may do to me, but the idea that +you may have to suffer on my account is intolerable." +</p> + +<p> +"Have faith in God," answered her father. "Take courage. Not one hair +of our heads can fall to the ground without His permission. All that +happens to us is the will of God, and what more can we wish? Do not be +frightened into saying anything but what is strictly true. If they +threaten you, or if they hold out promises, do not depart a +hair's-breadth from the truth. Keep your conscience free from offence, +for a clear conscience is a soft pillow. Perhaps they will separate us, +and I shall no longer be with you to console; but if this should happen +cling more closely to your heavenly Father. He is a powerful protector +to innocence, and no earthly power can deprive you of His strength." +</p> + +<p> +Suddenly the door opened with a noise, and an officer entered, followed +by two constables. Mary uttered a piercing shriek, and fell into her +father's arms. +</p> + +<p> +"Separate them," cried the officer angrily; "let her father also be put +in custody. Set a watch on the house and garden. Make a strict search +everywhere, and allow no one to enter until the sheriff has made an +inventory." +</p> + +<p> +Mary clung to her father with all her force, but the officers tore her +from the old man's arms. In a fainting state she was carried off to +prison. +</p> + +<p> +The story of the lost ring had spread through the whole village of +Eichbourg, and when Mary and her father were taken through the streets, +the crowd pressed round them filled with curiosity. It was curious to +notice how diverse were the opinions which were pronounced on the old +man and his daughter. They had been kind to all, but there were some +who repaid their kindness by rejoicing in their present affliction. +Although they had accepted the old man's gifts, their jealousy and envy +had been excited by the thought of his superior position. +</p> + +<p> +"Now," they exclaimed maliciously, "we know how it is that James had +always so many good things to give away. If this is what the old man +and his daughter have been doing, it was easy to live in abundance and +be better clothed than their honest neighbours." +</p> + +<p> +It is true that most of the inhabitants of Eichbourg were sincerely +sorry for James and his daughter, although many of them felt compelled +to believe in Mary's guilt. Fathers and mothers were heard to say, "Who +would have believed this thing of these good people? Truly it proves +that the best of us are liable to fall." But there were others who were +persuaded of Mary's innocence, and said, "Perhaps it is not so bad as +it appears. May their innocence be brought out when the trial comes, +and may God help them to escape the terrible fate which now hangs over +them." +</p> + +<p> +Groups of children, to whom Mary had given fruit and flowers, stood +weeping as they saw their kind friend being carried off to prison. +</p> + + + +<a name="IV"> </a> +<p class="chapter"> +CHAPTER IV. +</p> + +<p class="head"> +MARY IN PRISON. +</p> + + +<p> +We have already said that Mary was in a faint when she was carried off +to prison. When she recovered to realise her condition, she burst into +passionate sobbing, but at length, clasping her hands together, she +fell down on her knees in prayer. Overcome with terror at her +surroundings, filled with sadness at the thought of being separated +from her old father, and wearied with the excitement of the day, she +threw herself upon her hard straw couch and fell into a heavy sleep. +</p> + +<p> +When she awoke it was so dark that she could hardly distinguish a +single object. At first she could not remember where she was. The story +of the lost ring came back to her as a dream, and her first idea was +that she was sleeping in her own little bed. Suddenly she felt that her +hands were chained. Instantly all the sad reality of the past day +flashed upon her mind, and, jumping from her bed, she cried out, "What +can I do but raise my heart to God?" +</p> + +<p> +Falling upon her knees, Mary then engaged in prayer. She prayed for +herself, that she might be delivered, but especially she prayed for her +dear father, that in the trouble which had now come upon him the Lord +might support him. The thought of her father brought a torrent of tears +from her eyes and stopped her prayer. +</p> + +<p> +Suddenly the moon, which had been covered with thick clouds, now shone +in a clear sky, and, its rays coming through the iron grating in the +prison wall, threw a silvery light on the floor of Mary's cell. By the +light thus afforded, Mary could make out the large bricks of which the +walls of her prison were built, the white mortar which united them, the +place in the wall serving as a table on which her meals were placed. +Although her surroundings were so miserable, Mary felt that the +moonlight had soothed her heart. +</p> + +<p> +To her astonishment, she became conscious of a sweet perfume filling +her cell. Suddenly she remembered that in the morning she had placed in +her bosom a bouquet of roses and other sweet flowers which remained +from the basket. Taking it in her hand she untied it, and looked at the +flowers in the moonlight. "Alas," said she mournfully, "when I gathered +these rosebuds and forget-me-nots from my garden this morning, who +would have thought that I should be confined in this gloomy prison in +the evening? When I wore garlands of flowers, who would have imagined +that on the same day I should be doomed to wear iron chains?" Then she +thought of her father, and tears fell from her eyes and moistened the +flowers which she held in her hand. +</p> + +<p class="figcenter"><a name="32"><img src="images/002.jpg" alt="Oh, my father, be sure that I have not the ring." width="354" height="550"></a></p> +<p class="caption">"Oh, my father, be sure that I have not the ring." +<br><i>See page 23.</i> +</p> + +<p> +"Oh, my dear father," she said, "how this bouquet reminds me of the +advice which you have given me. From the midst of thorns, I plucked +these rosebuds; and thus I know that joy will come to me from the very +troubles which now cause me pain. If I had attempted with my own hands +to unfold the leaves of these rosebuds, they would have perished; but +God with a delicate finger had gradually unfolded their purple cups and +shed over them the sweet perfume of His breath. He can disperse the +evils which surround me, and make them turn to my good which seemed all +evil. Let me then patiently wait His time. These flowers remind me of +Him who created them. I will remember Him as He remembers me. +</p> + +<p> +"These tender forget-me-nots, as blue as the heavens, may even be my +silent consolation in all the sufferings of earth. Here are some +sweet-peas with small delicate leaves, half white, half red. The plant +grows and winds itself around a support, that it may not grope in the +dust. And while it balances itself above the earth it displays its +flowers, which might be taken for butterflies' wings. In this way I +will cling to God and by His help raise myself above the miseries of +this earth. This mignonette is the chief source of the perfume which +fills my cell. Sweet plant, you cheer by your perfume the one who +plucked you from your home in the earth. I will try to imitate you and +to do good even to those who without cause have torn me from my garden +and thrown me into this prison. Here is a little sprig of peppermint, +the emblem of hope. I also will preserve hope now that the time of +suffering is come. Here again are two leaves of laurel. They remind me +of that crown incorruptible, which is reserved in heaven for all who +love the Lord and have submitted to His will upon the earth. Already I +think I see it, surrounded with golden rays. Flowers of the earth, you +are shortlived, as are its joys. You fade and wither in an instant, but +in heaven, after our short suffering on the earth, an unchangeable joy +awaits us and an eternal glory in Christ Jesus." +</p> + +<p> +Talking thus to herself, Mary found her heart gradually grow consoled. +Suddenly a dark cloud covered the moon; darkness filled the prison. Her +flowers were blotted out from her sight, and grief again took +possession of her heart. But the cloud was merely temporary, and in a +little while the moon reappeared more beautiful than ever. "Thus," +reflected Mary, "clouds can be cast over us, but it is only for a +little, and at the end we shine clearly again. If a dark suspicion +hangs over my character, God will make me triumphant over every false +accusation." The thought brought comfort to her; and Mary, stretching +herself upon her bed of straw, slept as tranquilly as a little child. +</p> + +<p> +In her sleep she dreamed a beautiful dream. It seemed to her that she +was walking by moonlight in a garden which was quite new to her, +situated in a wilderness surrounded by a dark forest of oak trees. By +the light of the moon, which had never appeared to her so brilliant or +so beautiful before, she saw hundreds of flowers in this garden, +displaying their charms and filling the air with sweet perfume. Best of +all, she dreamed that her father was with her in this beautiful place. +The moon shining on his face showed his venerable countenance lighted +by a gracious smile. Running to him, she fell on his bosom and shed +tears of joy, with which her cheeks were wet when suddenly she awoke. +It had only been a dream, but it comforted her heart, and she slept +again. +</p> + + + +<a name="V"> </a> +<p class="chapter"> +CHAPTER V. +</p> + +<p class="head"> +THE TRIAL. +</p> + + +<p> +Early in the morning, and almost before she was awake, an officer came +to Mary's cell to bring her forth for trial. At the sight of the room +in which the court was held she trembled, and her fears returned. +Sitting in a large scarlet chair was the judge. Before him a clerk +stood at an enormous table covered with papers. +</p> + +<p> +A number of questions were put to Mary, to all of which she answered +truthfully. She found it impossible to keep back her tears, but +persisted in declaring her innocence of the crime. +</p> + +<p> +"It is useless to try to make me believe this," said the judge. "You +were the only one to enter the room where the ring was. No one but you +could have taken it. You had better acknowledge the truth." +</p> + +<p> +"It is the truth I speak now," replied Mary. "I cannot speak anything +else. I have not seen the ring, indeed I have not." +</p> + +<p> +"The ring was seen in your hands," continued the judge; "have you +anything to say now?" +</p> + +<p> +Mary declared that this was impossible. Turning to his side, the judge +rang a little bell, and Amelia's maid, Juliette, was brought in. In the +fit of jealousy which she had felt because of the dress given to Mary, +and in her anxiety to deprive Mary of her mistress's favour, Juliette +had said to one or two people that she had seen Mary take the ring. In +consequence of this statement Juliette was now summoned as a witness, +and, fearful to be caught in a lie, she determined to maintain it even +in a court of justice. When the judge warned her to declare the truth +before God, she felt her heart beat quickly and her knees tremble; but +this wicked girl obeyed neither the voice of the judge nor the voice of +her own conscience. "If," said she to herself, "I acknowledge now that +I told a lie, then I shall be driven away. Perhaps I may even be +imprisoned." Determined to carry out her part, she turned to Mary and +said insultingly— +</p> + +<p> +"You have the ring; I saw you with it." +</p> + +<p> +Mary heard this false charge with horror, but she did not allow passion +to get the upper hand. Her only reply was, and her tears almost choked +her while she said it— +</p> + +<p> +"It is not true. You did not see me with the ring. How can you tell so +terrible a falsehood for the sake of ruining me, when I never have +injured you?" +</p> + +<p> +At the sight of Mary, Juliette's feelings of hatred and jealousy +revived. She repeated the falsehood, with new circumstances and +details, after which she was dismissed by the judge. +</p> + +<p> +"Mary, you are convicted," said he. "All the circumstances are against +you. The chamber-maid of the young Countess saw the ring in your hand. +Tell me now, what you have done with it?" +</p> + +<p> +In vain Mary protested her innocence. According to the cruel custom of +those days, the judge now sent her to be whipped until the blood came, +in the effort to make her confess her guilt. The punishment made poor +Mary scream with pain, but she continued to declare her innocence. +Suffering great agony, she was finally thrown into her prison again. +Her bed of straw was hard, her wounds gave her great pain, and half the +night she spent without sleeping, groaning and praying to God. +</p> + +<p> +The next day she was brought again before the court. The severity of +the law had failed to wring any confession from her. The judge now +tried to make her confess by adopting a mild tone, and by holding out +promises. +</p> + +<p> +"You have incurred the penalty of death," said he, "but if you confess +where the ring is, nothing will be done to you. Think well before you +answer, for your choice is between life and death." +</p> + +<p> +Still Mary protested that she had nothing more to confess. The judge +now tried to move her by her love for her father. +</p> + +<p> +"If you persist in concealing the truth," he said, "if you are careless +of your own life, you will at least spare that of your old father. +Would you see his head, whitened by age, cut off by the sword of +justice? Who but he could have induced you to tell a falsehood so +obstinately? Are you ignorant that his life as well as yours is at +stake?" +</p> + +<p> +This was a new thought to Mary, and, terrified at the threat, she +nearly fainted. +</p> + +<p> +"Confess," said the judge, "that you have taken the ring. A single +word—say yes, and your life and that of your father are saved." +</p> + +<p> +It was a great temptation and a terrible trial to Mary. Satan suggested +that she should say, "I took the ring, but I lost it on the road." +"No," she thought again, "no, I must stick to the truth. Let it cost +what it will, not even to save my own or my father's life will I depart +from the truth. I will obey God rather than man, and trust Him for the +rest." +</p> + +<p> +In a clear but tremulous voice she then answered— +</p> + +<p> +"If I say I had the ring, it would be a lie; and, though this falsehood +would save my life, I cannot utter it. But," she entreated, "if life is +demanded, spare at least the white hairs of my loved father. I should +be glad to shed my blood for him." +</p> + +<p> +Her words touched the hearts of all the people in the court. Even the +judge, for all his severity, was deeply moved; but he remained silent, +and, giving the signal, Mary was taken back to prison. +</p> + + + +<a name="VI"> </a> +<p class="chapter"> +CHAPTER VI. +</p> + +<p class="head"> +A PAINFUL MEETING. +</p> + + +<p> +Not for a long time had the judge been so perplexed as he was over +Mary's case. +</p> + +<p> +"For three days," he said, "it has been before us, and we have not made +the least advance towards the solution of the mystery. If I could see +any possibility of the ring having been taken by any one else, I should +certainly believe this girl innocent, but the evidence is so clear +against her, that it is impossible to believe anything else." +</p> + +<p> +The Countess was again examined and questioned thoroughly; the minutest +circumstances being inquired into. Juliette was also examined again. +</p> + +<p> +A whole day was spent by the judge in going over their testimony, and +weighing against it the words that Mary had uttered in her examination. +It was late at night when the judge sent to the prison for Mary's +father to be brought to his house. +</p> + +<p> +"James," said he kindly, "I am known perhaps as a strict man, but I do +not think that you can reproach me with ever having intentionally +injured any one. I do not need to tell you that I do not desire the +death of your daughter. All the details of the case, however, prove +that she must have committed the theft, and, under these circumstances, +you are aware that the penalty which the law requires is death. But +your daughter is young, and, notwithstanding the serious nature of the +crime, if she were to return the ring even now, a pardon might be +granted to her. To persist so obstinately in denying her guilt will +most certainly end in her death. Go to her, James; insist upon her +returning the ring, and I give you my word that the penalty of death +will not be visited upon her, but a mere trifling punishment +substituted. As her father you have great power over her. If you cannot +obtain a confession, most people will think that you have been an +accomplice with your daughter in the crime. Once more, I repeat, if the +ring is not found, I pity your case." +</p> + +<p> +"My daughter has not stolen the ring," replied James sadly; "of that I +am sure. That she will not therefore acknowledge her guilt, I know +beforehand. But I will speak to her as you desire. I will employ every +means to find it out, and if it be that she is to perish, +notwithstanding her innocence, it is a comfort to know that I can see +her once again before the terrible event." +</p> + +<p> +Accompanied by an officer, the old man went to the prison where Mary +was confined. The officer set a lamp upon a projection of the wall in a +corner of the cell, on which also stood an earthen pitcher of water. +Mary was lying on her straw bed, with her face turned towards the wall, +partially asleep. The light of the lamp woke her from her troubled +slumber, and, turning over and seeing her father, she uttered a cry of +joy and raised herself hastily, forgetting her chains. Almost fainting, +she threw herself upon her father's neck, and the old man sat down with +her upon her bed and pressed her in his arms. For some time they both +remained silent and mingled their tears together. At length James broke +the silence and began to speak as the judge had instructed him. +</p> + +<p class="figcenter"><a name="48"><img src="images/003.jpg" alt="She raised herself hastily, forgetting her chains." width="354" height="550"></a></p> +<p class="caption">"She raised herself hastily, forgetting her chains." +<br><i>See page 44.</i> +</p> + +<p> +"Oh, my father," said Mary, in a reproachful voice, interrupting him, +"surely you at least do not doubt my innocence. Alas," she continued, +weeping bitterly, "is there no one who believes me innocent, no one, +not even my father! Oh, my dear father, believe me that I am innocent." +</p> + +<p> +"Calm yourself, my dear child; I believe you entirely. I am only doing +now what I have been instructed to do by the judge." +</p> + +<p> +There was a silence for a little while in the cell. The old man looked +at his daughter and saw her cheeks pale and hollow with grief, her eyes +red and swollen with weeping, and her hair hanging dishevelled about +her. +</p> + +<p> +"My dear child," he said, "God has suffered you to be tried very +severely; but I fear lest there should be a worse trial to come, more +painful sufferings than any you have yet undergone. Alas, perhaps even +my dear child's head may fall by the hands of the executioner!" +</p> + +<p> +"My father," said Mary soothingly, "I care but little for myself. But +for you——" +</p> + +<p> +"Fear nothing for me, my dear Mary," said her father, "I run no +risk——" +</p> + +<p> +"Oh," cried Mary, "thank God! If that is the case, a great load is +taken off my heart. For myself, all is well. Be sure, my dear father, I +fear not to die. I shall go to God; I shall find my Saviour. I shall +also see my mother in heaven. That will be a great happiness." +</p> + +<p> +Deeply moved at his daughter's words, the old man wept like a child. +</p> + +<p> +"Well, God be praised," said he, clasping his aged hands together, "God +be praised for your submissive spirit. It is very hard for a man +stricken in years, for a tender father to lose his only child, the +child of his love, his only consolation, the joy of his old age, and +his last support, but," he continued, "may the will of the Lord be +done." +</p> + +<p> +"One word," said he, a moment afterwards; "Juliette has sworn falsely +against you. On her oath she has declared that she saw the ring in your +hands. If you perish, you will perish by her testimony. But you will +pardon her, my Mary—is it not so? You do not take with you any feeling +of hatred towards her. Alas, even upon this bed of straw, and loaded +with chains, you are still more happy than she is, living in the +Countess's palace and dressed in fine clothes, and with everything that +her heart can desire. It is better to die innocent than to live +dishonoured. Pardon her, my child, as thy Saviour pardoned His enemies +on the cross. Do you pardon her?" the old man asked anxiously. +</p> + +<p> +Mary assured her father that she did. And now the officer was heard +coming to separate them. +</p> + +<p> +"Well," said her father, "I commend you to God and His grace. If I +should not see you again, if this is the last time that I am permitted +to talk with you, my daughter, at least be sure that I will not be long +in following you to heaven. You may depend upon it that I shall not +long survive this parting." +</p> + +<p> +The time was now up, and, warned by the officer, the old man prepared +to take his departure. Mary clung to him with all her strength, but her +father was obliged to disengage himself as gently as he could, and Mary +fell insensible upon her bed. +</p> + +<p> +As soon as James was brought before the judge, he raised his hands to +heaven, and cried out, almost beside himself— +</p> + +<p> +"My daughter is innocent!" +</p> + +<p> +The judge was deeply moved. +</p> + +<p> +"I am disposed," he said, "for my own part to believe it. +Unfortunately, I must judge the case from the nature of the testimony, +with impartiality and even to the utmost rigour of the law." +</p> + + + +<a name="VII"> </a> +<p class="chapter"> +CHAPTER VII. +</p> + +<p class="head"> +SENTENCED. +</p> + + +<p> +In the village of Eichbourg the case of Mary and the missing ring were +the only subjects of conversation, and many were the speculations as to +what the result of the case would be. At the period when Mary lived, +the crime of theft was always visited with severe punishment, and in +many cases the sentence of death was carried out when the theft was of +a much less valuable article than the Countess's ring. +</p> + +<p> +The Count himself wished for nothing so much as to find Mary innocent. +In his anxiety to give her the advantage of any doubt there might be, +he himself read all the testimony and conversed with the judge for +hours at a time, but, after all had been done, he was unable to +persuade himself of Mary's innocence. Amelia and her mother were, as +may be imagined, in deep distress, and begged with tears that Mary's +life might be spared. As for the old man, Mary's father, he spent his +days and nights in unceasing prayer that God would be pleased to prove +to the world the innocence of his daughter. +</p> + +<p> +All this time the preparations for the execution were being rapidly +pushed forward, and whenever Mary heard an officer enter her cell, she +thought it was to announce to her that her hour had come to die. +</p> + +<p> +But if Mary was thus distressed at the preparations for the execution, +there was another person for whom the thought had infinite terror. +Amelia's maid, Juliette, for the first time realised the crime of which +she had been guilty, and when she saw the executioner at his work, +horror seemed to deprive her of her reason. When she sat down to eat +she could not swallow a bite, and her spirits became so low that she +was an object of general remark. When she retired to rest, her sleep +was disturbed by ghastly dreams, in which she saw Mary's head severed +from her body. But in spite of the remorse which gnawed her day and +night, the heart of the unhappy woman was hardened against the idea of +confessing her falsehood, and so Mary remained guilty in the eyes of +the law. +</p> + +<p> +After much anxious deliberation the judge pronounced sentence upon +Mary. In consideration of her extreme youth and the unblemished +character which, up till now, she had enjoyed, the sentence of death +was not to be carried out; but instead, Mary and her father were to be +banished from the country, and all their furniture and possessions were +to be sold to make up, as far as possible, for the value of the ring, +and to pay the expenses of the trial. +</p> + +<p> +Next morning at break of day the sentence was carried into execution, +and Mary and her father were conducted from the prison. Their road lay +past the Castle gate, and just then Juliette came out. Since the +publication of the news that the sentence of death was not to be +carried out, this wicked girl had recovered her spirits, and once more +allowed all her evil feelings against Mary to revive. So far from being +sorry for the banishment that was now inflicted upon Mary, she rejoiced +in the thought that Mary could no longer be feared as a rival in her +mistress's favour. After the trial was over, the Countess, seeing +Mary's basket of flowers on the sideboard, had said to Juliette, "Take +away that basket, that I may never have it before my eyes. The +recollections which it arouses in me are so painful that I cannot +endure the sight of it." +</p> + +<p> +Now, as Mary and her father were passing the Castle gate, Juliette +called out to them, "Stop a minute. Here is your fine present; my +mistress would keep nothing from such people as you. Your glory has +passed away with the flowers for which you were paid so well." So +saying, she threw the basket at Mary's feet, re-entered the Castle, and +banged the door with great violence after her. Mary took the basket in +silence, and, with tears in her eyes, continued her way, while her +father dragged his aged limbs alongside of her. +</p> + +<p class="figcenter"><a name="64"><img src="images/004.jpg" alt="She threw the basket at Mary's feet." width="355" height="550"></a></p> +<p class="caption">"She threw the basket at Mary's feet."<br><i>See page +52.</i> +</p> + +<p> +Many a time on the journey Mary turned back to look, with tear-dimmed +eyes, towards the cottage where they had spent so many happy years, +until the roof of the Castle and even the church steeple disappeared +from her sight. At last they came to the limits of the country beyond +which their exile was to be; and, having conducted them thus far, the +officer left them. They were now in the heart of a forest, and the old +man, though overwhelmed with grief and anxiety for the future, seated +himself upon the grass under the shade of an oak tree and comforted his +daughter. +</p> + +<p> +"Come, my child," said he, taking Mary's hands in his own and raising +them to heaven, "before we go on let us thank God who has taken us out +of the gloomy prison, and allowed us to enjoy once more the sight of +heaven and the freshness of the air; who has saved our lives, and who +has returned you, my dear daughter, to your father's arms." The old man +then fell upon his knees, and out of a thankful heart commended himself +and his daughter to the protection of their heavenly Father. +</p> + +<p> +With the prayer of faith, which was thus offered up, feelings of joy +and courage began to fill their hearts. And now it was seen that God's +providence had not left them. An old huntsman—Anthony by name—with +whom James had been in service when he accompanied the Count on his +travels, had set out before daybreak to hunt a stag, and now came upon +James and his daughter seated under the oak. +</p> + +<p> +"God bless you, James," said Anthony. "It does me good to hear your +voice. Is it then true that they have banished you? Truly it is hard to +see a man obliged, in his old age, to quit his country." +</p> + +<p> +"As far as the reach of heaven extends," answered James, "the earth is +the Lord's, and His kindness is extended to all. Our country—our real +country—is in heaven." +</p> + +<p> +"Tell me," said the huntsman, with sympathy in his face, "if they have +banished you just as you are, without food or clothing necessary for +the journey." +</p> + +<p> +"He who clothes the flowers of the field will know how to provide for +us also!" +</p> + +<p> +"That is so; but you are provided at least with money?" insisted +Anthony, whose kind heart was filled with sympathy and indignation. +</p> + +<p> +"We have a good conscience," replied the old man, "and with that we are +richer than if the stone upon which I sit was gold. My father was a +basket-maker. He taught me his trade besides that of gardening, in +order that, during the dark winter months, I might have a useful +occupation. This has done more for me, and has been better for my +prosperity, than if he had left me a fortune. A good conscience, health +of body, and an honourable trade, are the best and surest fortunes we +can have on earth." +</p> + +<p> +"God be praised," answered the huntsman, "that you bear your +misfortunes so well. I am forced to confess that you are right, and +that you have still a good resource in gardening. But I cannot see +where you expect to get employment." +</p> + +<p> +"Far from here," answered James; "in places where we are not known. +Wherever, in short, God will conduct us." +</p> + +<p> +"James," said the huntsman, "take this stout stick in your hand. I have +used it to assist me in climbing up the mountains, but I can easily get +another. And here," he added, drawing from his pocket a little leather +purse, "is some money that I received in payment for some wood in the +village where I passed the night." +</p> + +<p> +"I gladly accept the cane," replied James, "and I will cherish it in +remembrance of a generous man; but it is impossible for me to accept +the money, as it is payment for wood that belongs to the Count." +</p> + +<p> +"Good old James," the huntsman replied, "if that is your fear, you may +take the money with an easy mind. Some years ago a poor old man, who +had lost his cow, could not pay for the wood which he had bought from +the Count. I advanced him the sum, which he paid to the Count, and +thought no more about it. Now he has got out of his difficulties, and +yesterday, when I had forgotten all about it, he returned it to me with +hearty thanks. So you see it is truly a present which God sends you." +</p> + +<p> +"I accept it," said James, "with thanks, and may God return it to you. +See, Mary," he said, turning to his daughter, "with what goodness God +provides for us at the very commencement of our banishment, here almost +before we have passed the limits of the country, and sends us our good +old friend who has given us money. Courage, my daughter; our heavenly +Father will watch over us." The huntsman then took leave of them with +tears in his eyes. +</p> + +<p> +"Farewell, honest James," said he, "farewell, my good Mary," extending +his hands to both. "I always thought you innocent, and I still think +so. Do not despair. Do not surrender your honesty because you are +suspected. Yes, yes; whosoever does well and has confidence in God, may +be assured of His protection. May God be with you." +</p> + +<p> +Hand in hand Mary and her father now continued their way through the +forest, not knowing at what spot they would rest, and without a friend +in the world but God. +</p> + + + +<a name="VIII"> </a> +<p class="chapter"> +CHAPTER VIII. +</p> + +<p class="head"> +FINDING NEW FRIENDS. +</p> + + +<p> +Although their hearts were thus sustained by faith in God, the journey +on which Mary and her father now started was a long and painful one. +For days they were unable to find a lodging, and the little money with +which they had started was at last exhausted, and they had no prospect +of earning more. Although it was sorely against their will, they were +at last compelled to ask for bread at the hands of charity. Here again +they were made to feel the humiliation of their position; for in going +from door to door, seeking for help which they so sorely needed, they +met with scarcely anything but rebuffs, and sometimes indeed with +abuse. Often their meal consisted only of a small piece of dry bread, +washed down by water from the nearest fountain. A luxury would +occasionally come their way in the shape of a little soup or some +vegetables, and here and there, some scraps of meat or pastry, given to +them by some kind-hearted housekeeper. After days spent in this way, +they were thankful at night to be allowed to sleep in a barn. +</p> + +<p> +Up till now Mary's father had borne up with wonderful courage. One day, +however, the distance which they had travelled was longer than usual, +and the road which stretched before them seemed endless, unbroken by +the sight of any village or human habitation. Suddenly the old man +began to feel very weak. His limbs tottered under him, and he fell, +pale and speechless, on a heap of dry leaves at the foot of a hill +covered with pine trees. +</p> + +<p> +In great alarm for her father's safety, and overwhelmed with grief, +Mary ran hither and thither trying to find water, but in vain. Thinking +that her voice might be heard by some one in the neighbourhood she +cried for help, but the echo alone answered her. As far as she could +see, in every direction the country was without human habitation. +Almost worn out with fatigue, she at last climbed to the top of the +hill in order that she might more readily discover any dwelling-place +where help might be obtained. It was then that she saw just behind the +hill a small farmhouse surrounded by green meadows, and shut in on +every side by forest. Hastily running down the hill, she arrived at the +cottage out of breath, and with tears in her eyes asked assistance for +her old father. The farmer and his wife were kind-hearted people, and +were deeply touched at the sight of Mary's agony. +</p> + +<p> +"Put the horse in the little waggon," said the farmer's wife to her +husband, "and we will bring this sick old man here." +</p> + +<p> +When the horse was harnessed the farmer's wife put two mattresses, an +earthen pitcher of water, and a bottle of vinegar into the waggon. But +when Mary heard that the waggon would require to go round the hill, and +could not reach her father within half an hour, she took the water and +vinegar in her hand, and went by the short road across the hill in +order that she might the sooner minister to her