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do."
And Arthur's mother buried her face again in her hands, and burst into an agony of weeping. He had never seen her cry like that before, and it was something quite new to him to see his sweet, gentle mother so moved. He hardly knew what to say to her; so he rose from his sofa, and coming close up to her chair, he threw his arms with a fervent embrace around her, and said softly:
"Never mind, my own dear mother; I will try and bear it."
And then Arthur cried too; for the bitterness of what it would be to bear it came over him.
"God will bless us both in it, my darling," said his mother; "and He will take care of us while we are separated, and bring us back to each other again some day, I trust. But Arthur, my own, am I leaving you in a loving Saviour's arms? Are you there, folded in His everlasting arms?"
"Mother," said Arthur in a faltering voice, "I do really believe in the Lord Jesus Christ. I am nearly sure I do. But I don't feel happy. I don't think much about Him, and it makes me feel frightened when I think about dying."
"But He says, 'Trust, and not be afraid,' and He says, 'I will never leave thee nor forsake thee.' Oh, Arthur, I do leave you in His arms! for I am sure you are there if you trust in Him; and perhaps He is taking me away so that you may feel His arms, and that it is a very sweet thing to be there, and to be loved and taken care of for ever. As I do," she added, "in the midst of all my sorrows."
CHAPTER IV.
LAST DAYS AT ASHTON GRANGE.
Mrs. Estcourt, Mr. Vivyan's only sister, was a widow lady living by herself. Her home was in the neighbourhood of a large town, and here, in a comfortable, moderately-sized house, she had lived for many years. She had no children of her own, and when her husband had died she had seemed to wish to avoid much intercourse with any one, so that Arthur knew very little of his aunt. Once or twice he had seen her when she had paid very short visits at Ashton Grange. He remembered a very sad-looking lady, with a sweet face, who had held his hand as he stood by her chair, and that he had half liked it, and felt half awkward as she spoke to him. He remembered that as he had stood there, he had felt afraid to move or fidget in the least bit, and that every now and then, as he had stolen a glance at her, he had seen that her large dark eyes had been fixed upon him. He had been very glad when the nursery dinner-bell rang and he was obliged to go, without seeming to wish to run away.
"Nurse," said Arthur that day at dinner, "there's a black lady down stairs."
"A black lady!" said nurse; "there's a way to speak of your aunt, Master Arthur. Mrs. Estcourt is your papa's own sister."
"Well, she looked all black, I know," said Arthur. "I think I won't go down stairs much while she is there."
Nurse remarked that if he were going to stay she hoped he would be quiet and well-behaved; but as he had to keep all his quiet behaviour for the drawing-room, it is to be feared nurse's temper was tried a little during the few days that Mrs. Estcourt passed at Ashton Grange. Consequently Arthur's memories of his aunt were not such as to make him very happy at the prospect of living with her always.
"Mother," said Arthur, on the evening of the day after he had heard about these strange things that were going to happen, "is the aunt that I am going to live with, that one that came here once?"
"Yes," said Mrs. Vivyan; "She is very kind, Arthur, and I know she will love you very much, if----"
"Yes, if I am good, I know," said Arthur; "and that's just the difference. You know, mamma, you always love me, whatever I am."
"Of course," said his mother, smiling; "but you could not expect any one to love you in the way your mother does. You would not like her to be your mother, would you?"
"No, of course not. Now, mother, tell me something about what her place is like, and where it is, and what sort of things I shall do when I am there. I have loads of questions to ask, only I forget them now."
"Well, begin then," said his mother; "perhaps one will remind you of another."
"First of all, then, what is the name of her place?"
"Myrtle Hill, near Stanton."
"Myrtle Hill! what a funny name. Is it at all