father's needs. Greatly +to her joy, she found that her father had recovered a little and was +now sitting at the foot of a pine tree. The old man was greatly +relieved to see his daughter, whose absence had caused him deep +anxiety. +</p> + +<p> +In a short time the waggon arrived with the farmer and his wife. +Placing James in the waggon they carried him to their home, where they +gave him a clean little room, and a closet and a kitchen which were +then unoccupied. +</p> + +<p> +The old man's illness had been caused solely by insufficient food, want +of rest, and the fatigue of the journey. With great kindness, the good +farmer and his wife, who were poor people, sacrificed some of their +usual luxuries in order that they might have more money to spend on the +things which James required to restore him to his usual health. For +instance, they had been in the habit of taking a trip every year to a +fair in a neighbouring village; but when the time came round they +agreed to remain at home that they might save the cost of the journey, +and spend the money thus saved in procuring some delicacies to tempt +the old man's appetite. At this fresh proof of their kindness, Mary +thanked them with tears of gratitude in her eyes. +</p> + +<p> +"Oh," said she, "truly there are kind people everywhere, and in the +most unlikely places we find compassionate hearts." +</p> + +<p> +During the days when the old man was gradually recovering, Mary watched +constantly at his bedside. But with the habit of industry which she had +practised, she filled up these hours with working for the farmer's wife +by knitting or sewing, and as may be imagined, this anxiety to help her +benefactors, added to her modest and winning manner, gave great +pleasure to the kind-hearted peasants. +</p> + +<p> +By and by the care which had been bestowed upon James, and the +nourishing food which he had got, began to tell upon him, and soon he +was so far restored as to be able to get up out of bed. As soon as he +felt returning strength, he was desirous of doing something. Resuming +their old habits, Mary gathered for him branches of willow and hazel, +and with these her father made a pretty little basket, which he offered +to the farmer's wife as a small token of gratitude. +</p> + +<p> +When he felt himself quite recovered, he said to his hosts— +</p> + +<p> +"We have been long enough a burden to you. It is time we should go and +seek our fortunes elsewhere." +</p> + +<p> +"Why should you leave us, my good James?" said the farmer, taking the +old man by the hand. "I hope we have not offended you in any way? The +year is now far advanced; the winter is at the door. If you have any +hardship again you will certainly be sick." +</p> + +<p> +James warmly assured them that the only motive he had for desiring to +leave them was the fear that he and his daughter were burdensome. +</p> + +<p> +"If that is all," said the farmer heartily, "pray do not distress +yourself further. The spare room which you occupy prevents you from +being burdensome to us in the smallest degree, and you gain enough to +supply your wants." +</p> + +<p> +"Yes, that is true," added the farmer's wife. "Mary alone earns enough +with her needle to support you; and as for you, James, if you wish to +exercise your trade of basket-maker, you will have your hands full. Not +long since I took your pretty basket with me to the market, and all the +countrywomen who saw it wished to have one like it. If you like I will +procure customers, and I promise that you will not soon be in want of +work." +</p> + +<p> +The old man and his daughter were only too glad to remain with their +kind-hearted friends, who expressed themselves as thoroughly pleased +with the new arrangement. +</p> + + + +<a name="IX"> </a> +<p class="chapter"> +CHAPTER IX. +</p> + +<p class="head"> +A NEW HOME. +</p> + + +<p> +James and his daughter were now settled down in a place which they +could call home; they furnished their rooms in a simple style, with +nothing more than they needed for everyday wants. It gave Mary great +pleasure in again being able to prepare her father's meals, and to look +after his comforts in every way; and together they led a life of quiet +happiness. The good friends with whom they lived had a large garden +attached to the house, but as the farmer and his wife had their time +too much taken up in the field to give much care to the garden, it was +of little or no use to them. James saw that it could be made a +profitable source of income by devoting it to the growing of flowers +and fruit, and when he proposed to put this plan into execution the +farmer's consent was willingly granted. +</p> + +<p> +During the autumn time, James had made his preparations, and when the +warmth of spring had melted the winter snows, he began his work, +assisted by Mary; and together they laboured from morning to night. The +garden was divided into beds planted with all sorts of vegetables and +flowers, and bordered with gravel walks. The old man was anxious to see +the completion of his idea, and allowed neither himself nor his +daughter rest until he had stocked the garden with their favourite +flowers, rose trees, tulip and lily roots, and various kinds of +shrubbery. +</p> + +<p> +Mary made a special study of cultivating some rare flowers, among which +were some which had never before been seen in this part of the country. +When the summer came, the garden showed such a burst of verdure and +blossom, that the valley, which was overshadowed by dark trees, now +assumed quite a smiling appearance. An orchard belonging to the farmer, +which had also been taken in hand by James, soon bore evidence to his +gardening skill in the shape of an abundant harvest of fruit. Indeed, +it seemed as if the blessing of God was upon everything that James +undertook. +</p> + +<p> +Settled in a comfortable home, and occupied in his favourite calling, +the old gardener began to forget the troubles of the past, and to +regain the cheerful humour which had made his conversation such a +delight in the past. Once more he began to reflect upon the lessons +which the flowers taught, and day by day he taught to Mary some new +lesson which he had learned from them. +</p> + +<p> +One day a woman from the neighbouring village came to buy some flax +from the farmer, and brought her little boy with her. While she was +occupied in bargaining for the flax, her little child, finding the +garden-gate open, had gone in and begun to plunder a full-blown rose +bush, with the result that he scratched himself terribly with the sharp +thorns. His mother and the farmer's wife, as well as James and his +daughter, hearing his screams of pain, ran to him. The child, with his +little hands all covered with blood, cried out against the naughty rose +bush for having attracted him by its pretty flowers and then cruelly +torn his hands. +</p> + +<p> +The occasion was seized by James for drawing a lesson. "It is sometimes +thus with us older children also," he said to Mary. "Like this rose +tree, every pleasure in life has its thorns. We run towards them, and +would fain seize them with both hands. Some are led away by a taste for +the dance and theatre, others by a taste for strong drink, or still +more shameful vices. But the thorns make themselves felt by and by, and +then there comes lament for wasted youth, and a distaste for the +pleasures once so eagerly sought. Do not let us be foolishly dazzled by +the beauty of the world. The chief end which man has to care for is the +saving of his soul, and it is folly to give ourselves up to the +enjoyment of passion. Our unceasing effort should be to use all +diligence to gain eternal life." +</p> + +<p> +One day James was employed in placing young plants in a part of the +garden, while Mary was weeding at a little distance from him. "This +double labour, my child," said her father, "represents what should be +the occupation of our life. Our heart is a garden which the good God +has given to us to cultivate. It is necessary that we should constantly +apply ourselves to cultivate the good and to extract the evil, which is +too apt to take root. That we may fulfil faithfully these two duties, +let us implore God's assistance and blessing, which makes the sun to +shine out and the rain to fall, the plants to grow, and the fruit to +ripen. Then will our hearts be delightful gardens. We shall then have +heaven within ourselves." In this way the old man and his daughter +passed through life, active and industrious in their calling, and +mingling innocent pleasures and instructive conversation with their +daily pursuits. +</p> + +<p> +Three years passed swiftly away, and the happy days they had spent at +Pine Cottage had almost blotted out the memory of their past +misfortunes. It was now autumn time, and the chrysanthemums, the last +ornaments of the garden, were glorious in red and yellow flowers. The +leaves of the trees had become of varied tints, and everything showed +that the garden was preparing for the winter's repose. James had lately +begun to feel his strength failing, and the thought of his daughter's +future gave him considerable uneasiness. He concealed his feelings from +her for fear of distressing her, but Mary observed that her father's +remarks upon the flowers were now mostly of a melancholy kind. One day +she observed a rose-bud which had never blossomed. In attempting to +gather it the leaves of the flower fell off in her hand. "It is the +same with men," said her father, who had been watching her. "In youth +we resemble the rose newly opened, but our life fades like the rose. +Almost before it is matured, it passes away. Do not pride yourself, my +dear child, upon the beauty of the body. It is vain and fragile. Aim +rather at beauty of soul and true piety, which will never wither." +</p> + +<p> +One day towards evening time the old man climbed a ladder to pluck some +apples, while Mary stood below with a basket to hold them. +</p> + +<p> +"How cold," said James, "this autumn wind is as it whistles over the +stubble fields and plays with the yellow leaves and my white hairs. I +am in my autumn, my dear child, as you will also be some day. Try to +grow like this excellent apple tree, which produces beautiful fruit and +in great abundance. Try to please the Master of the great garden which +is called the world." +</p> + +<p> +On another day Mary was sowing seed for the following spring. "The day +will come," said her father, "when we shall be put in the ground, as +you are putting these seeds. But let us console ourselves, my dear +Mary. As soon as the corn is enfolded in the earth, it is animated. It +springs from the earth in the form of a beautiful flower, and rises +thus triumphantly from the place where it was buried. So also shall we +rise one day from our tombs with splendour and magnificence. When you +follow me to the tomb, my dear child, do not mourn for me, but think of +the future. In the flowers which you will plant on my grave, try to see +the image of the resurrection and immortal life." +</p> + + + +<a name="X"> </a> +<p class="chapter"> +CHAPTER X. +</p> + +<p class="head"> +A FATHER'S LAST WORDS. +</p> + + +<p> +The winter had now set in with threatenings of severity. Already the +mountain and valley round about the farm were covered with deep snow. +The weakness which old James had been feeling for some time now +culminated in a severe illness. Obtaining her father's consent, Mary +asked a physician from a neighbouring village to visit him. The doctor +came to see James and prescribed for him. Full of foreboding, Mary +followed him to the door to ask him if he had any hope of her father's +recovery. To this the physician replied that the old man was in no +immediate danger, but that he suffered from a disease which would make +his recovery as an old man very improbable. It was with difficulty that +Mary bore up under the news, and, after the physician had gone, she had +a fit of passionate sobbing. For the sake of her father, however, she +wiped away her tears, and endeavoured to appear calm before she went to +him. +</p> + +<p> +During the succeeding days Mary attended her father with the utmost +devotion and loving care. Rarely had he to make his requests known, for +his daughter could read in his eyes all that he wanted. Mary spent +whole nights by his bedside. If at any time she consented to be +relieved for a little rest, it was but rarely that she could close her +eyes. If her father coughed, she trembled with apprehension; if he made +the least stir, she immediately approached him softly and on tiptoe to +know how he was. She prepared and brought to him in the most delicate +forms the food which best suited his condition. She arranged his +pillows from time to time, read to him, and prayed for him continually. +Even when he dozed for a little she would stand by his bed with her +hands clasped and her tearful eyes raised to heaven. +</p> + +<p> +Mary had a little money which she had saved from her hard-won earnings. +To scrape together this small sum she had often spent half the night in +sewing and knitting articles for sale. Now, in her father's illness, +she made use of this little store to procure for him everything which +she thought would be of any service. Good old James, although +occasionally he felt himself a little stronger, was never deceived +about his condition, but felt only too sure that he was on his +deathbed. The thought had no power to disturb him, and he spoke to his +daughter of his approaching death with the greatest serenity. +</p> + +<p> +"Oh," said Mary, crying bitterly, "do not speak thus, my dear father. I +cannot bear the thought. What will become of me? Alas, your poor Mary +will no longer have any one upon the earth!" +</p> + +<p> +"Do not cry, my dear child," said her father affectionately, holding +out his hand to her. "You have a kind Father in heaven who will never +forsake you, although your earthly father be taken away from you. I do +not feel anxious about the manner in which you will gain a livelihood +when I am dead, for the birds easily find their food, and you will find +enough to nourish you. God provides for the smallest sparrow; will He +not also provide for you? The thought that distresses me," he +continued, "is that you will be left alone. Alas, my dear child, you +have little idea of the wickedness that is in the world! There will be +moments perhaps when you will feel inclined to do evil; moments when +you will perhaps yourself be persuaded that sin is not so very wrong. +Listen to the advice which I now give you, and let the last words of +your dying father be for ever deeply impressed on your heart. Forbid +every action, every speech, every thought for which you would have to +blush if your father knew. Soon my eyes will be for ever closed, I +shall not longer be here to watch over you, but remember you have in +heaven a Father whose eye sees everything and reads the secrets of your +heart." +</p> + +<p> +After a little while, when he had recovered breath, he continued: "You +would not wish by an act of disobedience to hurt the father whom you +have on earth; how much more then should you fear to offend your Father +which is in heaven? Look at me once more, Mary. Oh, if you ever feel +the least inclination to do wrong, think of my pale face and of the +tears which wet these sunken cheeks. Come to me, put your hand into +mine which will soon fall into dust. Promise me never to forget my +words. In the hour of temptation, imagine that you feel this cold hand +which you now hold on the border of the grave. My poor child, you +cannot see without weeping, my pale and hollow cheeks. But know that +everything passes away in this world. There was a time when I had the +bloom of health and the fresh colour which you now have. The time will +come when you too will be stretched on the bed of death, pale and +emaciated, as you now see me, if God does not sooner take you to +Himself. The friends of my youth have disappeared like the flowers +which have passed away with the spring, and for whose places you seek +in vain, like the dew which sparkles for a moment on the flowers and is +gone." +</p> + +<p> +The next day James, feeling that his end was near, felt it his duty and +delight, though weak in body, to continue his advice to his daughter. +</p> + +<p> +"I have seen the world," said he, "as well as other people, in the day +when I accompanied the young Count on his travels. If there was +anything in the large cities superb or magnificent, I went there. I +spent whole weeks in pleasure. If there was a brilliant assembly or a +lively conversation, I saw and heard as well as my young master. I +shared in the most exquisite meals, and of the scarcest wines, and +always had more than I wished for. But all these worldly pleasures left +me with an empty heart. I assure you solemnly, my dear Mary, that a few +moments of peaceful thought and fervent prayer in our arbour in +Eichbourg, or under this roof that covers us now, gave me more real joy +than all the vain pleasures of the world. Seek then your happiness in a +life of service of our blessed Saviour. You will find Him and He will +bless you. +</p> + +<p> +"Too well you know, my child, that I have not been without misfortune +in this life. When I lost your dear mother my heart was for a long time +like a dry and barren garden, whose soil, burned by the sun, cracks +open, and seems to sigh for rain. In this way I languished, thirsting +for consolation, and at last I found it in the Lord. Oh, my dear +daughter, there will be days in your life when your heart also will be +like dry and barren ground; but let it not dishearten you. As the +thirsty ground calls not for rain in vain, but God sends the refreshing +showers, so if you seek your consolation from God, He will refresh your +heart as the sweet rain refreshes the thirsty parched earth. Let your +confidence in your heavenly Father be unshaken. Firmly believe that +there is nothing He will not do for those He loves. Sometimes He may +lead us by paths of grief, but be sure that these paths lead to +unmingled happiness. Do you recollect, my good Mary, all the grief you +felt when, after our painful walk, I fell down with fatigue in the +middle of the road? Now you can see that this accident was the means +which God made use of to procure for us the comforts which we have +enjoyed for three years with the good people of this house. Had I not +taken ill that day then we should not have come before their door, or +their hearts would not have been touched with compassion for us. All +the pleasures which we have enjoyed here, all the good which we may +have been enabled to do, are so many benefits which sprang from the +sickness which at first so sorely distressed you. +</p> + +<p> +"But you will always find, my dear Mary, that in the troubles of life +there are proofs of the Divine goodness, to those who will look for +them. If the liberal hand of the Lord has scattered with flowers the +mountains and valleys, forests and river-banks, and even the muddy +marshes, to give us everywhere the opportunity of admiring the +tenderness and beauty of nature, He has also imprinted on all the +events of our life the evident traces of His great wisdom, and all His +passionate love to man in order that the attentive man may learn by +them to love and adore Him. +</p> + +<p> +"In all our life, we have never had to suffer more than when you were +accused of a theft, when you were chained and likely to be doomed to +death. We were weeping together in prison and lamenting our affliction. +Well, even this trial has been a source of great good to us. Looking +back upon it we can see that, when the young Countess favoured you +above other young girls, honoured you by admitting you to her company, +made you a present of a beautiful gown, and expressed a wish that you +should always be near her, there was a danger that these great +advantages of life would render you vain and trifling, fond of the +things of this world, and apt to forget God. Doubtless the Lord +consulted our highest interests when He changed our condition, and +banished us from happiness into despair. In the misery of our state, in +prison and in poverty of circumstances, we have been enabled to live +nearer to Him. He has brought us far from the corrupt influences of +large towns into this lonely country where He has prepared for us a +better home. Here you are like a flower flourishing in solitude, where, +if it has not the admiration of man, it has nothing to fear from his +hand. +</p> + +<p> +"The good and faithful God who has done all these things for us will +give a still more happy turn to your life. For I firmly believe that He +has answered my prayer, that He will one day show to the world your +innocence. When that time shall come I shall be no more, but I can die +in peace without seeing it, for I am convinced of your innocence. Yes, +my daughter, the pain which you have suffered will yet be the means of +leading you to much happiness on earth, though this kind of happiness +is the least, and you will see that God's great design in afflicting us +was to sanctify our hearts, and to prepare us for that home to which we +can arrive only through tribulation and suffering. +</p> + +<p> +"Believing this, let not your heart be troubled that you are in +misfortune. Believe firmly that God's tenderness watches over you, that +His care will be sufficient for you in whatever place He chooses to +take you. In whatever painful situation you may be placed, say, 'It is +the best place for me. Notwithstanding all that, I am safe, for He has +brought me here.'" +</p> + + + +<a name="XI"> </a> +<p class="chapter"> +CHAPTER XI. +</p> + +<p class="head"> +MARY'S GREAT LOSS. +</p> + + +<p> +When at last Mary could no longer hide from herself the seriousness of +her father's illness, she went to the minister of the parish in which +Pine Cottage was situated and asked him to come and visit him. The +minister, who was a kind-hearted and godly man, gladly availed himself +of the opportunity. Besides conversing with James on spiritual matters, +he was of great comfort to Mary by the kindly affection with which he +treated her. One afternoon when the old man's weakness was sensibly +increased, James requested Mary to leave the room for a moment that he +might have private conversation with the minister. After a little +while, he called her in again, and said— +</p> + +<p> +"My dear child, I have settled all my worldly affairs, and am now ready +to depart and be with Christ." +</p> + +<p> +Mary was deeply distressed, and had great difficulty in keeping back +her tears, for she saw that the end was rapidly approaching. But out of +consideration for her father, and after a great effort, she recovered +herself, and remained calm. +</p> + +<p> +The rest of the day was spent by James in silent prayer, and next day +he received the Lord's Supper at the hands of the minister, by +partaking of the bread and wine which are the symbols of the body and +blood of Christ. Faith in the power of God, love to Christ who had +redeemed him, and hope of eternal life, had made his venerable +countenance radiant with happiness. +</p> + +<p> +Mary remained on her knees beside his bed, weeping and praying. The +farmer and his wife and their household looked on in wonder at the +rapture of the aged saint, and tears of sympathy were in every eye +because of Mary's grief. +</p> + +<p> +It gave the old man pleasure to have Mary read to him in her sweet and +clear voice. During the latter part of his illness he desired to hear +nothing else than the last words and prayer of Jesus. One night, after +all the household had gone to bed, Mary was sitting beside her father. +The moon was shining so brightly into the room that the light of the +candle was scarcely seen. +</p> + +<p> +"Mary," said the dying man, "read me once again that beautiful prayer +of our Saviour." +</p> + +<p> +Mary began to read. "Now," said the old man, "give me the book." Mary +gave him the book, and carried the light nearer to him. "This will be +the last prayer," said her father, "that I shall make for you," as he +marked the passage with his finger, then in a trembling voice he +uttered the following prayer: "O Father, I have not long to remain in +this world. I am going—I dare hope it—I am going to Thee, my heavenly +Father. Oh, preserve this my child from sin, for Thy Name's sake. While +I have lived on the earth, I have endeavoured in Thy name to preserve +her from it. But, O Lord, I am now going to Thee. I do not ask Thee to +take her to Thyself, but only to preserve her from harm. Let Thy holy +truth preserve her. Thy word is truth. Grant, O heavenly Father, that +the child whom Thou hast given me may at last be admitted to the place +where I hope to go. Through Jesus Christ my Saviour. Amen." +</p> + +<p> +Mary repeated, as well as her sobs would allow her, her father's +<i>Amen</i>. "Yes," continued the old man, "yes, my daughter, in the +kingdom which Jesus had from the beginning of the world, we shall see +Him, and we shall see each other." He again lay down on his pillow to +rest a little. His hands continued to hold the New Testament, which he +had bought with his first money saved from the purchase of food after +he left Eichbourg. +</p> + +<p> +"Dear daughter," he said, some minutes afterwards, "I am grateful for +all the affection and tenderness which you have shown me since my +illness commenced. Trust in your heavenly Father, Mary, and you will +receive of Him your reward. Poor and forsaken as I am, I can give you +nothing, when I leave you, but my blessing and this book. Live in the +ways of righteousness, and this blessing will not be without effect. +The blessing of a father with the confidence of the Lord is better for +a virtuous child than the richest inheritance. This book, which I wish +you to take in remembrance of your father, cost me, it is true, but a +few shillings, but if it be faithfully read and its precepts put in +practice, I shall have left you the richest treasure. If I had left you +as many pieces of gold as the spring produces leaves and flowers, with +all that money you could not buy anything so valuable as this book. It +is the Word of God. Read it every day, no matter how much work presses +upon you; read at least one passage. Preserve it and meditate upon it +in your heart during the day." +</p> + +<p> +About three o'clock the next morning James said, in a faint voice, "I +feel very ill. Open the window a little." Mary opened it. The moon had +disappeared, but the sky was brilliant with stars, and presented a +magnificent sight. +</p> + +<p> +"See how beautiful the sky is!" said the dying man. "What are the +flowers of earth whose beauty I have so often admired compared with +these stars, whose glory suffers no fading? It is there I am going. +What joy! Come, Lord Jesus, come quickly." +</p> + +<p> +With these words James fell back upon his pillow, and passed peacefully +away. Mary had never seen any one die before, and she thought her +father had only fainted. In her fright she awoke all the family. They +ran to her father's bed, and there she heard them say to each other +that he was dead. Abandoning herself to her grief, she threw herself +upon her father's body, embraced it, and wept passionately. +</p> + +<p> +"Oh, my father, my good father," said she, "how shall I discharge all +my obligations to you? Alas, I cannot now. I can only thank you for all +the words, for all good advice I received from your dear lips, now +sealed in death. Your hand, which is now cold and stiff, I kiss with +gratitude, and remember that that hand has bestowed upon me many +benefits, and has all my life laboured for my good. Oh, if I could at +this moment follow you into the heavenly kingdom, how gladly would I do +so. Oh, let me die the death of the righteous. My only consolation now +is that I shall one day enter upon the happiness and everlasting life +of heaven." +</p> + +<p> +During this heart-rending scene the farmer's family had been much +affected. At last they prevailed upon Mary to lie down and rest, hoping +that sleep would ease her grief. During the following day nothing would +induce her to leave her father's body. Before the coffin lid was nailed +down, Mary took one more look at her father. "Alas," said she, "it is +the last time that I shall ever look upon your dear face! How beautiful +it was when you smiled, and it shone with the glory into which you were +so shortly to enter. Farewell, farewell, my father," said she, sobbing +aloud, "may your body rest peacefully in the earth now, while angels of +God are, as I hope, bearing your soul to eternal rest." +</p> + +<p> +When the funeral took place, Mary, dressed in mourning which one of the +girls of the village had kindly given her, followed close to the body +of her father. She was as pale as death, and every one pitied the poor +girl who now was without a relative in the world. As Mary's father was +a stranger at Erlenbrunn, they dug a grave for him in a corner of the +cemetery beside the wall. Two large pine trees shaded the humble grave. +The minister who had attended James during his illness spoke of James's +patience and of the resignation with which he had borne all his +misfortunes, and the good example he had set for those who knew him. +With tender words he consoled Mary, who was overwhelmed with grief. In +the name of her father, the minister thanked the farmer and his wife +for all their kindness to Mary and her father. He begged of them to be +father and mother to her who had no longer any parents. +</p> + + + +<a name="XII"> </a> +<p class="chapter"> +CHAPTER XII. +</p> + +<p class="head"> +CHANGES AT PINE FARM. +</p> + + +<p> +After her father's death, Mary was no longer the bright happy girl she +had been before. Even her favourite flowers seemed to have lost all +their beauty, and the pine trees near the farm looked as though they +were clothed in mourning. From time to time she attended the church at +Erlenbrunn; and when here she never failed to visit her father's grave. +On every opportunity she went to this sacred spot to weep for her +departed parent, and she never left the grave without having made fresh +resolutions to ignore the pleasures of the world, and to live only to +God. As time went on her grief gradually moderated, but she soon had +new trials to undergo. +</p> + +<p> +Great changes took place in Pine Farm. The good farmer had given the +farm to his only son, an amiable, good-tempered young man, but unhappy +in his choice of a wife, whom he had married a short time before. She +was a handsome woman, and possessed of considerable means; but she was +vain to a degree, and cared for nothing but money. Pride and greed had +gradually imprinted on her features an expression of harshness so +striking that, with all her beauty, her looks were repellent. She was +violently opposed to religion, and was thus without any restraint on +her conduct. By every means in her power she sought to make the lives +of her husband's parents miserable. If she knew that anything would +give them pleasure, she delighted in doing the contrary, and when she +gave them the food which was their due, according to the contract they +had made with their son, it was always with a bad grace, and in a +grudging spirit. +</p> + +<p> +The good old man and his wife lived the greater part of their time in a +little back room, seldom appearing outside. As for their son, he led a +miserable life; for his wife overwhelmed him with constant abuse, and +was constantly reminding him of the money she had brought him. Being of +a peaceable disposition, and averse to quarrelling and disputing, he +bore his sufferings in silence. His wife would never quietly allow him +to visit his parents, for fear, as she said, he would give them +something secretly. In the evening, after he had finished his work, he +used to try to find an opportunity to visit them, when he would +complain to them of his hard lot. +</p> + +<p> +"Well," said his father, "so it is. You suffered yourself to be dazzled +by the thought of her gold, and to be fascinated by her good looks. I +yielded too easily to your wishes, and thus we are punished. We should +have taken the advice of old James, who was an experienced man and +never approved of this match when it was talked of. I well remember +every word he said on the subject, and I have thought of it many a +time. Do you remember," said he to his wife, "our having said that ten +thousand florins make a handsome sum. 'A handsome sum!' said James, +'no; for the flowers you see in your garden are a thousand times more +beautiful. Perhaps you mean to say it is a large and heavy sum. I will +acknowledge that. He must have good shoulders to bear it without being +bowed down to the earth, and without becoming a poor wretch, unable to +lift his head to heaven. Why then do you wish for so much money? You +have never wanted anything; you have always had more than sufficient. +Believe me, too much money produces pride. Rain is a useful and +necessary thing, but when too much falls there is danger of it +destroying the most healthy plants of the garden.' +</p> + +<p> +"These were exactly the old friend's words we have lost," said the +farmer, "and I think I still hear him. And you, my son, once said to +him of your wife, 'She has a charming person, and is beautiful and +fresh as a rose.' 'Flowers,' answered James, 'have not beauty only; +they are good and pretty at the same time. They make so many rich +presents. The bee sucks in pure wax and delicious honey. Without piety, +a beautiful face is merely a rose upon paper, a miserable trifle +without life or perfume. It produces neither wax nor honey.' Such were +the reflections that James frankly made before us. We would not listen +to him—now we know how to appreciate his advice. That which appeared +then to us so great a happiness is now to us the height of misfortune. +May God give us grace to bear our misfortunes with patience!" Thus the +old couple and their son used to talk together. +</p> + +<p> +Poor Mary had much to suffer also. The back room which she and her +father had occupied was given up to the old couple, and, although there +were two empty rooms in the farmhouse, the young farmer's wife, who +disliked Mary, gave her the most miserable apartment in the house; +beside which, she ill-treated her in every possible way, and loaded her +with abuse and fault-finding from morning to night. According to her, +Mary did not work enough and did not know how to do anything as it +ought to be done. In short, she made it very plain to the poor orphan +that she was despised and considered troublesome. +</p> + +<p> +The old man and his wife were keenly conscious of the miserable life +that Mary led, but they were not in a position to interfere. They had +enough to do with their own griefs. +</p> + +<p> +Mary thought often of going away from Pine Farm, but where to go was +the question. After some consideration she asked the minister's advice. +"My dear Mary," said the old minister, "it is impossible for you to +think of remaining longer at Pine Farm. They expect you to do more than +a strong man could accomplish. Still, I do not advise you to leave +immediately. Although your father gave you an excellent education, and +taught you all that it was necessary for a village housekeeper to know, +my advice would be to remain where you are for the present; to work as +faithfully as you can, and to wait patiently until the Lord delivers +you from your present hard circumstances. I will endeavour to get you a +place in an honest Christian family. Have confidence in God; pray +constantly, bear with this trial, and God will arrange all." Mary +thanked the good old minister and promised to follow his advice. +</p> + +<p> +Mary's favourite place of meditation was her father's tomb, where she +had planted a rose tree. "Alas," said she, "if I could remain here +always, I would water you with my tears!" The rose tree was already +green, and the buds began to open their purple cups. "My father was +right," said Mary, "when he compared human life to the rose tree. It +offers nothing but thorns; but wait a little and the season will come +when it shall be decked anew in foliage and robed in the most beautiful +flowers. For me, this is now the time of thorns; but God help me not to +be cast down! I believe your word, best of fathers. Perhaps I may see +in my life the truth of your favourite maxim—'Patience produces roses.'" +Thus poor Mary consoled herself in her distress. +</p> + +<div class="poem"> +<div class="stanza"> +<p>"Thou art, O Lord, my only trust,</p> +<p>When friends are mingled with the dust,</p> +<p class="i2">And all my loves are gone.</p> +<p>When earth has nothing to bestow,</p> +<p>And every flower is dead below,</p> +<p class="i2">I look to Thee alone."</p></div></div> + + + +<a name="XIII"> </a> +<p class="chapter"> +CHAPTER XIII. +</p> + +<p class="head"> +AGAIN A WANDERER. +</p> + + +<p> +The months sped on, and now the anniversary of her father's birthday +arrived. Until then it had always been to Mary a day of great joy, but +this time, when the day dawned, she was bathed in tears. Previously she +had had the pleasure and excitement of preparing something which she +knew would please her father, but now, alas, this delightful occupation +was rendered useless! +</p> + +<p> +The country people round about their home used to beg flowers from her +for the purpose of decorating the graves of their friends. It had +always been a pleasure to Mary to give her flowers for this purpose, +and she now determined to decorate her father's tomb in the same +manner. Taking from a cupboard the beautiful basket which had been the +first cause of all her unhappiness, she filled it with choice flowers +of all colours, artistically interspersed with fresh green leaves, and +carried it to Erlenbrunn before the hour of divine service, and laid it +on her father's tomb, watering it at the same time with tears that +could not be repressed. +</p> + +<p> +"Oh, best and dearest of fathers," said she, "you have strewed with +flowers the path of life for me. Let me at least ornament your grave +with them." +</p> + +<p> +Mary left the basket on the grave, and went back to the misery of Pine +Farm. She had no fear that any one would dare to steal either the +basket or the flowers. Many of the country people who saw her offering +were moved to tears, and, blessing the old gardener's pious daughter, +they prayed for her prosperity. +</p> + +<p> +The next day the labourers at the farm were busy taking in the hay from +a large meadow just beyond the forest. The farmer's wife had a large +piece of fine linen spread out on the grass a few steps from the house, +and in the evening this was found to have disappeared. Unfortunately +the young farmer's wife had heard the story of Mary and the ring from +her husband, to whom it had been told by his father and mother. +Instantly then she connected Mary with the disappearance of the linen, +and saw in the circumstance a means of venting her spite upon the girl +whom she had always disliked. +</p> + +<p> +When Mary was returning from her work in the evening with a rake on her +shoulder and a pitcher in her hand, along with the other servants, this +passionate woman came out of the kitchen and met her with a torrent of +abuse, and ordered her to give up the linen immediately. At first Mary +was too stunned to reply, but when she understood the charge, she +answered meekly that it was impossible she could have taken the linen, +as she had passed the whole day in the hay-field with the other +servants; that a stranger might easily have taken advantage of a moment +when there was no one in the kitchen to commit the theft. This +conjecture turned out to be the true one, but the farmer's wife was not +to be turned from her conviction. +</p> + +<p> +"Thief," she cried coarsely, "do you think I am ignorant of the theft +of the ring, and what difficulty you had to escape the executioner's +sword? Begone as soon as possible. There is no room in my house for +creatures like you." +</p> + +<p> +"It is too late," said her husband, "to send Mary away now. Let her sup +with us, as she has worked all day in the great heat. Let her but +remain this one night." +</p> + +<p> +"Not even one hour," cried his wife passionately; and her husband, +seeing that advice would only irritate her more, remained silent. +</p> + +<p> +Mary made no further attempt to defend herself against the unjust +accusation. She immediately made her simple preparations for her +departure, wrapping up all that she had in a clean napkin. When she had +put the little bundle under her arm, thanked the servants of Pine Farm +for their kindness to her and protested once more her innocence, she +asked permission to take leave of her friends, the old farmer and his +wife. +</p> + +<p> +"You may do that," said the young farmer's wife, with a scornful smile; +"indeed, if you wish to take with you these two old people, it will +give me great pleasure. It is evident death does not mean to rid me of +them for some time." +</p> + +<p> +The good old people, who had heard the altercation, wept when Mary came +to bid them good-bye. However, they consoled her as well as they could, +and gave her a little money to assist her on her journey. "Go, good +girl," said they to her, "and may God take care of you." +</p> + +<p> +It was towards the close of the day when Mary set out with her little +bundle under her arm, and began to climb up the mountain, following the +narrow road to the woods. She wished before leaving the neighbourhood +to visit her father's grave once more. When she came out of the forest +the village clock struck seven, and before she arrived at the graveyard +it was nearly dark; but she was not afraid, and went up to her father's +grave, where she sat down and gave way to a burst of grief. The full +moon was shining through the trees, illumining with a silver light the +roses on the grave and the basket of flowers. The soft evening breeze +murmured among the branches, making the rose trees planted on her +father's grave tremble. +</p> + +<p> +"Oh, my father," cried Mary, "would that you were still here, that I +might pour my trouble into your ears! But yet I know that it is better +that you are gone, and I thank the Lord that you did not live to +witness this last affliction. You are now happy, and beyond the reach +of grief. Oh, that I were with you! Alas, never have I been so much to +be pitied as now. When the moon shone into the prison which confined me +you were then alive; when I was driven from the home which I loved so +much you were left me. I had in you a good father and protector and +faithful friend. Now I have no one. Poor, forsaken, suspected of crime, +I am alone in the world, a stranger, not knowing where to lay my head. +The only little corner that remained to me on the earth I am driven +from, and now I shall no longer have the consolation of coming here to +weep by your grave!" At these words the tears rushed forth afresh. +</p> + +<p> +"Alas," said she, "I dare not at this hour beg a lodging for the night. +Indeed, if I tell why I was turned out of doors, no one perhaps will +consent to receive me." +</p> + +<p> +She looked around. Against the wall, near her father's tomb, was a +gravestone, very old and covered with moss. As the inscription had been +effaced by time, it was left there to be used as a seat. "I will sit +down on this stone," said she, "and pass the night by my father's +grave. It is perhaps the last time I shall ever be here. To-morrow at +daybreak, if it be God's will, I shall continue my journey, going +wherever His hand may direct me." +</p> + + + +<a name="XIV"> </a> +<p class="chapter"> +CHAPTER XIV. +</p> + +<p class="head"> +A STRANGE MEETING. +</p> + + +<p> +Mary sat down on the stone near the wall shaded by the thick foliage of +a tree which covered her with its dark branches. Here she poured out +her soul in fervent prayer to God. Suddenly she heard a sweet voice +calling her familiarly by her name, "Mary, Mary!" +</p> + +<p> +The late hour of night and the solitude of the graveyard and her +loneliness made Mary start with fear. Looking up she saw the beautiful +face and figure of a woman, dressed in a long flowing robe. Frightened +and trembling, Mary was about to fly. +</p> + +<p class="figcenter"><a name="96"><img src="images/005.jpg" alt="Looking up she saw the beautiful face and figure of a +woman." width="358" height="550"></a></p> +<p class="caption">"Looking up she saw the beautiful face and figure of a +woman."<br><i>See page 104.</i> +</p> + +<p> +"Dear Mary," said the lady, with tenderness in her voice, "do not be +alarmed; I am not a spirit, but a human being like yourself. God has +heard your fervent prayers, and I have come to help you. Look at me; is +it possible you do not know me?" +</p> + +<p> +The moon was shining brightly upon her face, and with an exclamation of +surprise, Mary cried out, "Is it you, the Countess Amelia? Oh, how did +you get here—here in so lonely a place at this hour of the night, so +far from your home?" +</p> + +<p> +The Countess raised Mary gently from the ground, pressed her to her +heart, and kissed her tenderly. +</p> + +<p> +"Dear Mary," said she, "we have done you great injustice. You have been +ill rewarded for the pleasure which you gave me with the basket of +flowers, but at last your innocence has been made known. Can you ever +forgive my parents and me? We are ready to make amends as far as it +lies in our power. Forgive us, dear Mary." +</p> + +<p> +Mary was distressed at these words, and begged the Countess not to talk +of forgiveness. "Considering the circumstances," she said, "you showed +great indulgence towards me, and it never entered my mind to nourish +the least resentment towards you. I had grateful thoughts of all your +kindness, and my only sorrow was that you and your dear parents should +regard me as ungrateful enough to be guilty of stealing your ring. My +great desire was that you might one day be convinced of my innocence, +and God has granted this desire. May His name be praised!" +</p> + +<p> +The Countess pressed Mary to her heart, and bathed her face in tears. +Afterwards she looked at James's grave and, clasping her hands, she +cried out passionately, "Oh, noble man, whose body lies here, whom I +learned to love in my tender youth, whose affectionate counsels I have +often received, and whose fervent prayers I have so often listened to, +why cannot I see your face to ask pardon for all the injustice done +you? Oh, if we had only taken more precaution, if we had placed more +confidence in an old servant who had always shown unimpeachable honesty +and faithfulness, perhaps thou hadst still been living with us!" +</p> + +<p> +"Believe me, good Countess," said Mary, "my father was far from feeling +the least resentment towards you. He prayed for you daily, as he was +accustomed to do when he lived at Eichbourg, and at the hour of his +death he blessed you all. +</p> + +<p> +"'Mary,' said he to me, a little before he died, 'I feel confident that +those whom we once served will one day recognise your innocence, and +recall you from exile. When that day comes, assure the Countess and +Count and Amelia that my heart was full of respect and love and +gratitude towards them till my last breath.' These, my dear Countess, +were his last words." +</p> + +<p> +The tears of the good Amelia flowed copiously. "Come, Mary," said she, +"and sit down here with me on the stone. We are safe here in the +sanctuary of the Lord. Let me tell you of all the strange events that +have happened." +</p> + + + +<a name="XV"> </a> +<p class="chapter"> +CHAPTER XV. +</p> + +<p class="head"> +THE YOUNG COUNTESS'S STORY. +</p> + + +<p> +Having made Mary sit down beside her, the young Countess began her +story. +</p> + +<p> +"God is surely with you, dear Mary," said she, "and has taken you under +His protection. I see now that He has guided my steps here in order +that I might find you for whom we have sought so long. Simple as are +the events which I am about to relate to you, we can see in them a +chain of truly providential circumstances. +</p> + +<p> +"From the time that your innocence was discovered I had no more rest. +You and your father were always pressing on my mind, wandering without +home and friends. Believe me, my dear Mary, I have shed many bitter +tears on your account. My parents were also deeply distressed at the +injustice they had unwittingly done you, and sought for you everywhere; +but, as you know, without being able to obtain any trace of you. +</p> + +<p> +"Two days ago we came to a hunting-lodge of the Prince in the forest, +not far from this village. For twenty years at least this castle has +not been visited, the only occupant being a gamekeeper. My father had +gone on business, and had spent the whole day in the forest in company +with two noblemen whose wives were staying at the castle. It had been a +very warm day, and the evening was very fresh. The setting sun, the +mountain covered with pines interspersed with picturesque rocks offered +such a beautiful spectacle that I begged permission to take a walk. +Accompanied by the gamekeeper's daughter I set out, and as we passed +along we found the graveyard gate open, and the tombstones gilded by +the light of the setting sun. +</p> + +<p> +"Since my childhood I have always had a pleasure in reading +inscriptions and epitaphs on tombstones. I am moved when one tells of a +young man or woman carried off in the bloom of youth, and I feel a sort +of melancholy pleasure if it concerns a person who had reached advanced +age. The verses themselves, poor as they may be from a poetical point +of view, stir serious feelings within me, and I never fail to carry +away with me from a graveyard good thoughts and pious resolutions. +</p> + +<p> +"Entering the graveyard with the gamekeeper's daughter, I began as +usual to read the inscriptions. After a little while the girl said to +me, 'Come, I will show you something very beautiful. It is the grave of +an old man, who has neither tombstone nor epitaph, but it has been +ornamented with taste and beauty by the tender piety of his daughter. +See, you can just distinguish it through the thick leaves of these +pines—the beautiful rose tree and the basket of flowers.' +</p> + +<p> +"You can imagine, dear Mary, the shock I received, when at the first +glance I recognised the basket of flowers which had never been out of +my mind since that sad day when you left Eichbourg. If there had been +any doubts in my mind as to it being the same basket, the initials of +my name and the coat-of-arms of my family would have dispelled them. +Turning to my companion, I asked if she knew anything of you and your +father. She told me all about your life at Pine Farm, your father's +sickness and death, and your great grief. After hearing all that the +gamekeeper's daughter could tell me, I went to the minister, only to +hear the same story with very much praise of yourself added. I would +have gone off to Pine Farm immediately, but while the story was being +told me, time had passed rapidly, and it was now already quite dark. +'What shall I do,' said I; 'it is now too late to go to the farm, but +to-morrow at daybreak we will set out.' Your good friend the minister +sent for the schoolmaster to charge him to go and bring you without +delay to the castle. +</p> + +<p> +"'My dear young friend,' said the schoolmaster, 'you need not go far to +look for her. She has gone to her father's grave to weep there. Alas, +poor child!' he continued, 'I saw her sitting there from an opening in +the steeple when I went this afternoon to wind up the clock.' +</p> + +<p> +"I at once determined to find you, and the minister wanted to accompany +me, but I begged to be allowed to come to you alone, that my first +meeting with you might be as affectionate as I desired. While I came +here the old minister went to tell my parents where I was, and to +prepare them for your arrival. This accounts, my dear Mary, for my +sudden appearance before you. You can now see, through God's +providence, this basket of flowers which separated us has reunited us +by your father's grave—that father who is now inhabiting the home +above." +</p> + +<p> +"Yes," said Mary, clasping her hands and raising her grateful eyes to +heaven, "God has done it all. He has had pity on my tears and on my +needs. How can I thank Him for His goodness and His boundless +tenderness?" +</p> + +<p> +"I have still one thing to tell you yet," answered the Countess Amelia, +interrupting her, "and it is one which seems to me singularly touching, +and inspires me with an awe for the justice of God who directs our lot +even when we are unconscious of it. My maid, Juliette, had but one +thought, one desire. It was to banish you from my heart and to take +your place in my affections. It was with that design that she made up +her terrible falsehood, and her wicked plan succeeded too well. But +that very falsehood was the means of her afterwards losing her place +and our confidence, and that made you dearer than ever to our hearts. +Juliette endeavoured to estrange you from me for ever, and your +banishment was a constant subject of triumph to her. +</p> + +<p> +"You know how that, in her wickedness, she threw this basket at your +feet with an insulting laugh. Well, it was exactly this event which was +afterwards, although she little thought it then, to reunite us for +ever. For was it not indeed through this basket on your father's grave +that I discovered you to-day? Truly, those who have the love of God +have nothing to fear from any enemies. God knows how to turn to our +advantage all the ill that wicked people do to us; and our most cruel +enemies, although for a while they may bring us to unhappiness, can do +nothing but contribute to our real and lasting happiness. We may say in +this case that our safety comes from our enemies. +</p> + +<p> +"But now, dear Mary," said the Countess, "tell me what brought you so +late to your father's grave, and why, when I found you, you were +weeping so bitterly." +</p> + +<p> +When Mary had told her story, of how they had driven her from the Pine +Farm on a false charge, the Countess was astonished still more at the +providence which had brought her and Mary together. +</p> + +<p> +"Yes, indeed," said the Countess to Mary, "it is by God's will that I +have found you to-day, just when you were again plunged into the +deepest distress. You were imploring His assistance with burning tears +running down your cheeks. This is another proof of what we have been +speaking, that God knows how to turn to our advantage the ill which our +enemies design to do us. The farmer's wicked wife, who drove you from +her house, thought she would make you unhappy. Without knowing it she +has brought you to my arms and those of my parents, who, as well as +myself, are desirous of making your life happy. +</p> + +<p> +"But it is now time to set out," said Amelia. "My parents will be +anxious at my long absence. Come, dear Mary, I will never leave you any +more. Let us go to my parents." +</p> + + + +<a name="XVI"> </a> +<p class="chapter"> +CHAPTER XVI. +</p> + +<p class="head"> +HOW THE RING WAS FOUND. +</p> + + +<p> +The road to the castle towards which the Countess now led Mary, lay +through a long and dark walk of tall old linden trees. For a while they +walked in silence together, each wrapped in her own thoughts, but at +last the Countess said to Mary— +</p> + +<p> +"Oh, I must now tell you how the ring was found. My father's affairs +requiring his presence at Eichbourg, we left Court earlier than usual +this year—in the beginning of March. When we arrived at the Castle, +the weather was very boisterous, and one night in particular we had a +tremendous storm. You remember the great pear tree we had in our garden +at Eichbourg? It was very old, and bore scarcely any fruit. That night +the wind, which blew with great violence, had shaken it so much that it +threatened every moment to fall, and my father ordered it to be cut +down. +</p> + +<p> +"My father, and mother, the children, and servants, and indeed all of +the people in the Castle, came into the garden to see it fall. As soon +as it was cut down, my two little brothers ran immediately towards a +magpie's nest in the tree, which had for a long time been a coveted +object, but had hitherto been out of their reach. Now they seized upon +the nest and busied themselves examining its contents. +</p> + +<p> +"'Look, Albert!' said Augustus, 'what is that shining among the twigs? +How bright it is!' +</p> + +<p> +"'It sparkles like gold,' said Albert. +</p> + +<p> +"My maid, Juliette, ran forward to look at it, and immediately uttered +a scream. +</p> + +<p> +"'Oh,' she cried, 'it is the ring!' and became as pale as death. +</p> + +<p> +"The children extricated the ring from among the twigs, and carried it +in great glee to my mother. +</p> + +<p> +"'Yes, indeed it is my ring,' said my mother, with deep emotion. 'Oh, +good and honest James! oh, poor Mary, what injustice we have done you! +I am glad enough to find my ring again, but if I could find James and +Mary, I would gladly sacrifice the ring to repair the wrong which we +have done them.' +</p> + +<p> +"I was curious to know by what chance the ring was carried into the +magpie's nest at the top of the tree, and the old huntsman, Anthony, +gave a ready explanation. +</p> + +<p> +"'Neither the gardener James nor his daughter could have hidden the +ring in this place, that is very clear,' said he. 'The tree was too +high, and it would have been impossible to climb up so far. Besides +which, they had not time to do so. Mary had scarcely returned to the +house when she and her father were both arrested. Magpies are greatly +attracted by anything that shines, and if they can find anything +sparkling, they carry it off immediately to their nests. One of these +birds must have stolen the ring, and carried it to the tree. That is +all the mystery. The only thing that astonishes me is that an old +hunter, as I am, should not have thought sooner of this explanation.' +</p> + +<p> +"The old man spoke with deep feeling and with tears in his eyes, but +they were tears of joy at seeing your innocence proved. +</p> + +<p> +"'Anthony,' said my mother, 'I believe you are perfectly right, and now +I remember quite distinctly that very often these birds came from the +top of this tree to my window, that the sash was open when the ring +disappeared, that the table on which I put the ring was close to the +window, and that, after having shut the door and bolted it, I went into +the next room, where I stayed for some time. No doubt one of these +mischievous birds saw the ring from his nest, and, while I was in the +other room, he must have darted in and carried it off.' +</p> + +<p> +"My father was deeply troubled at the conviction, which he could not +resist, that you and your father had been unjustly condemned. +</p> + +<p> +"'My heart is almost broken,' said he, 'for having done these good +people so much injury. My only consolation is that it was not done from +ill-will, but in ignorance and error.' +</p> + +<p> +"My father now turned to Juliette, who in the universal rejoicing at +the discovery of the ring remained silent and pale. +</p> + +<p> +"'False woman,' said he, 'deceitful servant! How could you have the +hardihood to lie to me and to the judge, and to compel us to commit an +action unwillingly, the iniquity of which now calls for vengeance? What +tempted you to plunge into suffering an old and honest man, and his +poor and virtuous daughter?' +</p> + +<p> +"'Officers, do your duty,' he said to two constables, who had assisted +in cutting down the tree, and who now approached the unhappy Juliette +to carry out my father's orders. 'Let her be put in chains,' he added, +in a grave tone,—'the same chains that Mary wore,—and let her be +thrown into the same prison in which she caused Mary to languish. She +must suffer all that Mary suffered, only that, unlike Mary, she has +deserved it. What she has been able to hoard of money or clothes shall +be taken from her, to compensate, if it be possible, the unhappy old +man and his daughter who have had to suffer an unjust sentence. The +officer who conducted Mary out of my dominions shall also conduct +Juliette, just as she is, to the same place.' +</p> + +<p> +"No one had ever seen my father so exasperated, never had any one heard +him speak in such passionate tones. For a while every one was silent, +but at last the officers and servants gave voice to their sentiments +and thoughts. +</p> + +<p> +"'It is well done,' said one of the officers, seizing Juliette by the +arm; 'when one digs another's grave he must fill it himself.' +</p> + +<p> +"'That is what is gained by telling falsehoods,' said the other +officer. 'It is true that no thread is so fine that it cannot be seen +in the sunshine.' +</p> + +<p> +"'It was a pretty dress which the young Countess gave to Mary,' said +the cook in her turn, 'that made Juliette angry. In her rage, and not +knowing well what she was about, she began to tell lies, and then it +was impossible to retract without acknowledging her guilt. The proverb +is true which says that, once the devil has us by the hair, he will +hold fast to us afterwards.' +</p> + +<p> +"'It is well, it is well,' said the coachman, who had just finished +cutting the tree, and who still had the axe over his shoulder. 'Let us +hope she will mend her ways, if she does not wish to be worse off in +the next world. The tree that bears not good fruit,' said he, shaking +his axe, 'shall be cut down, and cast into the fire.' +</p> + +<p> +"The news of the finding of the ring spread through Eichbourg in a very +short time, and every one ran to the place, so that in a little while a +great crowd had gathered. The judge who condemned you came also, and +every witness of the discovery was as eager as possible to tell him all +about it. +</p> + +<p> +"You cannot imagine, my dear Mary," the Countess proceeded, "the effect +that the story produced on the good man. Notwithstanding his severity +respecting you, he is a man of great probity, and one who has all his +life tried to administer justice with strict fidelity. +</p> + +<p> +"'I would give half of my goods,' said he, in a tone that went to the +heart of every one who heard him—'yes, I would willingly have given +everything I possess if this misfortune had not happened. To have +condemned innocence is a frightful thought.' Then, looking round him at +the people, he said, in a solemn voice, 'God is the only infallible +judge, the only one that cannot be deceived. He knows everything. He +alone knew the hiding-place in which the ring had remained until now. +The judges of the earth are near-sighted and prone to be deceived. It +is rare here below that innocence suffers and vice triumphs. The +invisible Judge, who will recompense one day all good actions and +punish all bad ones, has decreed that even here innocence shall not +always suffer from suspicion, nor hidden crime remain always +concealed.'" +</p> + +<p> +While Amelia had been relating this interesting narrative, Mary had +been lifting up her heart in silent thanksgiving to God for clearing +her character from every stain of suspicion and establishing her +innocence in the minds of her friends. By the time Amelia had finished +her story, they had arrived at the door of the castle. +</p> + + + +<a name="XVII"> </a> +<p class="chapter"> +CHAPTER XVII. +</p> + +<p class="head"> +REPARATION. +</p> + + +<p> +The Count, the Countess, and the guests who were at the castle, were +assembled in the drawing-room when Amelia and Mary entered. The worthy +minister had arrived before them, and had been reciting to a +deeply-interested audience, the story of James and Mary and their life +at Pine Cottage. He had painted in a touching manner the conduct of the +good old man during his residence at Pine Farm, emphasising the love +and respect which he bore to the Count and his family. He told of +Mary's activity, of her filial piety, and her patience and modesty, +until tears streamed from the eyes of his hearers. +</p> + +<p> +At this moment the Countess Amelia, holding Mary by one hand and in the +other the basket of flowers, entered the brilliantly-lighted room. Mary +was welcomed by all, and loaded with congratulations. The Count himself +took her kindly by the hand, and said, "Poor child, how pale and thin +you look. It was our hasty judgment that brought your misery upon you, +and we must now spare nothing, that happiness may once more be restored +to you, and that the faded flowers may once more bloom on your young +cheeks. You were driven from your father's house, but in future you +shall have it for your own property." +</p> + +<p> +The Countess kissed Mary, pressed her to her heart, called her her +daughter, and, taking from her finger the ring which had caused so many +misfortunes, she said, "Here, my dear child, although your piety is a +great deal more precious than the large diamond which sparkles in this +ring, you must accept this present as a feeble compensation for the +wrong you have suffered, and as a token of the sincere attachment and +maternal tenderness I feel towards you." +</p> + +<p> +With these words she held out the ring to Mary, who was almost overcome +with so much kindness and ready to sink under the weight of the +benefits she had received. Her tears flowed freely, but they were tears +of joy. +</p> + +<p> +"Poor child," said one of the guests, "take what the Countess offers +you. God has given the Count and his wife fortune, but He has given +them something more precious—hearts which know how to make the best +use of riches." +</p> + +<p> +"Why do you flatter us?" said the Countess. "This is not a +<i>generous</i> action, it is an act of <i>justice</i>." +</p> + +<p> +Still Mary hesitated about accepting the valuable gift, and turned with +streaming eyes towards the minister, as if to ask his advice. +</p> + +<p> +"Yes, Mary," said the venerable man, "you must keep the ring. You see, +my good child, how God is blessing your filial piety; for whosoever +sincerely honours his parents shall be better for it. Take the valuable +present with gratitude, and as adversity found you resigned to the +Divine will, so in prosperity show yourself grateful to your heavenly +Father—grateful to His dear name, benevolent and kind." +</p> + +<p> +Mary put the ring on her finger and attempted to express her thanks, +but tears checked her utterance, and were thus the best expression of +her gratitude. Amelia, who sat by her with the basket of flowers in her +hand, was delighted with the generous proceedings of her parents. Her +eyes shone with affection for Mary; and the minister, who had often +observed how envious children generally are when their parents exercise +their benevolence towards other people, was deeply touched by this +disinterested love of Amelia. "May God," said he, "reward the +generosity of the Count and Countess. May all that they have done for +the poor orphan be rendered to them a hundredfold in the person of +their own dear daughter!" +</p> + + + +<a name="XVIII"> </a> +<p class="chapter"> +CHAPTER XVIII. +</p> + +<p class="head"> +PINE FARM REVISITED. +</p> + + +<p> +The Count and his family were just on the eve of leaving for Eichbourg, +and next morning at break of day all was bustle in the castle, +preparing for their departure. In the midst of all the preparations, +however, Mary was not forgotten, and each one vied with the other in +the attentions they paid to her. +</p> + +<p> +Mary's clothes, which she had bought during her residence at Pine Farm, +were made of the coarsest material and of the plainest cut. But one of +Amelia's friends, a young lady of the same age and size as Mary, at +Amelia's request presented Mary with a complete outfit, which, without +being extravagant, was more in keeping with her new situation. In +answer to Mary's modest protest against donning what seemed to her, +extravagantly grand garments, Amelia said, "You are my friend; you are +henceforth to be my companion; you are also to live with me. You ought +therefore to dress yourself differently from a farm servant." +</p> + +<p> +After breakfast they started on their journey homeward, and Mary sat +beside Amelia in the carriage, with the Count and Countess opposite. +First of all, however, the Count gave orders for the coachman to drive +them to Pine Farm, that he might become acquainted with the people who +had entertained Mary and her father so kindly. It was not long before +they gathered from Mary's answers that the old people at Pine Farm were +far from being comfortable, and that their declining years were not so +peaceful as they had a right to expect. +</p> + +<p> +The arrival of a nobleman's carriage at Pine Farm caused no little +excitement. No sooner had the young farmer's wife seen the carriage +stop at the door than she hastened towards it. +</p> + +<p> +"Sir," said she to the Count, "allow me to assist you and also the +ladies, your daughters, I presume." +</p> + +<p> +So saying, she presented her hand to one of the young ladies, when, +recognising her to be Mary herself, she uttered an exclamation of +surprise, let go her hand as if she had touched a serpent, and drew +back in great confusion. +</p> + +<p> +The old farmer was working in his garden when the Count with his family +and Mary alighted; and when they went to the good old man, took him by +the hand, and thanked him for his kindness towards Mary and her father, +the worthy farmer was deeply moved. +</p> + +<p> +"Oh," said he, "I owe that good man more than ever he owed me. The +blessing of heaven came with him into our home, and if I had followed +his advice in everything, I should have been much better for it at this +moment. Since his death I have no pleasure in anything but this garden, +which I began to cultivate at his suggestion. Since I have not had +strength to follow the plough, I have occupied myself here, and I seek +among the herbs and flowers the peace which I can no longer find in my +own house." +</p> + +<p> +In the meantime Mary had gone to look for the old farmer's wife in her +little room, and she now came forward leading her by the hand. The +worthy woman was quite overcome by the strange circumstances in which +she found Mary, and the excitement of the moment; and when she came +forward to meet the Count and Countess, it was with a timid air, and in +evident distress at finding herself the object of so much attention. By +and by, however, she and her husband heard the story of the finding of +the ring, and so great was their affection for Mary that they cried for +joy like children. +</p> + +<p> +"Did I not tell you," said the farmer, addressing Mary, "that your +filial piety would receive its reward? You see, my prophecy is already +fulfilled," and his wife, who had recovered her self-possession, said, +"Yes, yes; your father was right when he said, 'He who clothes the +flowers, well knows how to take care of you.'" +</p> + +<p> +While this conversation had been going on, the young farmer's wife +stood at some distance, consumed with jealousy and anger. +</p> + +<p> +"Well, well," she said to herself, "there is no saying what will happen +in this life. That miserable beggar whom I turned out of my house—look +at her now, dressed like a young lady of high rank. Who would have +thought of such a thing! Every one, however, knows who she is, so she +cannot impose on any one in this town. They know that yesterday she was +sent from here with a little package under her arm, to go into the +country." +</p> + +<p> +The Count had not heard this abusive language, but a glance at the +woman's face was enough to show him that she was nursing angry +passions. "She is a wicked creature," he said to himself, as he walked +round the garden in a very thoughtful mood. +</p> + +<p> +At last he stopped before the old farmer. "Listen, my good old friend," +said he, "while I make a proposition to you. I have given Mary a piece +of ground on my estate, which was rented and cultivated by her father. +But Mary is not ready to take up housekeeping. What should prevent you +from retiring there? It will suit you, I am certain, and the owner will +not exact any rent from you. You can cultivate the herbs and flowers in +which you find your pleasure, and you will find, in the pretty cottage +which is attached to the ground, rest and peace in your old age." +</p> + +<p> +The Count's wife, Amelia and Mary joined in urging the old man to +accept this generous offer. But there was no need for persuasion. The +old people were happy to be taken from their uncomfortable +surroundings, and gladly agreed to the proposal. +</p> + +<p> +At this moment the young farmer came home from the fields. His surprise +was as great as his wife's when he saw the carriage at his door drawn +by four white horses; for never in the history of the farm had a +carriage stopped there before. When he heard of the proposal which the +Count had made to his father and mother, he gladly consented to it, +although he was deeply grieved to part from his old parents. His +consolation was found, however, in thinking that they were going to be +happier than they could possibly be with his wife. +</p> + +<p> +As for his wife herself, the only remark she made was to say in a +spiteful way to the Count— +</p> + +<p> +"It is a great favour you are doing us in ridding us of two old people +who are nothing but a burden!" +</p> + +<p> +Promising to send for the old farmer and his wife as soon as everything +was ready, the Count and his family, accompanied by Mary, now stepped +into the carriage and drove off. Here for a time we will leave Mary and +follow the fortunes of the occupants of Pine Farm. +</p> + + + +<a name="XIX"> </a> +<p class="chapter"> +CHAPTER XIX. +</p> + +<p class="head"> +RETRIBUTION. +</p> + + +<p> +In course of time, when arrangements had been made for their reception, +a carriage was sent from Eichbourg to bring away the old farmer and his +wife. Their son was grieved to the heart when the time came for them to +go, but their daughter-in-law had counted the days and hours until the +time of their departure, and felt nothing but vindictive pleasure at +being rid of them. Her joy, however, received a severe check from a +note which the coachman presented to her, in which the Count informed +her that she and her husband should pay all that had been stipulated +for the support of her father and mother-in-law; and that the price of +their living valued in money, according to the current market price, +should be paid to them every quarter. Realising her helplessness, she +became violently angry and turned round to her husband, saying, "We are +over-reached. If they had stayed here, it would not have cost us half +as much." Her husband was secretly pleased to think that he was still +permitted to help his parents in their old age, but he took good care +not to show his joy before his wife. +</p> + +<p> +The old people set off in the carriage the next morning, followed by +the blessings of their son and the secret ill-wishes of their +daughter-in-law. +</p> + +<p> +But the unnatural conduct of this wicked woman was visited with the +trouble which is always the lot of avarice and inhumanity. Her +secretly-cherished god was gold, and she had lent the bulk of her money +to a merchant to use in his business, on his promise to pay her a large +interest for the loan. Her greatest pleasure was in making +calculations, as to how much her money would amount to after a certain +number of years, with all the interest and compound interest added. +Suddenly, however, these golden dreams received a rude awakening. The +manufacturer's speculations proved unfortunate, and he shortly +afterwards failed in business, and his goods were sold by order of the +sheriff. +</p> + +<p> +The news came as a thunder-stroke for the farmer's wife, and from the +moment that she heard of the catastrophe she had no repose. Every day +she kept running to the lawyers, or to her neighbours to complain of +her hard lot, and the nights she spent in weeping and scolding her +husband. From the wreck of her fortune of ten thousand florins she +received only a paltry hundred or two, and so deeply did she feel the +loss of her money that she openly declared her wish to die. The result +of the continual worrying induced a fever which never left her. When +her husband wished to send for a physician she would not consent to it, +and when, in spite of her objections, he at last sent for one, his wife +in a passion threw the medicine he prescribed out of the window. +</p> + +<p> +At last her husband saw that she was seriously ill, and he requested +the minister of Erlenbrunn to come and see her. The good old man +visited her frequently and talked to her affectionately, in order to +induce her to repent of her sins, and to detach her heart from the +things of this earth, that she might turn to God. +</p> + +<p> +But this advice made her very angry. She looked at the good man with +utter astonishment. "I do not know," she said, "for what purpose the +minister comes to preach repentance to me. He should have delivered +such a sermon to the merchant who stole our money. Yes, there would +have been some sense in that. As for me, I do not see that I have any +reason for repentance. As long as I was able to go out I always went to +church, and I have never failed to say my prayers. I have not ceased +all my life to do my duty and to behave myself like a virtuous +housewife. I defy any living soul to slander me. And of all the poor +people who have come to my door, not one can complain that I sent them +away without giving them something. Now, I should like to know how any +one can behave better!" +</p> + +<p> +The venerable pastor saw that she was justifying herself before God, +and he tried by adopting a more direct tone to lead her to contrition. +He showed to her that she loved money more than anything else in the +world, and that the love of money was idolatry. He showed her that the +bursts of anger in which she had indulged were heinous sins before God, +that she had totally failed in the most beautiful of all Christian +virtues—filial affection; that by her greed of money she had made her +husband unhappy, cruelly driven away the poor orphan Mary, and even +turned away her husband's parents, those whom she ought to have +cherished as if they were her own. +</p> + +<p> +He showed her also that, with a fortune like hers, a little piece of +bread given to a poor man to get rid of him did not fulfil the duties +which God expected of her, that in spite of all her boasting of going +to church she was none the better of it, for her prayers had come from +a heart unwarmed by love, and could not ascend to the throne of God. In +this faithful way did he talk to her, but only with the result of +making her burst into a fit of passionate sobbing. +</p> + +<p> +The illness from which she suffered was a long and trying one. She +spent whole nights in coughing, and yet the ruling passion of avarice +was so strong that she would scarcely take sufficient nourishment to +sustain her. No consoling thought came to her to mitigate her +suffering. She was utterly unwilling to resign herself to God and to +submit to His will. +</p> + +<p> +The good minister tried in every imaginable way to bring her to a +better frame of mind. During the last days of her life she was +occasionally a little softened in her manners, but she never evinced +any true repentance. In the flower of her age she died, a sad instance +of the effects of avarice, passion, and love of the world. +</p> + + + +<a name="XX"> </a> +<p class="chapter"> +CHAPTER XX. +</p> + +<p class="head"> +FORGIVING AN ENEMY. +</p> + + +<p> +And now we must return to Mary whom we left in her new surroundings. +</p> + +<p> +Immediately after leaving Pine Farm, Mary went with the Count's family +to the city, in which they spent part of every year. While they were +there, a clergyman came one morning to their residence and asked to see +Mary. He told her that he was charged with a message for her from a +person who was very ill and probably near death, and who desired +anxiously to speak to her. The clergyman said that the person was not +willing to give her message to any one but to Mary herself. +</p> + +<p> +Mary could not imagine what the woman could want with her, and she +consulted the Countess as to what she ought to do. The Countess, +knowing the clergyman to be a pious and prudent man, advised Mary to go +with him, and at the minister's request old Anthony the huntsman +accompanied them. After a long walk to the outskirts of the town, they +arrived at last at a house situated in a side street, which presented a +most gloomy aspect. "Here is the house," said the clergyman, knocking +at the door, "but wait a little." +</p> + +<p> +After a few moments he returned for Mary, who then entered with him +into a most miserable room. The window was narrow and dark, and some +broken panes were patched with paper. The only furniture which the room +contained was a miserable truckle-bed, covered with a more miserable +mattress, and a broken chair, on which stood a stone pitcher, with +neither handle nor cover. +</p> + +<p> +On the miserable bed lay stretched a figure which to Mary's eyes seemed +more like a skeleton, but which she gradually made out was the form of +a woman, in the last stages of illness. +</p> + +<p> +In a voice which resembled the rattle of death, this miserable creature +sought to speak with Mary, who trembled in every limb. It was with the +utmost difficulty that she could make out what the poor woman said, but +at last she learned, to her horror, that the frightful phantom was +Juliette, who at the Castle of Eichbourg had been the beginning and +cause of all her distress. After being turned away from the Castle, she +had gone from bad to worse, until she had sunk into her present state. +</p> + +<p> +Lying upon her miserable bed, death staring her in the face, remorse +had overtaken her, and her one wish was to have Mary's forgiveness. +Learning in some way, that the Count and his family were in the city, +she begged of the clergyman who was visiting her to ask Mary to come to +see her. The poor woman, judging Mary by herself, had entreated the +clergyman not to mention her name in case Mary would not come. +</p> + +<p> +Mary was affected to the heart when she heard Juliette's story, and she +shed tears of sympathy with her old enemy. She assured her that she had +forgiven her long ago, and that the only feeling she experienced was +that of the deepest pity for her. +</p> + +<p class="figcenter"><a name="144"><img src="images/006.jpg" alt="Mary was affected to the heart when she heard +Juliette's story." width="353" height="550"></a></p> +<p class="caption">"Mary was affected to the heart when she heard +Juliette's story."<br><i>See page 142.</i> +</p> + +<p> +"Alas," said Juliette, "I am a great sinner; I have deserved my fate. +Forgetfulness of God, contempt of good advice, love of dress, flattery, +and pleasure were the first causes of misery, and these have brought me +to my present state. Oh," cried she, raising her voice to a shriek, and +weeping bitterly, "that is nothing to the fate which I fear awaits me +in the world to come. You have pardoned me, it is true, but I feel the +weight of God's anger now settling on my soul." +</p> + +<p> +Mary conversed long and earnestly with her, endeavouring to point her +to the Saviour of the world, who would receive her if she truly +repented. At last she was obliged to leave her without being satisfied +as to her state of mind, but the idea of the unhappy Juliette dying +without hope continually pressed on her mind and weighed down her +spirits. She recollected her little apple tree in blossom, withered by +the frost, and what her father had said on that occasion. The most +consoling words he had said on his deathbed presented themselves to her +mind, and she renewed the promise she had made to God to live entirely +to His glory. +</p> + +<p> +To the Countess she related her discovery, and that generous lady sent +the unhappy Juliette medicine, food, and linen, and everything which +might tend to relieve her illness. But it was too late, and at the age +of twenty-three the once beautiful Juliette, reduced to a mere skeleton +and disfigured by disease, died without having given evidence of a +changed heart towards God. +</p> + + + +<a name="XXI"> </a> +<p class="chapter"> +CHAPTER XXI. +</p> + +<p class="head"> +CONCLUSION. +</p> + + +<p> +The next spring, when the country was covered with verdure and flowers, +the Count, accompanied by his wife, and daughter, and Mary, went to his +home at Eichbourg. Towards evening they approached the village, and +when Mary saw in the light of the setting sun the familiar church +steeple, the Castle, and the cottage where she had spent so many happy +years with her father, she was so deeply touched that tears started to +her eyes. +</p> + +<p> +But in the midst of the sorrowful memories which the scene called up in +her mind, there came to her a devout feeling of thankfulness for the +wonderful way in which God had led her back. +</p> + +<p> +"When I left Eichbourg," she said, "it was in disgrace, and without +ever expecting to come back again. The ways of Providence are +mysterious, but God is good." +</p> + +<p> +When the carriage stopped at the Castle, the servants and officers +belonging to the Count's household were waiting to receive them. Mary +had a warm welcome from them all. Every one showed the greatest joy at +seeing her again, and their congratulations on her innocence having +been proved were manifestly sincere. The old judge who had sent her +into banishment was among those who welcomed her most cordially. Taking +her hand in the presence of all the servants, he asked her pardon for +the mistake he had made. He expressed his gratitude to the Count and +Countess for having so nobly repaired the injustice, assured them that +he reproached himself for the misfortune, and that he was willing to do +everything in his power to discharge his debt. +</p> + +<p> +The exciting day came to an end, and Mary was glad to escape to her +chamber. Next morning, the sun shining brightly into her room woke her +early. As soon as she was dressed she ran to visit her father's +cottage, and to walk once more round the old familiar garden. On her +way she met numbers of the villagers, and all of them showed great +happiness at seeing her. +</p> + +<p> +The old farmer and his wife, who had now been settled some time in the +cottage, were delighted to meet her again. They kissed her +affectionately and assured her of the happiness of their new life. +</p> + +<p> +"When you were without a home," said the farmer, with tears in his +eyes, "we received you and your father into our own, and now that we +are old and had no place that we could call our own, you give us this +charming cottage in which we might spend our declining years." +</p> + +<p> +"Yes," said his wife, "it is always well to be generous and hospitable. +We never know how soon we shall receive it again." +</p> + +<p> +"Well, well," said her husband, "I am glad we did not think of that +then. We took Mary and her father in without hope of reward. However, +the maxim is not the less true, 'Do good to others and you will always +find some one to do good to you.'" +</p> + +<p> +When Mary entered the cottage, the sight of the place where her father +used to sit raised a host of sad but sweet recollections in her mind. +She walked round the garden and kissed every tree planted by his hand, +seeing in each an old acquaintance. The little apple tree which had +been their favourite, was just now covered with blossom, and before it +she stopped to meditate for a little on man's brief life, which fades +away before the tree which he has planted. In the arbour where she had +passed so many happy hours with her father, she rested a little, and +gave herself up to reflection. Looking around on the garden, which he +had cultivated so diligently by the sweat of his brow, she fancied that +she could still see him, and tears streamed from her eyes, when she +remembered that he had gone from her for ever. But one thought soothed +her heart and made her calm, the thought that he had gone to a better +world, and was now reaping the reward of his beautiful life. +</p> + +<p> +As long as Mary lived she spent some weeks every spring at the Castle, +cherished and honoured by every one there, and endearing herself to the +people of the village, and particularly to the children, among whom she +was a great favourite. Her delight was to take them apart and to talk +to them of the Saviour, and she had the happiness of believing that +many of them under her instructions gave their hearts to God. +</p> + +<p> +A monument had been erected to her father in fulfilment of a promise +which Amelia had made to Mary that evening when she found her sitting +on her father's grave. It was an elegant monument of white marble, +ornamented with an epitaph in gold letters. Besides the name of the +deceased, his age and occupation, nothing in the way of epitaph was +added but these words of Jesus— +</p> + +<div class="poem"> +<div class="stanza"> +<p class="i4">"I am the Resurrection and the Life:</p> +<p>He that believeth in Me, though he were dead, yet shall he live."</p></div></div> + +<p> +Underneath these words a beautiful basket of flowers had been cut from +a design drawn by Amelia herself. Underneath the basket was written— +</p> + +<div class="blockquote"><p> +"<i>All flesh is grass, and all the goodliness thereof as the +flowers of the field. The grass withereth, the flower fadeth, but the +word of the Lord endureth for ever.</i>" +</p></div> + +<p> +The erection of this monument gave great satisfaction to the good old +minister of Erlenbrunn. The dark background of the fir trees threw the +monument into relief, and gave it a very beautiful appearance; and when +the rose tree planted by his grave was in bloom, and its branches +covered with roses bent over the marble, which was of dazzling +whiteness, the sight was a striking one. The humble old man's monument +was the most beautiful ornament of the rural churchyard, and the good +minister never allowed strangers to leave the church without taking +them to see it. +</p> + +<p> +When some people observed that it was a good idea to have put a basket +of flowers on the tomb of a man who was at the same time a gardener and +a basket-maker, the old minister would say— +</p> + +<p> +"But it is something better than a good idea. The basket of flowers tells +more than you know, and it is not without reason that our villagers look +upon it as the symbol of a touching story. The ground on which we tread +has been bathed with a daughter's tears." +</p> + +<p> +Then he would pour into the attentive ears of strangers the familiar +story of the basket of flowers, concluding his recital with the +assurance which this whole story is intended to illustrate: That piety +towards God and truth towards men will never fail to triumph over the +malice of the worst of foes. +</p> + +<p> +Let our readers who have followed this touching story be assured that +under all circumstances it is best to do as Mary did—walk in the fear +of God, love and obey their earthly parents, stand fast by the truth, +and under all circumstances trust fully in God. Thus they will live +happy and die with a sure prospect of eternal glory. +</p> + +<br> +<p class="ctr"> +THE END +</p> + + +<br><br> + +<p class="ctr"> +<small><i>Printed by</i><br> +MORRISON & GIBB LIMITED<br> +<i>Edinburgh</i></small> +</p><br> + + + + + + + +<pre> + + + + + +End of Project Gutenberg's The Basket of Flowers, by Christoph von Schmid + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE BASKET OF FLOWERS *** + +***** This file should be named 24160-h.htm or 24160-h.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + http://www.gutenberg.org/2/4/1/6/24160/ + +Produced by David Clarke and the Online Distributed +Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: The Basket of Flowers + +Author: Christoph von Schmid + +Illustrator: Watson Charlton + W. E. Evans + +Release Date: January 4, 2008 [EBook #24160] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE BASKET OF FLOWERS *** + + + + +Produced by David Clarke and the Online Distributed +Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net + + + + + + +THE BASKET OF FLOWERS + +[Illustration: "An officer came to Mary's cell." +_See page 36._] + + + +THE BASKET OF FLOWERS + + +By + +CHRISTOPH VON SCHMID + + + +With Illustrations By + +WATSON CHARLTON and W. E. EVANS. + + + +Published by +JOHN F. SHAW & CO., LTD., +3, Pilgrim Street, London. + + + + +PUBLISHER'S NOTE + + +In putting forward a new edition of _The Basket of Flowers_ no apology +is needed. This charming story is now something of a children's +classic, and the only merits that the publisher can claim for the +present edition are variety in the manner of the illustration and the +outward design of the book. To these may be added, perhaps, the further +claim that in the present English version, which is copyright, some of +the more glaring faults that mar the original translation are avoided. +For the rest, it is hoped that the charm of the original has been +maintained. + + + + +CONTENTS + + +CHAP. Page + + I. THE GARDENER'S DAUGHTER 1 + II. THE BASKET OF FLOWERS 12 + III. THE MISSING RING 21 + IV. MARY IN PRISON 30 + V. THE TRIAL 36 + VI. A PAINFUL MEETING 42 + VII. SENTENCED 49 + VIII. FINDING NEW FRIENDS 58 + IX. A NEW HOME 65 + X. A FATHER'S LAST WORDS 72 + XI. MARY'S GREAT LOSS 82 + XII. CHANGES AT PINE FARM 90 + XIII. AGAIN A WANDERER 97 + XIV. A STRANGE MEETING 104 + XV. THE YOUNG COUNTESS'S STORY 108 + XVI. HOW THE RING WAS FOUND 115 + XVII. REPARATION 123 +XVIII. PINE FARM REVISITED 127 + XIX. RETRIBUTION 134 + XX. FORGIVING AN ENEMY 140 + XXI. CONCLUSION 145 + + + + +LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS + + +AN OFFICER CAME TO MARY'S CELL _Frontispiece_ + + _Facing p._ + +MARY SHYLY OFFERED HER PRESENT 16 + +"OH, MY FATHER, BE SURE THAT I HAVE NOT THE RING" 32 + +SHE RAISED HERSELF HASTILY, FORGETTING HER CHAINS 48 + +SHE THREW THE BASKET AT MARY'S FEET 64 + +LOOKING UP SHE SAW THE BEAUTIFUL FACE AND +FIGURE OF A WOMAN 96 + +MARY WAS AFFECTED TO THE HEART WHEN SHE +HEARD JULIETTE'S STORY 144 + + + + +THE BASKET OF FLOWERS + + + + +CHAPTER I. + +THE GARDENER'S DAUGHTER. + + +The simple story which is told in this little book treats of things +which happened a long time ago in a foreign country, where the manners +and customs are widely different from our own. It is necessary to +explain this at the beginning, because the reader will meet with +incidents in the narrative which would otherwise seem strange and +inconsistent. Two lessons which the story teaches, however, may be +learned in all countries. The first is that the human heart has from +the beginning been full of sin, producing, for the most part, evil +fruit, which results in misery; and in the second place, that there is +only one remedy for this state of the soul, the remedy of God's Holy +Spirit, which, wherever it enters, produces the fruits of righteousness +and perfect peace. It is because we believe that the study of these +opposing principles as exhibited in the experience of others may be +profitable to young readers, that the story of the Basket of Flowers is +now presented. + +James Rode, who, with his daughter Mary, forms the subject of our tale, +lived over one hundred years ago in the village of Eichbourg, in +Germany. When he was very young his parents sent him to be trained as a +gardener in the beautiful grounds of the Count of Eichbourg. James was +a bright, intelligent lad, fond of work, and of an amiable disposition, +and he soon made himself a favourite with the people among whom he +associated. His happy genial disposition and his readiness to oblige +endeared him to all with whom he came in contact. The secret of James' +character lay deeper than mere disposition. He had early given his +heart to the Lord Jesus Christ, and the amiable qualities which he now +displayed were the fruits of the Holy Spirit which had been implanted +in him. But it was not only among his companions that James was well +liked. He was a favourite with the Count's children, and so modest and +unassuming was his behaviour that he was sometimes allowed to be in the +Castle with them, and to share in the lessons which they got. + +Being of an intelligent turn of mind, James profited by all the +advantages which his position gave him, and, after his engagement was +completed, the Count offered him a well-paid position in his large +household at Vienna. It was a temptation for James, who had the +ambition common to young men, and, but for one thing, he would have +gladly accepted his master's offer. The Count was a kind man, but he +was not a Christian, and God was not honoured in his household. James +knew that if he took the place in his house, he might be asked to do +things which as a Christian he believed to be wrong; and so he decided +to refuse the offer, tempting as it was, and to remain in the humble +position in which he had been born. The Count was not offended with +James for his decision; and to show his respect for him he gave him an +easy lease of a little property, consisting of a cottage, a +well-stocked orchard, and a kitchen garden. + +By and by James married a young woman, whose principles, like his own, +were deeply religious, and together they lived in comfort and harmony +many years. Then children came to brighten their life, but one after +another was taken away, and at last only Mary remained, whose history +this story is mainly occupied in telling. + +When James Rode was a little over sixty years of age his wife died. +Mary was now five years old, and a fine, beautiful girl. The neighbours +were foolish enough sometimes to call her pretty to her face, and, +although this was a dangerous thing to do, it had not the effect of +spoiling her. Besides being beautiful in face, Mary had a beautiful +character, and was modest and obedient, and possessed unbounded love +for her father. When she came to be fifteen years of age, she became +her father's housekeeper, and so thorough and constant were her habits +of cleanliness that the kitchen utensils shone brightly enough to be +easily mistaken for new. + +We have already informed our readers that her father, James Rode, +earned his living as a gardener. Twice a week he carried the vegetables +and fruit which he cultivated to the nearest market-town. But, while +the growing of fruits and vegetables had to be looked after in order to +secure his subsistence, his greatest delight was in the cultivation of +flowers; and in this pleasant task Mary assisted him every hour which +she could spare from the work of the house. She counted the hours +devoted to this task among the happiest of her life, for her father had +the art of turning labour into pleasure by his interesting and +entertaining conversation. To Mary, who had grown up, as it were, in +the midst of plants, there had come a natural taste for flowers, and +the garden was to her a little world. She was never at a loss for a +delightful occupation, for every hour which she had at her disposal was +spent in cultivating the young plants with the utmost care. + +Specially did she find pleasure in studying the buds of every strange +species. Her young imagination delighted in picturing what kind of +flowers they would become; and so impatient was she to see her +expectations fulfilled, that she was hardly able to wait until the +flowers had unfolded. When the flower for which she had waited long +appeared in all its beauty, the sight filled her with a strange joy. In +truth, there was not a day which did not bring some new pleasure to +Mary's heart. Sometimes it was by a stranger passing the garden and +stopping to admire the beauty of the flowers. The children of the +neighbourhood, as they passed on their way to school, never failed to +peep through the hedge, and were generally rewarded by Mary with some +little present of flowers as a token of her goodwill. + +James, as a wise father, knew how to direct the taste of his daughter +towards the most noble ends. Often he used to say, "Let others spend +their money for jewels and silks and other adornments; I will spend +mine for flower-seeds. Silks and satins and jewels cannot procure for +our children so pure a pleasure as these beautiful exhibitions of the +wisdom and benevolence of God." + +In the beauty of the various flowers which adorned their garden, in the +charming variety of their shapes, in the perfection of their +proportions, in the glory of their colours, and in the sweetness of +their perfumes, he taught Mary to see and admire the power and wisdom +and goodness of God. It was his custom to begin each day with God by +spending the first hours of the morning in prayer; and, in order to +accomplish this without neglecting his work, it was his habit to rise +early. In the beautiful days of spring and summer, James would lead +Mary to an arbour in the garden, and, while the birds sang their joyous +songs, and the dew sparkled on the grass and flowers, he delighted to +talk with his daughter of God, whose bounty sent the sun and the dew, +and brought forth the beauty and life of the world. It was here that he +first instilled into Mary's mind the idea of God as the tender Father +of mankind, whose love was manifested not only in all the beautiful +works of nature, which were round them, but above all in the gift of +Jesus Christ. It was in this arbour that James had the happiness of +seeing Mary's heart gradually unfold to the reception of the truth. + +Once in the early part of March, when with shining eyes and bounding +feet she brought him the first violet, he said, "Let this beautiful +flower serve to you as an emblem of humility and sweetness, by its +modest colour, its disposition to flourish in hidden places, and the +delicate perfume which it sends forth. May you, my dear child, be like +the violet, modest in your demeanour, careless of gaudy clothing, and +seeking to do good without making any fuss about it." + +At the time when the lilies and roses were in full bloom and when the +garden was resplendent with beautiful flowers, the old man, seeing his +daughter filled with joy, pointed to a lily unfolding in the rays of +the morning sun. "See, in this lily, my daughter, the symbol of +innocence. Its leaves are finer than richest satin, and its whiteness +equals that of the driven snow. Happy is the daughter whose heart also +is pure, for remember the words, 'The pure in heart shall see God.' The +more pure the colour, the more difficult to preserve its purity. The +slightest spot can spoil the flower of the lily, and so one word can +rob the mind of its purity. Let the rose," said he, pointing to that +flower, "be the image of modesty. The blush of a modest girl is more +beautiful than that of the rose." + +Mary's father then made a bouquet of lilies and roses, and, giving it +to Mary, he said, "These are brothers and sisters, whose beauty no +other flowers can equal. Innocence and modesty are twin sisters, which +cannot be separated. Yes, my dear child, God in His goodness has given +to modesty, innocence for a sister and companion, in order that she +might be warned of the approach of danger. Be always modest, and you +will be always virtuous. Oh, if the will of God be so, I pray that you +may be enabled to preserve in your heart the purity of the lily!" + +One ornament of their garden, which James and his daughter most dearly +prized, was a dwarf apple-tree little higher than a rose-bush, which +grew in a small round bed in the middle of the garden. The old man had +planted it on his daughter's birthday, and every year it gave them a +harvest of beautiful golden yellow apples spotted with red. One season +it seemed specially promising, and its blossom was more luxurious than +ever. Every morning Mary examined it with new delight. One morning she +came as usual, but what a change had taken place! The frost had +withered all the flowers, which were now brown and yellow and fast +being shrivelled up by the sun. Poor Mary's sensitive feelings were so +affected that she burst into tears, but her father turned the incident +to good account. + +"Look, my child," said he, "as the frost spoils the apple-blossoms, so +wicked pleasures spoil the beauty of youth. Oh, my dear Mary, tremble +at the thought of going aside from the path of right. If the time +should ever come when the delightful hopes which I have had for your +future should vanish, I should shed tears more bitter than you do now. +I should not enjoy another hour of pleasure, and my grey hairs would be +brought with sorrow to the grave." At the mere thought of such a +calamity the old man could not keep back his tears, and his words of +tender solicitude made a deep impression on Mary's heart. + +Brought up under the care of a father so wise and loving, Mary grew up +like the flowers of her garden, fresh as the rose, pure like the lily, +modest as the violet, and full of promise for the future, as a +beautiful shrub in the time of flourishing. + +When James viewed his beautiful garden, with its luxuriant flowers and +its prolific fruits, which so well repaid his constant care, it was +with a feeling of satisfaction and gratitude. But this feeling was +nothing compared with the joy he felt when he saw his daughter, as the +reward of his pious efforts to train her in the love of God, bringing +forth the most precious fruits of the Holy Spirit. + + + + +CHAPTER II. + +THE BASKET OF FLOWERS. + + +One day, early in the charming month of May, Mary went into a wood near +her home to get some branches and twigs of the willow and hazel. When +her father was not busily engaged in the garden, he occupied his time +in making baskets of all sorts, and particularly lady's work-baskets. +While he busied himself in this way, Mary read to him from the Bible or +some good book, or, as her father worked, he talked to her about the +highest matters. + +While Mary was gathering the materials for her father's basket-work, +she found some beautiful specimens of lily-of-the-valley; and, +gathering sufficient of the flowers, she made two bunches, one for her +father and the other for herself. After she had finished her work, and +when she was returning home through a meadow, she met the Countess of +Eichbourg and her daughter Amelia who were taking an afternoon walk. +The ladies spent the greater part of their time in the city, but +occasionally they lived for a few days at the Castle. + +Some of the most important circumstances of life spring from apparently +trifling events. In the case of Mary, this accidental meeting with the +Countess and her daughter proved the beginning of the painful +circumstances of this story. But God overrules all events, and this +tale gives abundant proof that all things work together for good to +them that love God. + +As the ladies came near Mary, she stood a little on one side to let +them pass; but when they saw the beautiful bunches of lilies in her +hand they stopped to admire them, and wanted to buy one. Mary +respectfully declined to sell her flowers, but she begged that the +ladies would each accept a bunch. They were so struck with the girl's +unaffected grace and modesty, that they gladly took her little +offering, and Amelia requested her to gather more and bring them to the +Castle every day for the rest of the season. + +Mary faithfully performed this duty, and every morning while the +flowers were in bloom she carried a bunch of lilies to the young lady. +By and by an intimacy, which was something more than ordinary between +two girls of such widely different positions, sprang up between Mary +and Amelia. They were nearly of the same age, their tastes were +similar, and it is not surprising that the acquaintance begun in a +chance manner developed into a sincere friendship. + +The anniversary of Amelia's birthday drew near, and Mary determined to +make her some little present. She had given her so many bunches of +flowers, that she puzzled her brain to think of some new gift. During +the winter her father had been making a beautiful basket, which he +intended to give to Mary herself. It was the most finished piece of +work he had ever done, and he had worked on it a design of the village +in which they lived. Mary's idea now was to fill this basket with +flowers, and to offer it to the young Countess as her birthday present. +Her father readily fell in with the plan, and added a finishing touch +to it by weaving Amelia's name in on one side of the basket and the +Count's coat-of-arms on the other. + +The long-expected day arrived, and early in the morning Mary gathered +the freshest and most beautiful roses, the richest pinks, and other +flowers of beautiful colours. She picked out some green branches full +of leaves, and arranged them in the basket, so that all the colours, +though perfectly distinct, were sweetly and delicately blended. A light +garland composed of rosebuds and moss was passed around the basket, and +Amelia's name could be distinctly read enclosed in a coronet of +forget-me-nots. The basket when completed was a thing of uncommon +beauty. + +When Mary went to the Castle with her basket-present, the young +Countess Amelia was sitting at her toilet. Her maid was with her busily +engaged on making her young mistress's head-dress for the birthday +feast. Mary shyly offered her present, adding the best wishes of her +heart for the young Countess's happiness. Amelia received the present +with unaffected pleasure, and in an impulsive manner she warmly +expressed her delight, as she viewed first of all the charming flowers +with which the basket was filled, and examined more carefully the +beautiful design of the basket itself. + +[Illustration: "Mary shyly offered her present." +_See page 15._] + +"Dear Mary," she said, "why, you have robbed your garden to make me +this present. As for the basket, I have never seen anything so +beautiful in all my life. Come, we will go and show it to my mother." +Taking Mary affectionately by the hand, the girls went together to the +apartments of the Countess. "See, mother," cried Amelia, "of all my +birthday presents, surely nothing can equal the one I have received +from Mary. Never have I seen so beautiful a basket, and nowhere can you +find such beautiful flowers." The Countess was equally pleased with +Mary's present, although she expressed herself more moderately. "What a +charming basket!" she said, "and its flowers, how beautiful! They are +yet wet with dew. The basket of flowers does credit to the taste of +Mary but more to the kindness of her heart." Asking Mary to remain in +the room, she made a sign to Amelia to follow her into another +apartment. + +"Amelia," said the Countess, "Mary must not be permitted to go away +without some suitable return. What have you to give her?" + +Amelia paused for a moment's reflection. "I think," she replied, "one +of my dresses would be a most acceptable gift. For instance, if you +will permit me, my dear mother, that one with the red and white flowers +on the deep green ground. It is almost new; I have worn it but once. It +is a little too short for me, but it will almost fit Mary, and she can +arrange it herself. She is so handy with her needle. If, therefore, you +do not think the present too valuable----" + +The Countess interrupted her. "Too valuable! certainly not. When you +wish to give anything it ought to be something good and serviceable. +The green robe with the flowers will be very appropriate for Mary." + +"Go now, my dear children," said the Countess, when they returned to +the room where Mary was, "take good care of the flowers, that they may +not fade before dinner. I want the guests to admire the basket also, +which will be the most beautiful ornament on our table." + +Amelia ran to her room with Mary, and told Juliette, her maid, to bring +the dress with the white and red flowers. + +"Do you wish to wear that dress to-day, miss?" said her maid. + +"No," said Amelia, "I intend to make a present of it to Mary." + +"Give that dress away!" replied Juliette hastily. "Does the Countess +know?" + +"You forget yourself, I think, Juliette," said Amelia with dignity. +"Bring me the dress, and give yourself no trouble about the rest." + +Juliette turned away hastily, her face burning with anger, and her +heart full of spite. Pulling the door of the wardrobe open, she took +from it the young Countess's dress. "Oh, I could tear it to pieces," +she said passionately. "This sly Mary has already wormed her way into +the affections of my young mistress, and now she steals from me this +dress which ought to have been mine when the Countess had done with it. +I could tear the eyes out of this little flower-girl; but some day I +will be revenged." For the time being, however, she had to suppress her +anger, and, taking the dress on her arm, she returned to her mistress +and gave her the dress with a pleasant air. + +"Dear Mary," said Amelia, "many of the presents which I have had to-day +have cost more money than your basket, but none of them have given me +so much pleasure. Will you take this dress from me as a token of my +affection, and carry my best wishes to your good old father?" + +Mary was not a vain girl, but her eyes sparkled at the sight of the +beautiful dress, which surpassed anything she had ever dreamed of +possessing. After warm thanks, she kissed the hand of the young +Countess and left the Castle. + +Amelia's maid continued her work in silence, but with jealous fury +burning at her heart. The many tugs which she gave to the head-dress +she was preparing made Amelia at length inquire-- + +"Are you angry, Juliette?" + +"I should be silly indeed, miss," answered Juliette; "to be angry +because you choose to be generous." + +"That is a very sensible answer, Juliette," replied Amelia, "I hope you +may feel just as sensible." + +Meantime Mary ran home to her father to show her new dress. The good +old man, while pleased at his daughter's pleasure, could not help +feeling a little anxiety when he saw the present. "I would much rather, +my child," he said, "that you had not taken the basket to the young +Countess, but it cannot be helped now. I fear that this valuable +present will but rouse the jealousy of some of our neighbours, and, +what would be still worse, that it may make you vain. Take care, my +dear Mary, that you fall not into this great evil. No costly and +beautiful garments so much adorn a young girl as modesty and good +manners. It is the Bible that says the ornament of a meek and quiet +spirit is in the sight of God of great price." + + + + +CHAPTER III. + +THE MISSING RING. + + +Shortly after Mary had left the Castle the Countess missed a valuable +diamond ring. No one had been in the room where she had left it but +Mary, and it is not surprising that suspicion fell upon the humble +flower-girl. Calling Amelia to her, the Countess told her of her loss +and of her suspicions, and bade her go to the cottage in order that she +might induce Mary to restore the ring before the theft became known. + +When Amelia arrived at Mary's home, the young girl was busily engaged +trying on her beautiful dress. She was frightened to see the young +Countess enter her little room, pale and trembling, and out of breath +with her haste. + +"Dear Mary," said Amelia, "what have you been doing? My mother's +diamond ring, which she left lying in the room where you were, is lost. +No one has been in the chamber but you. Do give it up at once, and no +harm will be done." + +The unexpected charge of theft stunned and frightened Mary. Earnestly +she declared her innocence. She had never seen the ring, nor had she +moved from the place where she stood when she entered the room. But +Amelia found it impossible to believe her, and continued to urge her to +give up the ring, which she said was worth a large sum of money. To be +suspected of theft was bad enough, but to have her friend Amelia +unwilling to believe her, made Mary burst into tears. + +"Truly," she cried, "I have no ring. Never in all my life have I +ventured to touch anything which did not belong to me, much less to +steal. My dear father has always taught me better." + +Her father, who had been at work in his garden, now came in to learn +the young Countess's errand, and to him Amelia told the story. Shocked +beyond measure at the charge, the old man was so overcome that he was +obliged to sink into a chair. + +"My dear child," he said to Mary solemnly, "to steal a ring of this +price is a crime which in this country is punished with death. But +this is not all. Your action is not only one for which you must +account to men, but to that God who reads the heart and with whom all +false denials amount to nothing. Have you forgotten His holy +commandment, 'Thou shalt not steal?' Have you forgotten all the advice +that I have given you? Were you tempted with the gold and the precious +stones? Alas, do not deny the fact, but give back the ring to the +Countess. It is the only return you can make for your crime." + +"My father, oh, my father," cried Mary, weeping bitterly, "be sure, be +very sure that I have not the ring. If I had even found such a ring on +the road I could not have rested till I had restored it to its owner. +Indeed, believe me, I have it not." + +"Look at this dear young lady," said the old man, without replying to +Mary's protestations, "her affection for you is so great that she +wishes to save you from the hands of justice. Mary, be frank, and do +not add falsehood to the crime of theft." + +"My father," cried Mary, "well do you know that never in my life have I +stolen even the smallest coin, and how should I take anything so +valuable as the Countess's ring? I pray you, believe me; I have never +in my life told you a lie." + +"Mary," again said her father, "see my grey hairs. Do not bring them +down with sorrow to the grave. Spare me so great an affliction. Before +that God who made you, into whose presence there can come no thief, +tell me if you have the ring?" + +Thus adjured, Mary raised her eyes, and once more assured her father in +the most solemn manner that she was innocent of the charge. The old man +had put his daughter to a severe test, and now he was satisfied of her +innocence. + +"My child," he cried, "I do believe you. You would not dare to tell a +lie in the presence of God and before this young Countess and your +father. You are innocent, and therefore you may take comfort and fear +nothing. There is nothing to fear on earth but sin. Prison and death +are not to be compared to it. Whatever happens, we will put our trust +in God. All will yet come right, for He says, 'I will make thy +righteousness as the light and thy just dealings as the noonday.'" + +Touched to the heart by the old man's faith, Amelia's suspicions also +vanished. "Truly," she said, "when I hear you speak in this way, I +believe that you have not the ring; but when I examine all the +circumstances how can I help believing? My mother says she knows +exactly the place where she laid it down. Not a living soul has been in +the room but Mary, and as soon as she left the Castle my mother missed +the ring. Who else, then, can have taken it?" + +"It is impossible for me to say," replied Mary's father. "May God +prepare us for a severe trial, but whatever happens," said he, turning +his eyes to heaven, "I am ready. Give me but Thy grace, O Lord; it is +all I ask." + +"Truly," said Amelia, "I came here with a heavy heart. It will be for +me the saddest birthday I have ever had. My mother has not yet spoken +to any one of her loss but myself, but it will not be possible to keep +the secret much longer. My father returns to the Castle at noon, and he +will certainly ask her where the ring is. It was a gift to her on the +day when I was born, and on every succeeding birthday she has worn it. +Farewell," said Amelia, turning to Mary, "I will tell my mother that I +consider you are innocent, but who will believe me?" Her eyes filled +with tears, and she left the cottage with a sad heart. + +After the young Countess had gone, Mary's father sat for a long time +resting his head on his hand and with his eyes fixed on the ground. The +tears fell down his wrinkled cheeks, and Mary, touched by his grief, +threw herself at his knees and besought him to believe in her +innocence. + +The old man raised himself and looked for a long time in her eyes, and +then said-- + +"Yes, Mary, you are innocent. That look, where integrity and truth are +painted, cannot be the look of guilt." + +"But, my father," asked Mary, "what will be the end of it? What will +they do to us? I do not fear what they may do to me, but the idea that +you may have to suffer on my account is intolerable." + +"Have faith in God," answered her father. "Take courage. Not one hair +of our heads can fall to the ground without His permission. All that +happens to us is the will of God, and what more can we wish? Do not be +frightened into saying anything but what is strictly true. If they +threaten you, or if they hold out promises, do not depart a +hair's-breadth from the truth. Keep your conscience free from offence, +for a clear conscience is a soft pillow. Perhaps they will separate us, +and I shall no longer be with you to console; but if this should happen +cling more closely to your heavenly Father. He is a powerful protector +to innocence, and no earthly power can deprive you of His strength." + +Suddenly the door opened with a noise, and an officer entered, followed +by two constables. Mary uttered a piercing shriek, and fell into her +father's arms. + +"Separate them," cried the officer angrily; "let her father also be put +in custody. Set a watch on the house and garden. Make a strict search +everywhere, and allow no one to enter until the sheriff has made an +inventory." + +Mary clung to her father with all her force, but the officers tore her +from the old man's arms. In a fainting state she was carried off to +prison. + +The story of the lost ring had spread through the whole village of +Eichbourg, and when Mary and her father were taken through the streets, +the crowd pressed round them filled with curiosity. It was curious to +notice how diverse were the opinions which were pronounced on the old +man and his daughter. They had been kind to all, but there were some +who repaid their kindness by rejoicing in their present affliction. +Although they had accepted the old man's gifts, their jealousy and envy +had been excited by the thought of his superior position. + +"Now," they exclaimed maliciously, "we know how it is that James had +always so many good things to give away. If this is what the old man +and his daughter have been doing, it was easy to live in abundance and +be better clothed than their honest neighbours." + +It is true that most of the inhabitants of Eichbourg were sincerely +sorry for James and his daughter, although many of them felt compelled +to believe in Mary's guilt. Fathers and mothers were heard to say, "Who +would have believed this thing of these good people? Truly it proves +that the best of us are liable to fall." But there were others who were +persuaded of Mary's innocence, and said, "Perhaps it is not so bad as +it appears. May their innocence be brought out when the trial comes, +and may God help them to escape the terrible fate which now hangs over +them." + +Groups of children, to whom Mary had given fruit and flowers, stood +weeping as they saw their kind friend being carried off to prison. + + + + +CHAPTER IV. + +MARY IN PRISON. + + +We have already said that Mary was in a faint when she was carried off +to prison. When she recovered to realise her condition, she burst into +passionate sobbing, but at length, clasping her hands together, she +fell down on her knees in prayer. Overcome with terror at her +surroundings, filled with sadness at the thought of being separated +from her old father, and wearied with the excitement of the day, she +threw herself upon her hard straw couch and fell into a heavy sleep. + +When she awoke it was so dark that she could hardly distinguish a +single object. At first she could not remember where she was. The story +of the lost ring came back to her as a dream, and her first idea was +that she was sleeping in her own little bed. Suddenly she felt that her +hands were chained. Instantly all the sad reality of the past day +flashed upon her mind, and, jumping from her bed, she cried out, "What +can I do but raise my heart to God?" + +Falling upon her knees, Mary then engaged in prayer. She prayed for +herself, that she might be delivered, but especially she prayed for her +dear father, that in the trouble which had now come upon him the Lord +might support him. The thought of her father brought a torrent of tears +from her eyes and stopped her prayer. + +Suddenly the moon, which had been covered with thick clouds, now shone +in a clear sky, and, its rays coming through the iron grating in the +prison wall, threw a silvery light on the floor of Mary's cell. By the +light thus afforded, Mary could make out the large bricks of which the +walls of her prison were built, the white mortar which united them, the +place in the wall serving as a table on which her meals were placed. +Although her surroundings were so miserable, Mary felt that the +moonlight had soothed her heart. + +To her astonishment, she became conscious of a sweet perfume filling +her cell. Suddenly she remembered that in the morning she had placed in +her bosom a bouquet of roses and other sweet flowers which remained +from the basket. Taking it in her hand she untied it, and looked at the +flowers in the moonlight. "Alas," said she mournfully, "when I gathered +these rosebuds and forget-me-nots from my garden this morning, who +would have thought that I should be confined in this gloomy prison in +the evening? When I wore garlands of flowers, who would have imagined +that on the same day I should be doomed to wear iron chains?" Then she +thought of her father, and tears fell from her eyes and moistened the +flowers which she held in her hand. + +[Illustration: "Oh, my father, be sure that I have not the ring." +_See page 23._] + +"Oh, my dear father," she said, "how this bouquet reminds me of the +advice which you have given me. From the midst of thorns, I plucked +these rosebuds; and thus I know that joy will come to me from the very +troubles which now cause me pain. If I had attempted with my own hands +to unfold the leaves of these rosebuds, they would have perished; but +God with a delicate finger had gradually unfolded their purple cups and +shed over them the sweet perfume of His breath. He can disperse the +evils which surround me, and make them turn to my good which seemed all +evil. Let me then patiently wait His time. These flowers remind me of +Him who created them. I will remember Him as He remembers me. + +"These tender forget-me-nots, as blue as the heavens, may even be my +silent consolation in all the sufferings of earth. Here are some +sweet-peas with small delicate leaves, half white, half red. The plant +grows and winds itself around a support, that it may not grope in the +dust. And while it balances itself above the earth it displays its +flowers, which might be taken for butterflies' wings. In this way I +will cling to God and by His help raise myself above the miseries of +this earth. This mignonette is the chief source of the perfume which +fills my cell. Sweet plant, you cheer by your perfume the one who +plucked you from your home in the earth. I will try to imitate you and +to do good even to those who without cause have torn me from my garden +and thrown me into this prison. Here is a little sprig of peppermint, +the emblem of hope. I also will preserve hope now that the time of +suffering is come. Here again are two leaves of laurel. They remind me +of that crown incorruptible, which is reserved in heaven for all who +love the Lord and have submitted to His will upon the earth. Already I +think I see it, surrounded with golden rays. Flowers of the earth, you +are shortlived, as are its joys. You fade and wither in an instant, but +in heaven, after our short suffering on the earth, an unchangeable joy +awaits us and an eternal glory in Christ Jesus." + +Talking thus to herself, Mary found her heart gradually grow consoled. +Suddenly a dark cloud covered the moon; darkness filled the prison. Her +flowers were blotted out from her sight, and grief again took +possession of her heart. But the cloud was merely temporary, and in a +little while the moon reappeared more beautiful than ever. "Thus," +reflected Mary, "clouds can be cast over us, but it is only for a +little, and at the end we shine clearly again. If a dark suspicion +hangs over my character, God will make me triumphant over every false +accusation." The thought brought comfort to her; and Mary, stretching +herself upon her bed of straw, slept as tranquilly as a little child. + +In her sleep she dreamed a beautiful dream. It seemed to her that she +was walking by moonlight in a garden which was quite new to her, +situated in a wilderness surrounded by a dark forest of oak trees. By +the light of the moon, which had never appeared to her so brilliant or +so beautiful before, she saw hundreds of flowers in this garden, +displaying their charms and filling the air with sweet perfume. Best of +all, she dreamed that her father was with her in this beautiful place. +The moon shining on his face showed his venerable countenance lighted +by a gracious smile. Running to him, she fell on his bosom and shed +tears of joy, with which her cheeks were wet when suddenly she awoke. +It had only been a dream, but it comforted her heart, and she slept +again. + + + + +CHAPTER V. + +THE TRIAL. + + +Early in the morning, and almost before she was awake, an officer came +to Mary's cell to bring her forth for trial. At the sight of the room +in which the court was held she trembled, and her fears returned. +Sitting in a large scarlet chair was the judge. Before him a clerk +stood at an enormous table covered with papers. + +A number of questions were put to Mary, to all of which she answered +truthfully. She found it impossible to keep back her tears, but +persisted in declaring her innocence of the crime. + +"It is useless to try to make me believe this," said the judge. "You +were the only one to enter the room where the ring was. No one but you +could have taken it. You had better acknowledge the truth." + +"It is the truth I speak now," replied Mary. "I cannot speak anything +else. I have not seen the ring, indeed I have not." + +"The ring was seen in your hands," continued the judge; "have you +anything to say now?" + +Mary declared that this was impossible. Turning to his side, the judge +rang a little bell, and Amelia's maid, Juliette, was brought in. In the +fit of jealousy which she had felt because of the dress given to Mary, +and in her anxiety to deprive Mary of her mistress's favour, Juliette +had said to one or two people that she had seen Mary take the ring. In +consequence of this statement Juliette was now summoned as a witness, +and, fearful to be caught in a lie, she determined to maintain it even +in a court of justice. When the judge warned her to declare the truth +before God, she felt her heart beat quickly and her knees tremble; but +this wicked girl obeyed neither the voice of the judge nor the voice of +her own conscience. "If," said she to herself, "I acknowledge now that +I told a lie, then I shall be driven away. Perhaps I may even be +imprisoned." Determined to carry out her part, she turned to Mary and +said insultingly-- + +"You have the ring; I saw you with it." + +Mary heard this false charge with horror, but she did not allow passion +to get the upper hand. Her only reply was, and her tears almost choked +her while she said it-- + +"It is not true. You did not see me with the ring. How can you tell so +terrible a falsehood for the sake of ruining me, when I never have +injured you?" + +At the sight of Mary, Juliette's feelings of hatred and jealousy +revived. She repeated the falsehood, with new circumstances and +details, after which she was dismissed by the judge. + +"Mary, you are convicted," said he. "All the circumstances are against +you. The chamber-maid of the young Countess saw the ring in your hand. +Tell me now, what you have done with it?" + +In vain Mary protested her innocence. According to the cruel custom of +those days, the judge now sent her to be whipped until the blood came, +in the effort to make her confess her guilt. The punishment made poor +Mary scream with pain, but she continued to declare her innocence. +Suffering great agony, she was finally thrown into her prison again. +Her bed of straw was hard, her wounds gave her great pain, and half the +night she spent without sleeping, groaning and praying to God. + +The next day she was brought again before the court. The severity of +the law had failed to wring any confession from her. The judge now +tried to make her confess by adopting a mild tone, and by holding out +promises. + +"You have incurred the penalty of death," said he, "but if you confess +where the ring is, nothing will be done to you. Think well before you +answer, for your choice is between life and death." + +Still Mary protested that she had nothing more to confess. The judge +now tried to move her by her love for her father. + +"If you persist in concealing the truth," he said, "if you are careless +of your own life, you will at least spare that of your old father. +Would you see his head, whitened by age, cut off by the sword of +justice? Who but he could have induced you to tell a falsehood so +obstinately? Are you ignorant that his life as well as yours is at +stake?" + +This was a new thought to Mary, and, terrified at the threat, she +nearly fainted. + +"Confess," said the judge, "that you have taken the ring. A single +word--say yes, and your life and that of your father are saved." + +It was a great temptation and a terrible trial to Mary. Satan suggested +that she should say, "I took the ring, but I lost it on the road." +"No," she thought again, "no, I must stick to the truth. Let it cost +what it will, not even to save my own or my father's life will I depart +from the truth. I will obey God rather than man, and trust Him for the +rest." + +In a clear but tremulous voice she then answered-- + +"If I say I had the ring, it would be a lie; and, though this falsehood +would save my life, I cannot utter it. But," she entreated, "if life is +demanded, spare at least the white hairs of my loved father. I should +be glad to shed my blood for him." + +Her words touched the hearts of all the people in the court. Even the +judge, for all his severity, was deeply moved; but he remained silent, +and, giving the signal, Mary was taken back to prison. + + + + +CHAPTER VI. + +A PAINFUL MEETING. + + +Not for a long time had the judge been so perplexed as he was over +Mary's case. + +"For three days," he said, "it has been before us, and we have not made +the least advance towards the solution of the mystery. If I could see +any possibility of the ring having been taken by any one else, I should +certainly believe this girl innocent, but the evidence is so clear +against her, that it is impossible to believe anything else." + +The Countess was again examined and questioned thoroughly; the minutest +circumstances being inquired into. Juliette was also examined again. + +A whole day was spent by the judge in going over their testimony, and +weighing against it the words that Mary had uttered in her examination. +It was late at night when the judge sent to the prison for Mary's +father to be brought to his house. + +"James," said he kindly, "I am known perhaps as a strict man, but I do +not think that you can reproach me with ever having intentionally +injured any one. I do not need to tell you that I do not desire the +death of your daughter. All the details of the case, however, prove +that she must have committed the theft, and, under these circumstances, +you are aware that the penalty which the law requires is death. But +your daughter is young, and, notwithstanding the serious nature of the +crime, if she were to return the ring even now, a pardon might be +granted to her. To persist so obstinately in denying her guilt will +most certainly end in her death. Go to her, James; insist upon her +returning the ring, and I give you my word that the penalty of death +will not be visited upon her, but a mere trifling punishment +substituted. As her father you have great power over her. If you cannot +obtain a confession, most people will think that you have been an +accomplice with your daughter in the crime. Once more, I repeat, if the +ring is not found, I pity your case." + +"My daughter has not stolen the ring," replied James sadly; "of that I +am sure. That she will not therefore acknowledge her guilt, I know +beforehand. But I will speak to her as you desire. I will employ every +means to find it out, and if it be that she is to perish, +notwithstanding her innocence, it is a comfort to know that I can see +her once again before the terrible event." + +Accompanied by an officer, the old man went to the prison where Mary +was confined. The officer set a lamp upon a projection of the wall in a +corner of the cell, on which also stood an earthen pitcher of water. +Mary was lying on her straw bed, with her face turned towards the wall, +partially asleep. The light of the lamp woke her from her troubled +slumber, and, turning over and seeing her father, she uttered a cry of +joy and raised herself hastily, forgetting her chains. Almost fainting, +she threw herself upon her father's neck, and the old man sat down with +her upon her bed and pressed her in his arms. For some time they both +remained silent and mingled their tears together. At length James broke +the silence and began to speak as the judge had instructed him. + +[Illustration: "She raised herself hastily, forgetting her chains." +_See page 44._] + +"Oh, my father," said Mary, in a reproachful voice, interrupting him, +"surely you at least do not doubt my innocence. Alas," she continued, +weeping bitterly, "is there no one who believes me innocent, no one, +not even my father! Oh, my dear father, believe me that I am innocent." + +"Calm yourself, my dear child; I believe you entirely. I am only doing +now what I have been instructed to do by the judge." + +There was a silence for a little while in the cell. The old man looked +at his daughter and saw her cheeks pale and hollow with grief, her eyes +red and swollen with weeping, and her hair hanging dishevelled about +her. + +"My dear child," he said, "God has suffered you to be tried very +severely; but I fear lest there should be a worse trial to come, more +painful sufferings than any you have yet undergone. Alas, perhaps even +my dear child's head may fall by the hands of the executioner!" + +"My father," said Mary soothingly, "I care but little for myself. But +for you----" + +"Fear nothing for me, my dear Mary," said her father, "I run no +risk----" + +"Oh," cried Mary, "thank God! If that is the case, a great load is +taken off my heart. For myself, all is well. Be sure, my dear father, I +fear not to die. I shall go to God; I shall find my Saviour. I shall +also see my mother in heaven. That will be a great happiness." + +Deeply moved at his daughter's words, the old man wept like a child. + +"Well, God be praised," said he, clasping his aged hands together, "God +be praised for your submissive spirit. It is very hard for a man +stricken in years, for a tender father to lose his only child, the +child of his love, his only consolation, the joy of his old age, and +his last support, but," he continued, "may the will of the Lord be +done." + +"One word," said he, a moment afterwards; "Juliette has sworn falsely +against you. On her oath she has declared that she saw the ring in your +hands. If you perish, you will perish by her testimony. But you will +pardon her, my Mary--is it not so? You do not take with you any feeling +of hatred towards her. Alas, even upon this bed of straw, and loaded +with chains, you are still more happy than she is, living in the +Countess's palace and dressed in fine clothes, and with everything that +her heart can desire. It is better to die innocent than to live +dishonoured. Pardon her, my child, as thy Saviour pardoned His enemies +on the cross. Do you pardon her?" the old man asked anxiously. + +Mary assured her father that she did. And now the officer was heard +coming to separate them. + +"Well," said her father, "I commend you to God and His grace. If I +should not see you again, if this is the last time that I am permitted +to talk with you, my daughter, at least be sure that I will not be long +in following you to heaven. You may depend upon it that I shall not +long survive this parting." + +The time was now up, and, warned by the officer, the old man prepared +to take his departure. Mary clung to him with all her strength, but her +father was obliged to disengage himself as gently as he could, and Mary +fell insensible upon her bed. + +As soon as James was brought before the judge, he raised his hands to +heaven, and cried out, almost beside himself-- + +"My daughter is innocent!" + +The judge was deeply moved. + +"I am disposed," he said, "for my own part to believe it. +Unfortunately, I must judge the case from the nature of the testimony, +with impartiality and even to the utmost rigour of the law." + + + + +CHAPTER VII. + +SENTENCED. + + +In the village of Eichbourg the case of Mary and the missing ring were +the only subjects of conversation, and many were the speculations as to +what the result of the case would be. At the period when Mary lived, +the crime of theft was always visited with severe punishment, and in +many cases the sentence of death was carried out when the theft was of +a much less valuable article than the Countess's ring. + +The Count himself wished for nothing so much as to find Mary innocent. +In his anxiety to give her the advantage of any doubt there might be, +he himself read all the testimony and conversed with the judge for +hours at a time, but, after all had been done, he was unable to +persuade himself of Mary's innocence. Amelia and her mother were, as +may be imagined, in deep distress, and begged with tears that Mary's +life might be spared. As for the old man, Mary's father, he spent his +days and nights in unceasing prayer that God would be pleased to prove +to the world the innocence of his daughter. + +All this time the preparations for the execution were being rapidly +pushed forward, and whenever Mary heard an officer enter her cell, she +thought it was to announce to her that her hour had come to die. + +But if Mary was thus distressed at the preparations for the execution, +there was another person for whom the thought had infinite terror. +Amelia's maid, Juliette, for the first time realised the crime of which +she had been guilty, and when she saw the executioner at his work, +horror seemed to deprive her of her reason. When she sat down to eat +she could not swallow a bite, and her spirits became so low that she +was an object of general remark. When she retired to rest, her sleep +was disturbed by ghastly dreams, in which she saw Mary's head severed +from her body. But in spite of the remorse which gnawed her day and +night, the heart of the unhappy woman was hardened against the idea of +confessing her falsehood, and so Mary remained guilty in the eyes of +the law. + +After much anxious deliberation the judge pronounced sentence upon +Mary. In consideration of her extreme youth and the unblemished +character which, up till now, she had enjoyed, the sentence of death +was not to be carried out; but instead, Mary and her father were to be +banished from the country, and all their furniture and possessions were +to be sold to make up, as far as possible, for the value of the ring, +and to pay the expenses of the trial. + +Next morning at break of day the sentence was carried into execution, +and Mary and her father were conducted from the prison. Their road lay +past the Castle gate, and just then Juliette came out. Since the +publication of the news that the sentence of death was not to be +carried out, this wicked girl had recovered her spirits, and once more +allowed all her evil feelings against Mary to revive. So far from being +sorry for the banishment that was now inflicted upon Mary, she rejoiced +in the thought that Mary could no longer be feared as a rival in her +mistress's favour. After the trial was over, the Countess, seeing +Mary's basket of flowers on the sideboard, had said to Juliette, "Take +away that basket, that I may never have it before my eyes. The +recollections which it arouses in me are so painful that I cannot +endure the sight of it." + +Now, as Mary and her father were passing the Castle gate, Juliette +called out to them, "Stop a minute. Here is your fine present; my +mistress would keep nothing from such people as you. Your glory has +passed away with the flowers for which you were paid so well." So +saying, she threw the basket at Mary's feet, re-entered the Castle, and +banged the door with great violence after her. Mary took the basket in +silence, and, with tears in her eyes, continued her way, while her +father dragged his aged limbs alongside of her. + +[Illustration: "She threw the basket at Mary's feet." +_See page 52._] + +Many a time on the journey Mary turned back to look, with tear-dimmed +eyes, towards the cottage where they had spent so many happy years, +until the roof of the Castle and even the church steeple disappeared +from her sight. At last they came to the limits of the country beyond +which their exile was to be; and, having conducted them thus far, the +officer left them. They were now in the heart of a forest, and the old +man, though overwhelmed with grief and anxiety for the future, seated +himself upon the grass under the shade of an oak tree and comforted his +daughter. + +"Come, my child," said he, taking Mary's hands in his own and raising +them to heaven, "before we go on let us thank God who has taken us out +of the gloomy prison, and allowed us to enjoy once more the sight of +heaven and the freshness of the air; who has saved our lives, and who +has returned you, my dear daughter, to your father's arms." The old man +then fell upon his knees, and out of a thankful heart commended himself +and his daughter to the protection of their heavenly Father. + +With the prayer of faith, which was thus offered up, feelings of joy +and courage began to fill their hearts. And now it was seen that God's +providence had not left them. An old huntsman--Anthony by name--with +whom James had been in service when he accompanied the Count on his +travels, had set out before daybreak to hunt a stag, and now came upon +James and his daughter seated under the oak. + +"God bless you, James," said Anthony. "It does me good to hear your +voice. Is it then true that they have banished you? Truly it is hard to +see a man obliged, in his old age, to quit his country." + +"As far as the reach of heaven extends," answered James, "the earth is +the Lord's, and His kindness is extended to all. Our country--our real +country--is in heaven." + +"Tell me," said the huntsman, with sympathy in his face, "if they have +banished you just as you are, without food or clothing necessary for +the journey." + +"He who clothes the flowers of the field will know how to provide for +us also!" + +"That is so; but you are provided at least with money?" insisted +Anthony, whose kind heart was filled with sympathy and indignation. + +"We have a good conscience," replied the old man, "and with that we are +richer than if the stone upon which I sit was gold. My father was a +basket-maker. He taught me his trade besides that of gardening, in +order that, during the dark winter months, I might have a useful +occupation. This has done more for me, and has been better for my +prosperity, than if he had left me a fortune. A good conscience, health +of body, and an honourable trade, are the best and surest fortunes we +can have on earth." + +"God be praised," answered the huntsman, "that you bear your +misfortunes so well. I am forced to confess that you are right, and +that you have still a good resource in gardening. But I cannot see +where you expect to get employment." + +"Far from here," answered James; "in places where we are not known. +Wherever, in short, God will conduct us." + +"James," said the huntsman, "take this stout stick in your hand. I have +used it to assist me in climbing up the mountains, but I can easily get +another. And here," he added, drawing from his pocket a little leather +purse, "is some money that I received in payment for some wood in the +village where I passed the night." + +"I gladly accept the cane," replied James, "and I will cherish it in +remembrance of a generous man; but it is impossible for me to accept +the money, as it is payment for wood that belongs to the Count." + +"Good old James," the huntsman replied, "if that is your fear, you may +take the money with an easy mind. Some years ago a poor old man, who +had lost his cow, could not pay for the wood which he had bought from +the Count. I advanced him the sum, which he paid to the Count, and +thought no more about it. Now he has got out of his difficulties, and +yesterday, when I had forgotten all about it, he returned it to me with +hearty thanks. So you see it is truly a present which God sends you." + +"I accept it," said James, "with thanks, and may God return it to you. +See, Mary," he said, turning to his daughter, "with what goodness God +provides for us at the very commencement of our banishment, here almost +before we have passed the limits of the country, and sends us our good +old friend who has given us money. Courage, my daughter; our heavenly +Father will watch over us." The huntsman then took leave of them with +tears in his eyes. + +"Farewell, honest James," said he, "farewell, my good Mary," extending +his hands to both. "I always thought you innocent, and I still think +so. Do not despair. Do not surrender your honesty because you are +suspected. Yes, yes; whosoever does well and has confidence in God, may +be assured of His protection. May God be with you." + +Hand in hand Mary and her father now continued their way through the +forest, not knowing at what spot they would rest, and without a friend +in the world but God. + + + + +CHAPTER VIII. + +FINDING NEW FRIENDS. + + +Although their hearts were thus sustained by faith in God, the journey +on which Mary and her father now started was a long and painful one. +For days they were unable to find a lodging, and the little money with +which they had started was at last exhausted, and they had no prospect +of earning more. Although it was sorely against their will, they were +at last compelled to ask for bread at the hands of charity. Here again +they were made to feel the humiliation of their position; for in going +from door to door, seeking for help which they so sorely needed, they +met with scarcely anything but rebuffs, and sometimes indeed with +abuse. Often their meal consisted only of a small piece of dry bread, +washed down by water from the nearest fountain. A luxury would +occasionally come their way in the shape of a little soup or some +vegetables, and here and there, some scraps of meat or pastry, given to +them by some kind-hearted housekeeper. After days spent in this way, +they were thankful at night to be allowed to sleep in a barn. + +Up till now Mary's father had borne up with wonderful courage. One day, +however, the distance which they had travelled was longer than usual, +and the road which stretched before them seemed endless, unbroken by +the sight of any village or human habitation. Suddenly the old man +began to feel very weak. His limbs tottered under him, and he fell, +pale and speechless, on a heap of dry leaves at the foot of a hill +covered with pine trees. + +In great alarm for her father's safety, and overwhelmed with grief, +Mary ran hither and thither trying to find water, but in vain. Thinking +that her voice might be heard by some one in the neighbourhood she +cried for help, but the echo alone answered her. As far as she could +see, in every direction the country was without human habitation. +Almost worn out with fatigue, she at last climbed to the top of the +hill in order that she might more readily discover any dwelling-place +where help might be obtained. It was then that she saw just behind the +hill a small farmhouse surrounded by green meadows, and shut in on +every side by forest. Hastily running down the hill, she arrived at the +cottage out of breath, and with tears in her eyes asked assistance for +her old father. The farmer and his wife were kind-hearted people, and +were deeply touched at the sight of Mary's agony. + +"Put the horse in the little waggon," said the farmer's wife to her +husband, "and we will bring this sick old man here." + +When the horse was harnessed the farmer's wife put two mattresses, an +earthen pitcher of water, and a bottle of vinegar into the waggon. But +when Mary heard that the waggon would require to go round the hill, and +could not reach her father within half an hour, she took the water and +vinegar in her hand, and went by the short road across the hill in +order that she might the sooner minister to her father's needs. Greatly +to her joy, she found that her father had recovered a little and was +now sitting at the foot of a pine tree. The old man was greatly +relieved to see his daughter, whose absence had caused him deep +anxiety. + +In a short time the waggon arrived with the farmer and his wife. +Placing James in the waggon they carried him to their home, where they +gave him a clean little room, and a closet and a kitchen which were +then unoccupied. + +The old man's illness had been caused solely by insufficient food, want +of rest, and the fatigue of the journey. With great kindness, the good +farmer and his wife, who were poor people, sacrificed some of their +usual luxuries in order that they might have more money to spend on the +things which James required to restore him to his usual health. For +instance, they had been in the habit of taking a trip every year to a +fair in a neighbouring village; but when the time came round they +agreed to remain at home that they might save the cost of the journey, +and spend the money thus saved in procuring some delicacies to tempt +the old man's appetite. At this fresh proof of their kindness, Mary +thanked them with tears of gratitude in her eyes. + +"Oh," said she, "truly there are kind people everywhere, and in the +most unlikely places we find compassionate hearts." + +During the days when the old man was gradually recovering, Mary watched +constantly at his bedside. But with the habit of industry which she had +practised, she filled up these hours with working for the farmer's wife +by knitting or sewing, and as may be imagined, this anxiety to help her +benefactors, added to her modest and winning manner, gave great +pleasure to the kind-hearted peasants. + +By and by the care which had been bestowed upon James, and the +nourishing food which he had got, began to tell upon him, and soon he +was so far restored as to be able to get up out of bed. As soon as he +felt returning strength, he was desirous of doing something. Resuming +their old habits, Mary gathered for him branches of willow and hazel, +and with these her father made a pretty little basket, which he offered +to the farmer's wife as a small token of gratitude. + +When he felt himself quite recovered, he said to his hosts-- + +"We have been long enough a burden to you. It is time we should go and +seek our fortunes elsewhere." + +"Why should you leave us, my good James?" said the farmer, taking the +old man by the hand. "I hope we have not offended you in any way? The +year is now far advanced; the winter is at the door. If you have any +hardship again you will certainly be sick." + +James warmly assured them that the only motive he had for desiring to +leave them was the fear that he and his daughter were burdensome. + +"If that is all," said the farmer heartily, "pray do not distress +yourself further. The spare room which you occupy prevents you from +being burdensome to us in the smallest degree, and you gain enough to +supply your wants." + +"Yes, that is true," added the farmer's wife. "Mary alone earns enough +with her needle to support you; and as for you, James, if you wish to +exercise your trade of basket-maker, you will have your hands full. Not +long since I took your pretty basket with me to the market, and all the +countrywomen who saw it wished to have one like it. If you like I will +procure customers, and I promise that you will not soon be in want of +work." + +The old man and his daughter were only too glad to remain with their +kind-hearted friends, who expressed themselves as thoroughly pleased +with the new arrangement. + + + + +CHAPTER IX. + +A NEW HOME. + + +James and his daughter were now settled down in a place which they +could call home; they furnished their rooms in a simple style, with +nothing more than they needed for everyday wants. It gave Mary great +pleasure in again being able to prepare her father's meals, and to look +after his comforts in every way; and together they led a life of quiet +happiness. The good friends with whom they lived had a large garden +attached to the house, but as the farmer and his wife had their time +too much taken up in the field to give much care to the garden, it was +of little or no use to them. James saw that it could be made a +profitable source of income by devoting it to the growing of flowers +and fruit, and when he proposed to put this plan into execution the +farmer's consent was willingly granted. + +During the autumn time, James had made his preparations, and when the +warmth of spring had melted the winter snows, he began his work, +assisted by Mary; and together they laboured from morning to night. The +garden was divided into beds planted with all sorts of vegetables and +flowers, and bordered with gravel walks. The old man was anxious to see +the completion of his idea, and allowed neither himself nor his +daughter rest until he had stocked the garden with their favourite +flowers, rose trees, tulip and lily roots, and various kinds of +shrubbery. + +Mary made a special study of cultivating some rare flowers, among which +were some which had never before been seen in this part of the country. +When the summer came, the garden showed such a burst of verdure and +blossom, that the valley, which was overshadowed by dark trees, now +assumed quite a smiling appearance. An orchard belonging to the farmer, +which had also been taken in hand by James, soon bore evidence to his +gardening skill in the shape of an abundant harvest of fruit. Indeed, +it seemed as if the blessing of God was upon everything that James +undertook. + +Settled in a comfortable home, and occupied in his favourite calling, +the old gardener began to forget the troubles of the past, and to +regain the cheerful humour which had made his conversation such a +delight in the past. Once more he began to reflect upon the lessons +which the flowers taught, and day by day he taught to Mary some new +lesson which he had learned from them. + +One day a woman from the neighbouring village came to buy some flax +from the farmer, and brought her little boy with her. While she was +occupied in bargaining for the flax, her little child, finding the +garden-gate open, had gone in and begun to plunder a full-blown rose +bush, with the result that he scratched himself terribly with the sharp +thorns. His mother and the farmer's wife, as well as James and his +daughter, hearing his screams of pain, ran to him. The child, with his +little hands all covered with blood, cried out against the naughty rose +bush for having attracted him by its pretty flowers and then cruelly +torn his hands. + +The occasion was seized by James for drawing a lesson. "It is sometimes +thus with us older children also," he said to Mary. "Like this rose +tree, every pleasure in life has its thorns. We run towards them, and +would fain seize them with both hands. Some are led away by a taste for +the dance and theatre, others by a taste for strong drink, or still +more shameful vices. But the thorns make themselves felt by and by, and +then there comes lament for wasted youth, and a distaste for the +pleasures once so eagerly sought. Do not let us be foolishly dazzled by +the beauty of the world. The chief end which man has to care for is the +saving of his soul, and it is folly to give ourselves up to the +enjoyment of passion. Our unceasing effort should be to use all +diligence to gain eternal life." + +One day James was employed in placing young plants in a part of the +garden, while Mary was weeding at a little distance from him. "This +double labour, my child," said her father, "represents what should be +the occupation of our life. Our heart is a garden which the good God +has given to us to cultivate. It is necessary that we should constantly +apply ourselves to cultivate the good and to extract the evil, which is +too apt to take root. That we may fulfil faithfully these two duties, +let us implore God's assistance and blessing, which makes the sun to +shine out and the rain to fall, the plants to grow, and the fruit to +ripen. Then will our hearts be delightful gardens. We shall then have +heaven within ourselves." In this way the old man and his daughter +passed through life, active and industrious in their calling, and +mingling innocent pleasures and instructive conversation with their +daily pursuits. + +Three years passed swiftly away, and the happy days they had spent at +Pine Cottage had almost blotted out the memory of their past +misfortunes. It was now autumn time, and the chrysanthemums, the last +ornaments of the garden, were glorious in red and yellow flowers. The +leaves of the trees had become of varied tints, and everything showed +that the garden was preparing for the winter's repose. James had lately +begun to feel his strength failing, and the thought of his daughter's +future gave him considerable uneasiness. He concealed his feelings from +her for fear of distressing her, but Mary observed that her father's +remarks upon the flowers were now mostly of a melancholy kind. One day +she observed a rose-bud which had never blossomed. In attempting to +gather it the leaves of the flower fell off in her hand. "It is the +same with men," said her father, who had been watching her. "In youth +we resemble the rose newly opened, but our life fades like the rose. +Almost before it is matured, it passes away. Do not pride yourself, my +dear child, upon the beauty of the body. It is vain and fragile. Aim +rather at beauty of soul and true piety, which will never wither." + +One day towards evening time the old man climbed a ladder to pluck some +apples, while Mary stood below with a basket to hold them. + +"How cold," said James, "this autumn wind is as it whistles over the +stubble fields and plays with the yellow leaves and my white hairs. I +am in my autumn, my dear child, as you will also be some day. Try to +grow like this excellent apple tree, which produces beautiful fruit and +in great abundance. Try to please the Master of the great garden which +is called the world." + +On another day Mary was sowing seed for the following spring. "The day +will come," said her father, "when we shall be put in the ground, as +you are putting these seeds. But let us console ourselves, my dear +Mary. As soon as the corn is enfolded in the earth, it is animated. It +springs from the earth in the form of a beautiful flower, and rises +thus triumphantly from the place where it was buried. So also shall we +rise one day from our tombs with splendour and magnificence. When you +follow me to the tomb, my dear child, do not mourn for me, but think of +the future. In the flowers which you will plant on my grave, try to see +the image of the resurrection and immortal life." + + + + +CHAPTER X. + +A FATHER'S LAST WORDS. + + +The winter had now set in with threatenings of severity. Already the +mountain and valley round about the farm were covered with deep snow. +The weakness which old James had been feeling for some time now +culminated in a severe illness. Obtaining her father's consent, Mary +asked a physician from a neighbouring village to visit him. The doctor +came to see James and prescribed for him. Full of foreboding, Mary +followed him to the door to ask him if he had any hope of her father's +recovery. To this the physician replied that the old man was in no +immediate danger, but that he suffered from a disease which would make +his recovery as an old man very improbable. It was with difficulty that +Mary bore up under the news, and, after the physician had gone, she had +a fit of passionate sobbing. For the sake of her father, however, she +wiped away her tears, and endeavoured to appear calm before she went to +him. + +During the succeeding days Mary attended her father with the utmost +devotion and loving care. Rarely had he to make his requests known, for +his daughter could read in his eyes all that he wanted. Mary spent +whole nights by his bedside. If at any time she consented to be +relieved for a little rest, it was but rarely that she could close her +eyes. If her father coughed, she trembled with apprehension; if he made +the least stir, she immediately approached him softly and on tiptoe to +know how he was. She prepared and brought to him in the most delicate +forms the food which best suited his condition. She arranged his +pillows from time to time, read to him, and prayed for him continually. +Even when he dozed for a little she would stand by his bed with her +hands clasped and her tearful eyes raised to heaven. + +Mary had a little money which she had saved from her hard-won earnings. +To scrape together this small sum she had often spent half the night in +sewing and knitting articles for sale. Now, in her father's illness, +she made use of this little store to procure for him everything which +she thought would be of any service. Good old James, although +occasionally he felt himself a little stronger, was never deceived +about his condition, but felt only too sure that he was on his +deathbed. The thought had no power to disturb him, and he spoke to his +daughter of his approaching death with the greatest serenity. + +"Oh," said Mary, crying bitterly, "do not speak thus, my dear father. I +cannot bear the thought. What will become of me? Alas, your poor Mary +will no longer have any one upon the earth!" + +"Do not cry, my dear child," said her father affectionately, holding +out his hand to her. "You have a kind Father in heaven who will never +forsake you, although your earthly father be taken away from you. I do +not feel anxious about the manner in which you will gain a livelihood +when I am dead, for the birds easily find their food, and you will find +enough to nourish you. God provides for the smallest sparrow; will He +not also provide for you? The thought that distresses me," he +continued, "is that you will be left alone. Alas, my dear child, you +have little idea of the wickedness that is in the world! There will be +moments perhaps when you will feel inclined to do evil; moments when +you will perhaps yourself be persuaded that sin is not so very wrong. +Listen to the advice which I now give you, and let the last words of +your dying father be for ever deeply impressed on your heart. Forbid +every action, every speech, every thought for which you would have to +blush if your father knew. Soon my eyes will be for ever closed, I +shall not longer be here to watch over you, but remember you have in +heaven a Father whose eye sees everything and reads the secrets of your +heart." + +After a little while, when he had recovered breath, he continued: "You +would not wish by an act of disobedience to hurt the father whom you +have on earth; how much more then should you fear to offend your Father +which is in heaven? Look at me once more, Mary. Oh, if you ever feel +the least inclination to do wrong, think of my pale face and of the +tears which wet these sunken cheeks. Come to me, put your hand into +mine which will soon fall into dust. Promise me never to forget my +words. In the hour of temptation, imagine that you feel this cold hand +which you now hold on the border of the grave. My poor child, you +cannot see without weeping, my pale and hollow cheeks. But know that +everything passes away in this world. There was a time when I had the +bloom of health and the fresh colour which you now have. The time will +come when you too will be stretched on the bed of death, pale and +emaciated, as you now see me, if God does not sooner take you to +Himself. The friends of my youth have disappeared like the flowers +which have passed away with the spring, and for whose places you seek +in vain, like the dew which sparkles for a moment on the flowers and is +gone." + +The next day James, feeling that his end was near, felt it his duty and +delight, though weak in body, to continue his advice to his daughter. + +"I have seen the world," said he, "as well as other people, in the day +when I accompanied the young Count on his travels. If there was +anything in the large cities superb or magnificent, I went there. I +spent whole weeks in pleasure. If there was a brilliant assembly or a +lively conversation, I saw and heard as well as my young master. I +shared in the most exquisite meals, and of the scarcest wines, and +always had more than I wished for. But all these worldly pleasures left +me with an empty heart. I assure you solemnly, my dear Mary, that a few +moments of peaceful thought and fervent prayer in our arbour in +Eichbourg, or under this roof that covers us now, gave me more real joy +than all the vain pleasures of the world. Seek then your happiness in a +life of service of our blessed Saviour. You will find Him and He will +bless you. + +"Too well you know, my child, that I have not been without misfortune +in this life. When I lost your dear mother my heart was for a long time +like a dry and barren garden, whose soil, burned by the sun, cracks +open, and seems to sigh for rain. In this way I languished, thirsting +for consolation, and at last I found it in the Lord. Oh, my dear +daughter, there will be days in your life when your heart also will be +like dry and barren ground; but let it not dishearten you. As the +thirsty ground calls not for rain in vain, but God sends the refreshing +showers, so if you seek your consolation from God, He will refresh your +heart as the sweet rain refreshes the thirsty parched earth. Let your +confidence in your heavenly Father be unshaken. Firmly believe that +there is nothing He will not do for those He loves. Sometimes He may +lead us by paths of grief, but be sure that these paths lead to +unmingled happiness. Do you recollect, my good Mary, all the grief you +felt when, after our painful walk, I fell down with fatigue in the +middle of the road? Now you can see that this accident was the means +which God made use of to procure for us the comforts which we have +enjoyed for three years with the good people of this house. Had I not +taken ill that day then we should not have come before their door, or +their hearts would not have been touched with compassion for us. All +the pleasures which we have enjoyed here, all the good which we may +have been enabled to do, are so many benefits which sprang from the +sickness which at first so sorely distressed you. + +"But you will always find, my dear Mary, that in the troubles of life +there are proofs of the Divine goodness, to those who will look for +them. If the liberal hand of the Lord has scattered with flowers the +mountains and valleys, forests and river-banks, and even the muddy +marshes, to give us everywhere the opportunity of admiring the +tenderness and beauty of nature, He has also imprinted on all the +events of our life the evident traces of His great wisdom, and all His +passionate love to man in order that the attentive man may learn by +them to love and adore Him. + +"In all our life, we have never had to suffer more than when you were +accused of a theft, when you were chained and likely to be doomed to +death. We were weeping together in prison and lamenting our affliction. +Well, even this trial has been a source of great good to us. Looking +back upon it we can see that, when the young Countess favoured you +above other young girls, honoured you by admitting you to her company, +made you a present of a beautiful gown, and expressed a wish that you +should always be near her, there was a danger that these great +advantages of life would render you vain and trifling, fond of the +things of this world, and apt to forget God. Doubtless the Lord +consulted our highest interests when He changed our condition, and +banished us from happiness into despair. In the misery of our state, in +prison and in poverty of circumstances, we have been enabled to live +nearer to Him. He has brought us far from the corrupt influences of +large towns into this lonely country where He has prepared for us a +better home. Here you are like a flower flourishing in solitude, where, +if it has not the admiration of man, it has nothing to fear from his +hand. + +"The good and faithful God who has done all these things for us will +give a still more happy turn to your life. For I firmly believe that He +has answered my prayer, that He will one day show to the world your +innocence. When that time shall come I shall be no more, but I can die +in peace without seeing it, for I am convinced of your innocence. Yes, +my daughter, the pain which you have suffered will yet be the means of +leading you to much happiness on earth, though this kind of happiness +is the least, and you will see that God's great design in afflicting us +was to sanctify our hearts, and to prepare us for that home to which we +can arrive only through tribulation and suffering. + +"Believing this, let not your heart be troubled that you are in +misfortune. Believe firmly that God's tenderness watches over you, that +His care will be sufficient for you in whatever place He chooses to +take you. In whatever painful situation you may be placed, say, 'It is +the best place for me. Notwithstanding all that, I am safe, for He has +brought me here.'" + + + + +CHAPTER XI. + +MARY'S GREAT LOSS. + + +When at last Mary could no longer hide from herself the seriousness of +her father's illness, she went to the minister of the parish in which +Pine Cottage was situated and asked him to come and visit him. The +minister, who was a kind-hearted and godly man, gladly availed himself +of the opportunity. Besides conversing with James on spiritual matters, +he was of great comfort to Mary by the kindly affection with which he +treated her. One afternoon when the old man's weakness was sensibly +increased, James requested Mary to leave the room for a moment that he +might have private conversation with the minister. After a little +while, he called her in again, and said-- + +"My dear child, I have settled all my worldly affairs, and am now ready +to depart and be with Christ." + +Mary was deeply distressed, and had great difficulty in keeping back +her tears, for she saw that the end was rapidly approaching. But out of +consideration for her father, and after a great effort, she recovered +herself, and remained calm. + +The rest of the day was spent by James in silent prayer, and next day +he received the Lord's Supper at the hands of the minister, by +partaking of the bread and wine which are the symbols of the body and +blood of Christ. Faith in the power of God, love to Christ who had +redeemed him, and hope of eternal life, had made his venerable +countenance radiant with happiness. + +Mary remained on her knees beside his bed, weeping and praying. The +farmer and his wife and their household looked on in wonder at the +rapture of the aged saint, and tears of sympathy were in every eye +because of Mary's grief. + +It gave the old man pleasure to have Mary read to him in her sweet and +clear voice. During the latter part of his illness he desired to hear +nothing else than the last words and prayer of Jesus. One night, after +all the household had gone to bed, Mary was sitting beside her father. +The moon was shining so brightly into the room that the light of the +candle was scarcely seen. + +"Mary," said the dying man, "read me once again that beautiful prayer +of our Saviour." + +Mary began to read. "Now," said the old man, "give me the book." Mary +gave him the book, and carried the light nearer to him. "This will be +the last prayer," said her father, "that I shall make for you," as he +marked the passage with his finger, then in a trembling voice he +uttered the following prayer: "O Father, I have not long to remain in +this world. I am going--I dare hope it--I am going to Thee, my heavenly +Father. Oh, preserve this my child from sin, for Thy Name's sake. While +I have lived on the earth, I have endeavoured in Thy name to preserve +her from it. But, O Lord, I am now going to Thee. I do not ask Thee to +take her to Thyself, but only to preserve her from harm. Let Thy holy +truth preserve her. Thy word is truth. Grant, O heavenly Father, that +the child whom Thou hast given me may at last be admitted to the place +where I hope to go. Through Jesus Christ my Saviour. Amen." + +Mary repeated, as well as her sobs would allow her, her father's +_Amen_. "Yes," continued the old man, "yes, my daughter, in the +kingdom which Jesus had from the beginning of the world, we shall see +Him, and we shall see each other." He again lay down on his pillow to +rest a little. His hands continued to hold the New Testament, which he +had bought with his first money saved from the purchase of food after +he left Eichbourg. + +"Dear daughter," he said, some minutes afterwards, "I am grateful for +all the affection and tenderness which you have shown me since my +illness commenced. Trust in your heavenly Father, Mary, and you will +receive of Him your reward. Poor and forsaken as I am, I can give you +nothing, when I leave you, but my blessing and this book. Live in the +ways of righteousness, and this blessing will not be without effect. +The blessing of a father with the confidence of the Lord is better for +a virtuous child than the richest inheritance. This book, which I wish +you to take in remembrance of your father, cost me, it is true, but a +few shillings, but if it be faithfully read and its precepts put in +practice, I shall have left you the richest treasure. If I had left you +as many pieces of gold as the spring produces leaves and flowers, with +all that money you could not buy anything so valuable as this book. It +is the Word of God. Read it every day, no matter how much work presses +upon you; read at least one passage. Preserve it and meditate upon it +in your heart during the day." + +About three o'clock the next morning James said, in a faint voice, "I +feel very ill. Open the window a little." Mary opened it. The moon had +disappeared, but the sky was brilliant with stars, and presented a +magnificent sight. + +"See how beautiful the sky is!" said the dying man. "What are the +flowers of earth whose beauty I have so often admired compared with +these stars, whose glory suffers no fading? It is there I am going. +What joy! Come, Lord Jesus, come quickly." + +With these words James fell back upon his pillow, and passed peacefully +away. Mary had never seen any one die before, and she thought her +father had only fainted. In her fright she awoke all the family. They +ran to her father's bed, and there she heard them say to each other +that he was dead. Abandoning herself to her grief, she threw herself +upon her father's body, embraced it, and wept passionately. + +"Oh, my father, my good father," said she, "how shall I discharge all +my obligations to you? Alas, I cannot now. I can only thank you for all +the words, for all good advice I received from your dear lips, now +sealed in death. Your hand, which is now cold and stiff, I kiss with +gratitude, and remember that that hand has bestowed upon me many +benefits, and has all my life laboured for my good. Oh, if I could at +this moment follow you into the heavenly kingdom, how gladly would I do +so. Oh, let me die the death of the righteous. My only consolation now +is that I shall one day enter upon the happiness and everlasting life +of heaven." + +During this heart-rending scene the farmer's family had been much +affected. At last they prevailed upon Mary to lie down and rest, hoping +that sleep would ease her grief. During the following day nothing would +induce her to leave her father's body. Before the coffin lid was nailed +down, Mary took one more look at her father. "Alas," said she, "it is +the last time that I shall ever look upon your dear face! How beautiful +it was when you smiled, and it shone with the glory into which you were +so shortly to enter. Farewell, farewell, my father," said she, sobbing +aloud, "may your body rest peacefully in the earth now, while angels of +God are, as I hope, bearing your soul to eternal rest." + +When the funeral took place, Mary, dressed in mourning which one of the +girls of the village had kindly given her, followed close to the body +of her father. She was as pale as death, and every one pitied the poor +girl who now was without a relative in the world. As Mary's father was +a stranger at Erlenbrunn, they dug a grave for him in a corner of the +cemetery beside the wall. Two large pine trees shaded the humble grave. +The minister who had attended James during his illness spoke of James's +patience and of the resignation with which he had borne all his +misfortunes, and the good example he had set for those who knew him. +With tender words he consoled Mary, who was overwhelmed with grief. In +the name of her father, the minister thanked the farmer and his wife +for all their kindness to Mary and her father. He begged of them to be +father and mother to her who had no longer any parents. + + + + +CHAPTER XII. + +CHANGES AT PINE FARM. + + +After her father's death, Mary was no longer the bright happy girl she +had been before. Even her favourite flowers seemed to have lost all +their beauty, and the pine trees near the farm looked as though they +were clothed in mourning. From time to time she attended the church at +Erlenbrunn; and when here she never failed to visit her father's grave. +On every opportunity she went to this sacred spot to weep for her +departed parent, and she never left the grave without having made fresh +resolutions to ignore the pleasures of the world, and to live only to +God. As time went on her grief gradually moderated, but she soon had +new trials to undergo. + +Great changes took place in Pine Farm. The good farmer had given the +farm to his only son, an amiable, good-tempered young man, but unhappy +in his choice of a wife, whom he had married a short time before. She +was a handsome woman, and possessed of considerable means; but she was +vain to a degree, and cared for nothing but money. Pride and greed had +gradually imprinted on her features an expression of harshness so +striking that, with all her beauty, her looks were repellent. She was +violently opposed to religion, and was thus without any restraint on +her conduct. By every means in her power she sought to make the lives +of her husband's parents miserable. If she knew that anything would +give them pleasure, she delighted in doing the contrary, and when she +gave them the food which was their due, according to the contract they +had made with their son, it was always with a bad grace, and in a +grudging spirit. + +The good old man and his wife lived the greater part of their time in a +little back room, seldom appearing outside. As for their son, he led a +miserable life; for his wife overwhelmed him with constant abuse, and +was constantly reminding him of the money she had brought him. Being of +a peaceable disposition, and averse to quarrelling and disputing, he +bore his sufferings in silence. His wife would never quietly allow him +to visit his parents, for fear, as she said, he would give them +something secretly. In the evening, after he had finished his work, he +used to try to find an opportunity to visit them, when he would +complain to them of his hard lot. + +"Well," said his father, "so it is. You suffered yourself to be dazzled +by the thought of her gold, and to be fascinated by her good looks. I +yielded too easily to your wishes, and thus we are punished. We should +have taken the advice of old James, who was an experienced man and +never approved of this match when it was talked of. I well remember +every word he said on the subject, and I have thought of it many a +time. Do you remember," said he to his wife, "our having said that ten +thousand florins make a handsome sum. 'A handsome sum!' said James, +'no; for the flowers you see in your garden are a thousand times more +beautiful. Perhaps you mean to say it is a large and heavy sum. I will +acknowledge that. He must have good shoulders to bear it without being +bowed down to the earth, and without becoming a poor wretch, unable to +lift his head to heaven. Why then do you wish for so much money? You +have never wanted anything; you have always had more than sufficient. +Believe me, too much money produces pride. Rain is a useful and +necessary thing, but when too much falls there is danger of it +destroying the most healthy plants of the garden.' + +"These were exactly the old friend's words we have lost," said the +farmer, "and I think I still hear him. And you, my son, once said to +him of your wife, 'She has a charming person, and is beautiful and +fresh as a rose.' 'Flowers,' answered James, 'have not beauty only; +they are good and pretty at the same time. They make so many rich +presents. The bee sucks in pure wax and delicious honey. Without piety, +a beautiful face is merely a rose upon paper, a miserable trifle +without life or perfume. It produces neither wax nor honey.' Such were +the reflections that James frankly made before us. We would not listen +to him--now we know how to appreciate his advice. That which appeared +then to us so great a happiness is now to us the height of misfortune. +May God give us grace to bear our misfortunes with patience!" Thus the +old couple and their son used to talk together. + +Poor Mary had much to suffer also. The back room which she and her +father had occupied was given up to the old couple, and, although there +were two empty rooms in the farmhouse, the young farmer's wife, who +disliked Mary, gave her the most miserable apartment in the house; +beside which, she ill-treated her in every possible way, and loaded her +with abuse and fault-finding from morning to night. According to her, +Mary did not work enough and did not know how to do anything as it +ought to be done. In short, she made it very plain to the poor orphan +that she was despised and considered troublesome. + +The old man and his wife were keenly conscious of the miserable life +that Mary led, but they were not in a position to interfere. They had +enough to do with their own griefs. + +Mary thought often of going away from Pine Farm, but where to go was +the question. After some consideration she asked the minister's advice. +"My dear Mary," said the old minister, "it is impossible for you to +think of remaining longer at Pine Farm. They expect you to do more than +a strong man could accomplish. Still, I do not advise you to leave +immediately. Although your father gave you an excellent education, and +taught you all that it was necessary for a village housekeeper to know, +my advice would be to remain where you are for the present; to work as +faithfully as you can, and to wait patiently until the Lord delivers +you from your present hard circumstances. I will endeavour to get you a +place in an honest Christian family. Have confidence in God; pray +constantly, bear with this trial, and God will arrange all." Mary +thanked the good old minister and promised to follow his advice. + +Mary's favourite place of meditation was her father's tomb, where she +had planted a rose tree. "Alas," said she, "if I could remain here +always, I would water you with my tears!" The rose tree was already +green, and the buds began to open their purple cups. "My father was +right," said Mary, "when he compared human life to the rose tree. It +offers nothing but thorns; but wait a little and the season will come +when it shall be decked anew in foliage and robed in the most beautiful +flowers. For me, this is now the time of thorns; but God help me not to +be cast down! I believe your word, best of fathers. Perhaps I may see +in my life the truth of your favourite maxim--'Patience produces roses.'" +Thus poor Mary consoled herself in her distress. + + "Thou art, O Lord, my only trust, + When friends are mingled with the dust, + And all my loves are gone. + When earth has nothing to bestow, + And every flower is dead below, + I look to Thee alone." + + + + +CHAPTER XIII. + +AGAIN A WANDERER. + + +The months sped on, and now the anniversary of her father's birthday +arrived. Until then it had always been to Mary a day of great joy, but +this time, when the day dawned, she was bathed in tears. Previously she +had had the pleasure and excitement of preparing something which she +knew would please her father, but now, alas, this delightful occupation +was rendered useless! + +The country people round about their home used to beg flowers from her +for the purpose of decorating the graves of their friends. It had +always been a pleasure to Mary to give her flowers for this purpose, +and she now determined to decorate her father's tomb in the same +manner. Taking from a cupboard the beautiful basket which had been the +first cause of all her unhappiness, she filled it with choice flowers +of all colours, artistically interspersed with fresh green leaves, and +carried it to Erlenbrunn before the hour of divine service, and laid it +on her father's tomb, watering it at the same time with tears that +could not be repressed. + +"Oh, best and dearest of fathers," said she, "you have strewed with +flowers the path of life for me. Let me at least ornament your grave +with them." + +Mary left the basket on the grave, and went back to the misery of Pine +Farm. She had no fear that any one would dare to steal either the +basket or the flowers. Many of the country people who saw her offering +were moved to tears, and, blessing the old gardener's pious daughter, +they prayed for her prosperity. + +The next day the labourers at the farm were busy taking in the hay from +a large meadow just beyond the forest. The farmer's wife had a large +piece of fine linen spread out on the grass a few steps from the house, +and in the evening this was found to have disappeared. Unfortunately +the young farmer's wife had heard the story of Mary and the ring from +her husband, to whom it had been told by his father and mother. +Instantly then she connected Mary with the disappearance of the linen, +and saw in the circumstance a means of venting her spite upon the girl +whom she had always disliked. + +When Mary was returning from her work in the evening with a rake on her +shoulder and a pitcher in her hand, along with the other servants, this +passionate woman came out of the kitchen and met her with a torrent of +abuse, and ordered her to give up the linen immediately. At first Mary +was too stunned to reply, but when she understood the charge, she +answered meekly that it was impossible she could have taken the linen, +as she had passed the whole day in the hay-field with the other +servants; that a stranger might easily have taken advantage of a moment +when there was no one in the kitchen to commit the theft. This +conjecture turned out to be the true one, but the farmer's wife was not +to be turned from her conviction. + +"Thief," she cried coarsely, "do you think I am ignorant of the theft +of the ring, and what difficulty you had to escape the executioner's +sword? Begone as soon as possible. There is no room in my house for +creatures like you." + +"It is too late," said her husband, "to send Mary away now. Let her sup +with us, as she has worked all day in the great heat. Let her but +remain this one night." + +"Not even one hour," cried his wife passionately; and her husband, +seeing that advice would only irritate her more, remained silent. + +Mary made no further attempt to defend herself against the unjust +accusation. She immediately made her simple preparations for her +departure, wrapping up all that she had in a clean napkin. When she had +put the little bundle under her arm, thanked the servants of Pine Farm +for their kindness to her and protested once more her innocence, she +asked permission to take leave of her friends, the old farmer and his +wife. + +"You may do that," said the young farmer's wife, with a scornful smile; +"indeed, if you wish to take with you these two old people, it will +give me great pleasure. It is evident death does not mean to rid me of +them for some time." + +The good old people, who had heard the altercation, wept when Mary came +to bid them good-bye. However, they consoled her as well as they could, +and gave her a little money to assist her on her journey. "Go, good +girl," said they to her, "and may God take care of you." + +It was towards the close of the day when Mary set out with her little +bundle under her arm, and began to climb up the mountain, following the +narrow road to the woods. She wished before leaving the neighbourhood +to visit her father's grave once more. When she came out of the forest +the village clock struck seven, and before she arrived at the graveyard +it was nearly dark; but she was not afraid, and went up to her father's +grave, where she sat down and gave way to a burst of grief. The full +moon was shining through the trees, illumining with a silver light the +roses on the grave and the basket of flowers. The soft evening breeze +murmured among the branches, making the rose trees planted on her +father's grave tremble. + +"Oh, my father," cried Mary, "would that you were still here, that I +might pour my trouble into your ears! But yet I know that it is better +that you are gone, and I thank the Lord that you did not live to +witness this last affliction. You are now happy, and beyond the reach +of grief. Oh, that I were with you! Alas, never have I been so much to +be pitied as now. When the moon shone into the prison which confined me +you were then alive; when I was driven from the home which I loved so +much you were left me. I had in you a good father and protector and +faithful friend. Now I have no one. Poor, forsaken, suspected of crime, +I am alone in the world, a stranger, not knowing where to lay my head. +The only little corner that remained to me on the earth I am driven +from, and now I shall no longer have the consolation of coming here to +weep by your grave!" At these words the tears rushed forth afresh. + +"Alas," said she, "I dare not at this hour beg a lodging for the night. +Indeed, if I tell why I was turned out of doors, no one perhaps will +consent to receive me." + +She looked around. Against the wall, near her father's tomb, was a +gravestone, very old and covered with moss. As the inscription had been +effaced by time, it was left there to be used as a seat. "I will sit +down on this stone," said she, "and pass the night by my father's +grave. It is perhaps the last time I shall ever be here. To-morrow at +daybreak, if it be God's will, I shall continue my journey, going +wherever His hand may direct me." + + + + +CHAPTER XIV. + +A STRANGE MEETING. + + +Mary sat down on the stone near the wall shaded by the thick foliage of +a tree which covered her with its dark branches. Here she poured out +her soul in fervent prayer to God. Suddenly she heard a sweet voice +calling her familiarly by her name, "Mary, Mary!" + +The late hour of night and the solitude of the graveyard and her +loneliness made Mary start with fear. Looking up she saw the beautiful +face and figure of a woman, dressed in a long flowing robe. Frightened +and trembling, Mary was about to fly. + +[Illustration: "Looking up she saw the beautiful face and figure of a +woman." +_See page 104._] + +"Dear Mary," said the lady, with tenderness in her voice, "do not be +alarmed; I am not a spirit, but a human being like yourself. God has +heard your fervent prayers, and I have come to help you. Look at me; is +it possible you do not know me?" + +The moon was shining brightly upon her face, and with an exclamation of +surprise, Mary cried out, "Is it you, the Countess Amelia? Oh, how did +you get here--here in so lonely a place at this hour of the night, so +far from your home?" + +The Countess raised Mary gently from the ground, pressed her to her +heart, and kissed her tenderly. + +"Dear Mary," said she, "we have done you great injustice. You have been +ill rewarded for the pleasure which you gave me with the basket of +flowers, but at last your innocence has been made known. Can you ever +forgive my parents and me? We are ready to make amends as far as it +lies in our power. Forgive us, dear Mary." + +Mary was distressed at these words, and begged the Countess not to talk +of forgiveness. "Considering the circumstances," she said, "you showed +great indulgence towards me, and it never entered my mind to nourish +the least resentment towards you. I had grateful thoughts of all your +kindness, and my only sorrow was that you and your dear parents should +regard me as ungrateful enough to be guilty of stealing your ring. My +great desire was that you might one day be convinced of my innocence, +and God has granted this desire. May His name be praised!" + +The Countess pressed Mary to her heart, and bathed her face in tears. +Afterwards she looked at James's grave and, clasping her hands, she +cried out passionately, "Oh, noble man, whose body lies here, whom I +learned to love in my tender youth, whose affectionate counsels I have +often received, and whose fervent prayers I have so often listened to, +why cannot I see your face to ask pardon for all the injustice done +you? Oh, if we had only taken more precaution, if we had placed more +confidence in an old servant who had always shown unimpeachable honesty +and faithfulness, perhaps thou hadst still been living with us!" + +"Believe me, good Countess," said Mary, "my father was far from feeling +the least resentment towards you. He prayed for you daily, as he was +accustomed to do when he lived at Eichbourg, and at the hour of his +death he blessed you all. + +"'Mary,' said he to me, a little before he died, 'I feel confident that +those whom we once served will one day recognise your innocence, and +recall you from exile. When that day comes, assure the Countess and +Count and Amelia that my heart was full of respect and love and +gratitude towards them till my last breath.' These, my dear Countess, +were his last words." + +The tears of the good Amelia flowed copiously. "Come, Mary," said she, +"and sit down here with me on the stone. We are safe here in the +sanctuary of the Lord. Let me tell you of all the strange events that +have happened." + + + + +CHAPTER XV. + +THE YOUNG COUNTESS'S STORY. + + +Having made Mary sit down beside her, the young Countess began her +story. + +"God is surely with you, dear Mary," said she, "and has taken you under +His protection. I see now that He has guided my steps here in order +that I might find you for whom we have sought so long. Simple as are +the events which I am about to relate to you, we can see in them a +chain of truly providential circumstances. + +"From the time that your innocence was discovered I had no more rest. +You and your father were always pressing on my mind, wandering without +home and friends. Believe me, my dear Mary, I have shed many bitter +tears on your account. My parents were also deeply distressed at the +injustice they had unwittingly done you, and sought for you everywhere; +but, as you know, without being able to obtain any trace of you. + +"Two days ago we came to a hunting-lodge of the Prince in the forest, +not far from this village. For twenty years at least this castle has +not been visited, the only occupant being a gamekeeper. My father had +gone on business, and had spent the whole day in the forest in company +with two noblemen whose wives were staying at the castle. It had been a +very warm day, and the evening was very fresh. The setting sun, the +mountain covered with pines interspersed with picturesque rocks offered +such a beautiful spectacle that I begged permission to take a walk. +Accompanied by the gamekeeper's daughter I set out, and as we passed +along we found the graveyard gate open, and the tombstones gilded by +the light of the setting sun. + +"Since my childhood I have always had a pleasure in reading +inscriptions and epitaphs on tombstones. I am moved when one tells of a +young man or woman carried off in the bloom of youth, and I feel a sort +of melancholy pleasure if it concerns a person who had reached advanced +age. The verses themselves, poor as they may be from a poetical point +of view, stir serious feelings within me, and I never fail to carry +away with me from a graveyard good thoughts and pious resolutions. + +"Entering the graveyard with the gamekeeper's daughter, I began as +usual to read the inscriptions. After a little while the girl said to +me, 'Come, I will show you something very beautiful. It is the grave of +an old man, who has neither tombstone nor epitaph, but it has been +ornamented with taste and beauty by the tender piety of his daughter. +See, you can just distinguish it through the thick leaves of these +pines--the beautiful rose tree and the basket of flowers.' + +"You can imagine, dear Mary, the shock I received, when at the first +glance I recognised the basket of flowers which had never been out of +my mind since that sad day when you left Eichbourg. If there had been +any doubts in my mind as to it being the same basket, the initials of +my name and the coat-of-arms of my family would have dispelled them. +Turning to my companion, I asked if she knew anything of you and your +father. She told me all about your life at Pine Farm, your father's +sickness and death, and your great grief. After hearing all that the +gamekeeper's daughter could tell me, I went to the minister, only to +hear the same story with very much praise of yourself added. I would +have gone off to Pine Farm immediately, but while the story was being +told me, time had passed rapidly, and it was now already quite dark. +'What shall I do,' said I; 'it is now too late to go to the farm, but +to-morrow at daybreak we will set out.' Your good friend the minister +sent for the schoolmaster to charge him to go and bring you without +delay to the castle. + +"'My dear young friend,' said the schoolmaster, 'you need not go far to +look for her. She has gone to her father's grave to weep there. Alas, +poor child!' he continued, 'I saw her sitting there from an opening in +the steeple when I went this afternoon to wind up the clock.' + +"I at once determined to find you, and the minister wanted to accompany +me, but I begged to be allowed to come to you alone, that my first +meeting with you might be as affectionate as I desired. While I came +here the old minister went to tell my parents where I was, and to +prepare them for your arrival. This accounts, my dear Mary, for my +sudden appearance before you. You can now see, through God's +providence, this basket of flowers which separated us has reunited us +by your father's grave--that father who is now inhabiting the home +above." + +"Yes," said Mary, clasping her hands and raising her grateful eyes to +heaven, "God has done it all. He has had pity on my tears and on my +needs. How can I thank Him for His goodness and His boundless +tenderness?" + +"I have still one thing to tell you yet," answered the Countess Amelia, +interrupting her, "and it is one which seems to me singularly touching, +and inspires me with an awe for the justice of God who directs our lot +even when we are unconscious of it. My maid, Juliette, had but one +thought, one desire. It was to banish you from my heart and to take +your place in my affections. It was with that design that she made up +her terrible falsehood, and her wicked plan succeeded too well. But +that very falsehood was the means of her afterwards losing her place +and our confidence, and that made you dearer than ever to our hearts. +Juliette endeavoured to estrange you from me for ever, and your +banishment was a constant subject of triumph to her. + +"You know how that, in her wickedness, she threw this basket at your +feet with an insulting laugh. Well, it was exactly this event which was +afterwards, although she little thought it then, to reunite us for +ever. For was it not indeed through this basket on your father's grave +that I discovered you to-day? Truly, those who have the love of God +have nothing to fear from any enemies. God knows how to turn to our +advantage all the ill that wicked people do to us; and our most cruel +enemies, although for a while they may bring us to unhappiness, can do +nothing but contribute to our real and lasting happiness. We may say in +this case that our safety comes from our enemies. + +"But now, dear Mary," said the Countess, "tell me what brought you so +late to your father's grave, and why, when I found you, you were +weeping so bitterly." + +When Mary had told her story, of how they had driven her from the Pine +Farm on a false charge, the Countess was astonished still more at the +providence which had brought her and Mary together. + +"Yes, indeed," said the Countess to Mary, "it is by God's will that I +have found you to-day, just when you were again plunged into the +deepest distress. You were imploring His assistance with burning tears +running down your cheeks. This is another proof of what we have been +speaking, that God knows how to turn to our advantage the ill which our +enemies design to do us. The farmer's wicked wife, who drove you from +her house, thought she would make you unhappy. Without knowing it she +has brought you to my arms and those of my parents, who, as well as +myself, are desirous of making your life happy. + +"But it is now time to set out," said Amelia. "My parents will be +anxious at my long absence. Come, dear Mary, I will never leave you any +more. Let us go to my parents." + + + + +CHAPTER XVI. + +HOW THE RING WAS FOUND. + + +The road to the castle towards which the Countess now led Mary, lay +through a long and dark walk of tall old linden trees. For a while they +walked in silence together, each wrapped in her own thoughts, but at +last the Countess said to Mary-- + +"Oh, I must now tell you how the ring was found. My father's affairs +requiring his presence at Eichbourg, we left Court earlier than usual +this year--in the beginning of March. When we arrived at the Castle, +the weather was very boisterous, and one night in particular we had a +tremendous storm. You remember the great pear tree we had in our garden +at Eichbourg? It was very old, and bore scarcely any fruit. That night +the wind, which blew with great violence, had shaken it so much that it +threatened every moment to fall, and my father ordered it to be cut +down. + +"My father, and mother, the children, and servants, and indeed all of +the people in the Castle, came into the garden to see it fall. As soon +as it was cut down, my two little brothers ran immediately towards a +magpie's nest in the tree, which had for a long time been a coveted +object, but had hitherto been out of their reach. Now they seized upon +the nest and busied themselves examining its contents. + +"'Look, Albert!' said Augustus, 'what is that shining among the twigs? +How bright it is!' + +"'It sparkles like gold,' said Albert. + +"My maid, Juliette, ran forward to look at it, and immediately uttered +a scream. + +"'Oh,' she cried, 'it is the ring!' and became as pale as death. + +"The children extricated the ring from among the twigs, and carried it +in great glee to my mother. + +"'Yes, indeed it is my ring,' said my mother, with deep emotion. 'Oh, +good and honest James! oh, poor Mary, what injustice we have done you! +I am glad enough to find my ring again, but if I could find James and +Mary, I would gladly sacrifice the ring to repair the wrong which we +have done them.' + +"I was curious to know by what chance the ring was carried into the +magpie's nest at the top of the tree, and the old huntsman, Anthony, +gave a ready explanation. + +"'Neither the gardener James nor his daughter could have hidden the +ring in this place, that is very clear,' said he. 'The tree was too +high, and it would have been impossible to climb up so far. Besides +which, they had not time to do so. Mary had scarcely returned to the +house when she and her father were both arrested. Magpies are greatly +attracted by anything that shines, and if they can find anything +sparkling, they carry it off immediately to their nests. One of these +birds must have stolen the ring, and carried it to the tree. That is +all the mystery. The only thing that astonishes me is that an old +hunter, as I am, should not have thought sooner of this explanation.' + +"The old man spoke with deep feeling and with tears in his eyes, but +they were tears of joy at seeing your innocence proved. + +"'Anthony,' said my mother, 'I believe you are perfectly right, and now +I remember quite distinctly that very often these birds came from the +top of this tree to my window, that the sash was open when the ring +disappeared, that the table on which I put the ring was close to the +window, and that, after having shut the door and bolted it, I went into +the next room, where I stayed for some time. No doubt one of these +mischievous birds saw the ring from his nest, and, while I was in the +other room, he must have darted in and carried it off.' + +"My father was deeply troubled at the conviction, which he could not +resist, that you and your father had been unjustly condemned. + +"'My heart is almost broken,' said he, 'for having done these good +people so much injury. My only consolation is that it was not done from +ill-will, but in ignorance and error.' + +"My father now turned to Juliette, who in the universal rejoicing at +the discovery of the ring remained silent and pale. + +"'False woman,' said he, 'deceitful servant! How could you have the +hardihood to lie to me and to the judge, and to compel us to commit an +action unwillingly, the iniquity of which now calls for vengeance? What +tempted you to plunge into suffering an old and honest man, and his +poor and virtuous daughter?' + +"'Officers, do your duty,' he said to two constables, who had assisted +in cutting down the tree, and who now approached the unhappy Juliette +to carry out my father's orders. 'Let her be put in chains,' he added, +in a grave tone,--'the same chains that Mary wore,--and let her be +thrown into the same prison in which she caused Mary to languish. She +must suffer all that Mary suffered, only that, unlike Mary, she has +deserved it. What she has been able to hoard of money or clothes shall +be taken from her, to compensate, if it be possible, the unhappy old +man and his daughter who have had to suffer an unjust sentence. The +officer who conducted Mary out of my dominions shall also conduct +Juliette, just as she is, to the same place.' + +"No one had ever seen my father so exasperated, never had any one heard +him speak in such passionate tones. For a while every one was silent, +but at last the officers and servants gave voice to their sentiments +and thoughts. + +"'It is well done,' said one of the officers, seizing Juliette by the +arm; 'when one digs another's grave he must fill it himself.' + +"'That is what is gained by telling falsehoods,' said the other +officer. 'It is true that no thread is so fine that it cannot be seen +in the sunshine.' + +"'It was a pretty dress which the young Countess gave to Mary,' said +the cook in her turn, 'that made Juliette angry. In her rage, and not +knowing well what she was about, she began to tell lies, and then it +was impossible to retract without acknowledging her guilt. The proverb +is true which says that, once the devil has us by the hair, he will +hold fast to us afterwards.' + +"'It is well, it is well,' said the coachman, who had just finished +cutting the tree, and who still had the axe over his shoulder. 'Let us +hope she will mend her ways, if she does not wish to be worse off in +the next world. The tree that bears not good fruit,' said he, shaking +his axe, 'shall be cut down, and cast into the fire.' + +"The news of the finding of the ring spread through Eichbourg in a very +short time, and every one ran to the place, so that in a little while a +great crowd had gathered. The judge who condemned you came also, and +every witness of the discovery was as eager as possible to tell him all +about it. + +"You cannot imagine, my dear Mary," the Countess proceeded, "the effect +that the story produced on the good man. Notwithstanding his severity +respecting you, he is a man of great probity, and one who has all his +life tried to administer justice with strict fidelity. + +"'I would give half of my goods,' said he, in a tone that went to the +heart of every one who heard him--'yes, I would willingly have given +everything I possess if this misfortune had not happened. To have +condemned innocence is a frightful thought.' Then, looking round him at +the people, he said, in a solemn voice, 'God is the only infallible +judge, the only one that cannot be deceived. He knows everything. He +alone knew the hiding-place in which the ring had remained until now. +The judges of the earth are near-sighted and prone to be deceived. It +is rare here below that innocence suffers and vice triumphs. The +invisible Judge, who will recompense one day all good actions and +punish all bad ones, has decreed that even here innocence shall not +always suffer from suspicion, nor hidden crime remain always +concealed.'" + +While Amelia had been relating this interesting narrative, Mary had +been lifting up her heart in silent thanksgiving to God for clearing +her character from every stain of suspicion and establishing her +innocence in the minds of her friends. By the time Amelia had finished +her story, they had arrived at the door of the castle. + + + + +CHAPTER XVII. + +REPARATION. + + +The Count, the Countess, and the guests who were at the castle, were +assembled in the drawing-room when Amelia and Mary entered. The worthy +minister had arrived before them, and had been reciting to a +deeply-interested audience, the story of James and Mary and their life +at Pine Cottage. He had painted in a touching manner the conduct of the +good old man during his residence at Pine Farm, emphasising the love +and respect which he bore to the Count and his family. He told of +Mary's activity, of her filial piety, and her patience and modesty, +until tears streamed from the eyes of his hearers. + +At this moment the Countess Amelia, holding Mary by one hand and in the +other the basket of flowers, entered the brilliantly-lighted room. Mary +was welcomed by all, and loaded with congratulations. The Count himself +took her kindly by the hand, and said, "Poor child, how pale and thin +you look. It was our hasty judgment that brought your misery upon you, +and we must now spare nothing, that happiness may once more be restored +to you, and that the faded flowers may once more bloom on your young +cheeks. You were driven from your father's house, but in future you +shall have it for your own property." + +The Countess kissed Mary, pressed her to her heart, called her her +daughter, and, taking from her finger the ring which had caused so many +misfortunes, she said, "Here, my dear child, although your piety is a +great deal more precious than the large diamond which sparkles in this +ring, you must accept this present as a feeble compensation for the +wrong you have suffered, and as a token of the sincere attachment and +maternal tenderness I feel towards you." + +With these words she held out the ring to Mary, who was almost overcome +with so much kindness and ready to sink under the weight of the +benefits she had received. Her tears flowed freely, but they were tears +of joy. + +"Poor child," said one of the guests, "take what the Countess offers +you. God has given the Count and his wife fortune, but He has given +them something more precious--hearts which know how to make the best +use of riches." + +"Why do you flatter us?" said the Countess. "This is not a _generous_ +action, it is an act of _justice_." + +Still Mary hesitated about accepting the valuable gift, and turned with +streaming eyes towards the minister, as if to ask his advice. + +"Yes, Mary," said the venerable man, "you must keep the ring. You see, +my good child, how God is blessing your filial piety; for whosoever +sincerely honours his parents shall be better for it. Take the valuable +present with gratitude, and as adversity found you resigned to the +Divine will, so in prosperity show yourself grateful to your heavenly +Father--grateful to His dear name, benevolent and kind." + +Mary put the ring on her finger and attempted to express her thanks, +but tears checked her utterance, and were thus the best expression of +her gratitude. Amelia, who sat by her with the basket of flowers in her +hand, was delighted with the generous proceedings of her parents. Her +eyes shone with affection for Mary; and the minister, who had often +observed how envious children generally are when their parents exercise +their benevolence towards other people, was deeply touched by this +disinterested love of Amelia. "May God," said he, "reward the +generosity of the Count and Countess. May all that they have done for +the poor orphan be rendered to them a hundredfold in the person of +their own dear daughter!" + + + + +CHAPTER XVIII. + +PINE FARM REVISITED. + + +The Count and his family were just on the eve of leaving for Eichbourg, +and next morning at break of day all was bustle in the castle, +preparing for their departure. In the midst of all the preparations, +however, Mary was not forgotten, and each one vied with the other in +the attentions they paid to her. + +Mary's clothes, which she had bought during her residence at Pine Farm, +were made of the coarsest material and of the plainest cut. But one of +Amelia's friends, a young lady of the same age and size as Mary, at +Amelia's request presented Mary with a complete outfit, which, without +being extravagant, was more in keeping with her new situation. In +answer to Mary's modest protest against donning what seemed to her, +extravagantly grand garments, Amelia said, "You are my friend; you are +henceforth to be my companion; you are also to live with me. You ought +therefore to dress yourself differently from a farm servant." + +After breakfast they started on their journey homeward, and Mary sat +beside Amelia in the carriage, with the Count and Countess opposite. +First of all, however, the Count gave orders for the coachman to drive +them to Pine Farm, that he might become acquainted with the people who +had entertained Mary and her father so kindly. It was not long before +they gathered from Mary's answers that the old people at Pine Farm were +far from being comfortable, and that their declining years were not so +peaceful as they had a right to expect. + +The arrival of a nobleman's carriage at Pine Farm caused no little +excitement. No sooner had the young farmer's wife seen the carriage +stop at the door than she hastened towards it. + +"Sir," said she to the Count, "allow me to assist you and also the +ladies, your daughters, I presume." + +So saying, she presented her hand to one of the young ladies, when, +recognising her to be Mary herself, she uttered an exclamation of +surprise, let go her hand as if she had touched a serpent, and drew +back in great confusion. + +The old farmer was working in his garden when the Count with his family +and Mary alighted; and when they went to the good old man, took him by +the hand, and thanked him for his kindness towards Mary and her father, +the worthy farmer was deeply moved. + +"Oh," said he, "I owe that good man more than ever he owed me. The +blessing of heaven came with him into our home, and if I had followed +his advice in everything, I should have been much better for it at this +moment. Since his death I have no pleasure in anything but this garden, +which I began to cultivate at his suggestion. Since I have not had +strength to follow the plough, I have occupied myself here, and I seek +among the herbs and flowers the peace which I can no longer find in my +own house." + +In the meantime Mary had gone to look for the old farmer's wife in her +little room, and she now came forward leading her by the hand. The +worthy woman was quite overcome by the strange circumstances in which +she found Mary, and the excitement of the moment; and when she came +forward to meet the Count and Countess, it was with a timid air, and in +evident distress at finding herself the object of so much attention. By +and by, however, she and her husband heard the story of the finding of +the ring, and so great was their affection for Mary that they cried for +joy like children. + +"Did I not tell you," said the farmer, addressing Mary, "that your +filial piety would receive its reward? You see, my prophecy is already +fulfilled," and his wife, who had recovered her self-possession, said, +"Yes, yes; your father was right when he said, 'He who clothes the +flowers, well knows how to take care of you.'" + +While this conversation had been going on, the young farmer's wife +stood at some distance, consumed with jealousy and anger. + +"Well, well," she said to herself, "there is no saying what will happen +in this life. That miserable beggar whom I turned out of my house--look +at her now, dressed like a young lady of high rank. Who would have +thought of such a thing! Every one, however, knows who she is, so she +cannot impose on any one in this town. They know that yesterday she was +sent from here with a little package under her arm, to go into the +country." + +The Count had not heard this abusive language, but a glance at the +woman's face was enough to show him that she was nursing angry +passions. "She is a wicked creature," he said to himself, as he walked +round the garden in a very thoughtful mood. + +At last he stopped before the old farmer. "Listen, my good old friend," +said he, "while I make a proposition to you. I have given Mary a piece +of ground on my estate, which was rented and cultivated by her father. +But Mary is not ready to take up housekeeping. What should prevent you +from retiring there? It will suit you, I am certain, and the owner will +not exact any rent from you. You can cultivate the herbs and flowers in +which you find your pleasure, and you will find, in the pretty cottage +which is attached to the ground, rest and peace in your old age." + +The Count's wife, Amelia and Mary joined in urging the old man to +accept this generous offer. But there was no need for persuasion. The +old people were happy to be taken from their uncomfortable +surroundings, and gladly agreed to the proposal. + +At this moment the young farmer came home from the fields. His surprise +was as great as his wife's when he saw the carriage at his door drawn +by four white horses; for never in the history of the farm had a +carriage stopped there before. When he heard of the proposal which the +Count had made to his father and mother, he gladly consented to it, +although he was deeply grieved to part from his old parents. His +consolation was found, however, in thinking that they were going to be +happier than they could possibly be with his wife. + +As for his wife herself, the only remark she made was to say in a +spiteful way to the Count-- + +"It is a great favour you are doing us in ridding us of two old people +who are nothing but a burden!" + +Promising to send for the old farmer and his wife as soon as everything +was ready, the Count and his family, accompanied by Mary, now stepped +into the carriage and drove off. Here for a time we will leave Mary and +follow the fortunes of the occupants of Pine Farm. + + + + +CHAPTER XIX. + +RETRIBUTION. + + +In course of time, when arrangements had been made for their reception, +a carriage was sent from Eichbourg to bring away the old farmer and his +wife. Their son was grieved to the heart when the time came for them to +go, but their daughter-in-law had counted the days and hours until the +time of their departure, and felt nothing but vindictive pleasure at +being rid of them. Her joy, however, received a severe check from a +note which the coachman presented to her, in which the Count informed +her that she and her husband should pay all that had been stipulated +for the support of her father and mother-in-law; and that the price of +their living valued in money, according to the current market price, +should be paid to them every quarter. Realising her helplessness, she +became violently angry and turned round to her husband, saying, "We are +over-reached. If they had stayed here, it would not have cost us half +as much." Her husband was secretly pleased to think that he was still +permitted to help his parents in their old age, but he took good care +not to show his joy before his wife. + +The old people set off in the carriage the next morning, followed by +the blessings of their son and the secret ill-wishes of their +daughter-in-law. + +But the unnatural conduct of this wicked woman was visited with the +trouble which is always the lot of avarice and inhumanity. Her +secretly-cherished god was gold, and she had lent the bulk of her money +to a merchant to use in his business, on his promise to pay her a large +interest for the loan. Her greatest pleasure was in making +calculations, as to how much her money would amount to after a certain +number of years, with all the interest and compound interest added. +Suddenly, however, these golden dreams received a rude awakening. The +manufacturer's speculations proved unfortunate, and he shortly +afterwards failed in business, and his goods were sold by order of the +sheriff. + +The news came as a thunder-stroke for the farmer's wife, and from the +moment that she heard of the catastrophe she had no repose. Every day +she kept running to the lawyers, or to her neighbours to complain of +her hard lot, and the nights she spent in weeping and scolding her +husband. From the wreck of her fortune of ten thousand florins she +received only a paltry hundred or two, and so deeply did she feel the +loss of her money that she openly declared her wish to die. The result +of the continual worrying induced a fever which never left her. When +her husband wished to send for a physician she would not consent to it, +and when, in spite of her objections, he at last sent for one, his wife +in a passion threw the medicine he prescribed out of the window. + +At last her husband saw that she was seriously ill, and he requested +the minister of Erlenbrunn to come and see her. The good old man +visited her frequently and talked to her affectionately, in order to +induce her to repent of her sins, and to detach her heart from the +things of this earth, that she might turn to God. + +But this advice made her very angry. She looked at the good man with +utter astonishment. "I do not know," she said, "for what purpose the +minister comes to preach repentance to me. He should have delivered +such a sermon to the merchant who stole our money. Yes, there would +have been some sense in that. As for me, I do not see that I have any +reason for repentance. As long as I was able to go out I always went to +church, and I have never failed to say my prayers. I have not ceased +all my life to do my duty and to behave myself like a virtuous +housewife. I defy any living soul to slander me. And of all the poor +people who have come to my door, not one can complain that I sent them +away without giving them something. Now, I should like to know how any +one can behave better!" + +The venerable pastor saw that she was justifying herself before God, +and he tried by adopting a more direct tone to lead her to contrition. +He showed to her that she loved money more than anything else in the +world, and that the love of money was idolatry. He showed her that the +bursts of anger in which she had indulged were heinous sins before God, +that she had totally failed in the most beautiful of all Christian +virtues--filial affection; that by her greed of money she had made her +husband unhappy, cruelly driven away the poor orphan Mary, and even +turned away her husband's parents, those whom she ought to have +cherished as if they were her own. + +He showed her also that, with a fortune like hers, a little piece of +bread given to a poor man to get rid of him did not fulfil the duties +which God expected of her, that in spite of all her boasting of going +to church she was none the better of it, for her prayers had come from +a heart unwarmed by love, and could not ascend to the throne of God. In +this faithful way did he talk to her, but only with the result of +making her burst into a fit of passionate sobbing. + +The illness from which she suffered was a long and trying one. She +spent whole nights in coughing, and yet the ruling passion of avarice +was so strong that she would scarcely take sufficient nourishment to +sustain her. No consoling thought came to her to mitigate her +suffering. She was utterly unwilling to resign herself to God and to +submit to His will. + +The good minister tried in every imaginable way to bring her to a +better frame of mind. During the last days of her life she was +occasionally a little softened in her manners, but she never evinced +any true repentance. In the flower of her age she died, a sad instance +of the effects of avarice, passion, and love of the world. + + + + +CHAPTER XX. + +FORGIVING AN ENEMY. + + +And now we must return to Mary whom we left in her new surroundings. + +Immediately after leaving Pine Farm, Mary went with the Count's family +to the city, in which they spent part of every year. While they were +there, a clergyman came one morning to their residence and asked to see +Mary. He told her that he was charged with a message for her from a +person who was very ill and probably near death, and who desired +anxiously to speak to her. The clergyman said that the person was not +willing to give her message to any one but to Mary herself. + +Mary could not imagine what the woman could want with her, and she +consulted the Countess as to what she ought to do. The Countess, +knowing the clergyman to be a pious and prudent man, advised Mary to go +with him, and at the minister's request old Anthony the huntsman +accompanied them. After a long walk to the outskirts of the town, they +arrived at last at a house situated in a side street, which presented a +most gloomy aspect. "Here is the house," said the clergyman, knocking +at the door, "but wait a little." + +After a few moments he returned for Mary, who then entered with him +into a most miserable room. The window was narrow and dark, and some +broken panes were patched with paper. The only furniture which the room +contained was a miserable truckle-bed, covered with a more miserable +mattress, and a broken chair, on which stood a stone pitcher, with +neither handle nor cover. + +On the miserable bed lay stretched a figure which to Mary's eyes seemed +more like a skeleton, but which she gradually made out was the form of +a woman, in the last stages of illness. + +In a voice which resembled the rattle of death, this miserable creature +sought to speak with Mary, who trembled in every limb. It was with the +utmost difficulty that she could make out what the poor woman said, but +at last she learned, to her horror, that the frightful phantom was +Juliette, who at the Castle of Eichbourg had been the beginning and +cause of all her distress. After being turned away from the Castle, she +had gone from bad to worse, until she had sunk into her present state. + +Lying upon her miserable bed, death staring her in the face, remorse +had overtaken her, and her one wish was to have Mary's forgiveness. +Learning in some way, that the Count and his family were in the city, +she begged of the clergyman who was visiting her to ask Mary to come to +see her. The poor woman, judging Mary by herself, had entreated the +clergyman not to mention her name in case Mary would not come. + +Mary was affected to the heart when she heard Juliette's story, and she +shed tears of sympathy with her old enemy. She assured her that she had +forgiven her long ago, and that the only feeling she experienced was +that of the deepest pity for her. + +[Illustration: "Mary was affected to the heart when she heard +Juliette's story." +_See page 142._] + +"Alas," said Juliette, "I am a great sinner; I have deserved my fate. +Forgetfulness of God, contempt of good advice, love of dress, flattery, +and pleasure were the first causes of misery, and these have brought me +to my present state. Oh," cried she, raising her voice to a shriek, and +weeping bitterly, "that is nothing to the fate which I fear awaits me +in the world to come. You have pardoned me, it is true, but I feel the +weight of God's anger now settling on my soul." + +Mary conversed long and earnestly with her, endeavouring to point her +to the Saviour of the world, who would receive her if she truly +repented. At last she was obliged to leave her without being satisfied +as to her state of mind, but the idea of the unhappy Juliette dying +without hope continually pressed on her mind and weighed down her +spirits. She recollected her little apple tree in blossom, withered by +the frost, and what her father had said on that occasion. The most +consoling words he had said on his deathbed presented themselves to her +mind, and she renewed the promise she had made to God to live entirely +to His glory. + +To the Countess she related her discovery, and that generous lady sent +the unhappy Juliette medicine, food, and linen, and everything which +might tend to relieve her illness. But it was too late, and at the age +of twenty-three the once beautiful Juliette, reduced to a mere skeleton +and disfigured by disease, died without having given evidence of a +changed heart towards God. + + + + +CHAPTER XXI. + +CONCLUSION. + + +The next spring, when the country was covered with verdure and flowers, +the Count, accompanied by his wife, and daughter, and Mary, went to his +home at Eichbourg. Towards evening they approached the village, and +when Mary saw in the light of the setting sun the familiar church +steeple, the Castle, and the cottage where she had spent so many happy +years with her father, she was so deeply touched that tears started to +her eyes. + +But in the midst of the sorrowful memories which the scene called up in +her mind, there came to her a devout feeling of thankfulness for the +wonderful way in which God had led her back. + +"When I left Eichbourg," she said, "it was in disgrace, and without +ever expecting to come back again. The ways of Providence are +mysterious, but God is good." + +When the carriage stopped at the Castle, the servants and officers +belonging to the Count's household were waiting to receive them. Mary +had a warm welcome from them all. Every one showed the greatest joy at +seeing her again, and their congratulations on her innocence having +been proved were manifestly sincere. The old judge who had sent her +into banishment was among those who welcomed her most cordially. Taking +her hand in the presence of all the servants, he asked her pardon for +the mistake he had made. He expressed his gratitude to the Count and +Countess for having so nobly repaired the injustice, assured them that +he reproached himself for the misfortune, and that he was willing to do +everything in his power to discharge his debt. + +The exciting day came to an end, and Mary was glad to escape to her +chamber. Next morning, the sun shining brightly into her room woke her +early. As soon as she was dressed she ran to visit her father's +cottage, and to walk once more round the old familiar garden. On her +way she met numbers of the villagers, and all of them showed great +happiness at seeing her. + +The old farmer and his wife, who had now been settled some time in the +cottage, were delighted to meet her again. They kissed her +affectionately and assured her of the happiness of their new life. + +"When you were without a home," said the farmer, with tears in his +eyes, "we received you and your father into our own, and now that we +are old and had no place that we could call our own, you give us this +charming cottage in which we might spend our declining years." + +"Yes," said his wife, "it is always well to be generous and hospitable. +We never know how soon we shall receive it again." + +"Well, well," said her husband, "I am glad we did not think of that +then. We took Mary and her father in without hope of reward. However, +the maxim is not the less true, 'Do good to others and you will always +find some one to do good to you.'" + +When Mary entered the cottage, the sight of the place where her father +used to sit raised a host of sad but sweet recollections in her mind. +She walked round the garden and kissed every tree planted by his hand, +seeing in each an old acquaintance. The little apple tree which had +been their favourite, was just now covered with blossom, and before it +she stopped to meditate for a little on man's brief life, which fades +away before the tree which he has planted. In the arbour where she had +passed so many happy hours with her father, she rested a little, and +gave herself up to reflection. Looking around on the garden, which he +had cultivated so diligently by the sweat of his brow, she fancied that +she could still see him, and tears streamed from her eyes, when she +remembered that he had gone from her for ever. But one thought soothed +her heart and made her calm, the thought that he had gone to a better +world, and was now reaping the reward of his beautiful life. + +As long as Mary lived she spent some weeks every spring at the Castle, +cherished and honoured by every one there, and endearing herself to the +people of the village, and particularly to the children, among whom she +was a great favourite. Her delight was to take them apart and to talk +to them of the Saviour, and she had the happiness of believing that +many of them under her instructions gave their hearts to God. + +A monument had been erected to her father in fulfilment of a promise +which Amelia had made to Mary that evening when she found her sitting +on her father's grave. It was an elegant monument of white marble, +ornamented with an epitaph in gold letters. Besides the name of the +deceased, his age and occupation, nothing in the way of epitaph was +added but these words of Jesus-- + + "I am the Resurrection and the Life: + He that believeth in Me, though he were dead, yet shall he live." + +Underneath these words a beautiful basket of flowers had been cut from +a design drawn by Amelia herself. Underneath the basket was written-- + + "_All flesh is grass, and all the goodliness thereof as the + flowers of the field. The grass withereth, the flower fadeth, but + the word of the Lord endureth for ever._" + +The erection of this monument gave great satisfaction to the good old +minister of Erlenbrunn. The dark background of the fir trees threw the +monument into relief, and gave it a very beautiful appearance; and when +the rose tree planted by his grave was in bloom, and its branches +covered with roses bent over the marble, which was of dazzling +whiteness, the sight was a striking one. The humble old man's monument +was the most beautiful ornament of the rural churchyard, and the good +minister never allowed strangers to leave the church without taking +them to see it. + +When some people observed that it was a good idea to have put a basket +of flowers on the tomb of a man who was at the same time a gardener and +a basket-maker, the old minister would say-- + +"But it is something better than a good idea. The basket of flowers tells +more than you know, and it is not without reason that our villagers look +upon it as the symbol of a touching story. The ground on which we tread +has been bathed with a daughter's tears." + +Then he would pour into the attentive ears of strangers the familiar +story of the basket of flowers, concluding his recital with the +assurance which this whole story is intended to illustrate: That piety +towards God and truth towards men will never fail to triumph over the +malice of the worst of foes. + +Let our readers who have followed this touching story be assured that +under all circumstances it is best to do as Mary did--walk in the fear +of God, love and obey their earthly parents, stand fast by the truth, +and under all circumstances trust fully in God. Thus they will live +happy and die with a sure prospect of eternal glory. + + +THE END + + + + +_Printed by_ +MORRISON & GIBB LIMITED +_Edinburgh_ + + + + + + +End of Project Gutenberg's The Basket of Flowers, by Christoph von Schmid + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE BASKET OF FLOWERS *** + +***** This file should be named 24160.txt or 24160.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + http://www.gutenberg.org/2/4/1/6/24160/ + +Produced by David Clarke and the Online Distributed +Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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