Dinah Craik

“ He has left me these six months alone at Luxmore."
"Have you offended him?" asked Ursula, who had cast kindly looks on the thin face, which perhaps reminded her of another—now for ever banished from our sight, and his also.
"He hates me because I am a Catholic, and wish to become a monk."
The youth crossed himself, then started and looked round, in terror of observers. "You will not betray me? You are a good man, Mr. Halifax, and you spoke warmly for us. Tell me—I will keep your secret—are you a Catholic too?" ”

“ He said, "She made him good"—our child of peace. He would sit, gazing on her almost as if she were his guardian angel—his patron saint. And the little maid in her quiet way was very fond of him; delighting in his company when her father was not by. But no one ever was to her like her father.
The chief bond between her and Lord Ravenel—or "Anselmo," as he would have us call him—was music. He taught her to play on the organ, in the empty church close by. ”

“ She might have thought so too, had she not believed in her husband. But now, at mention of the steam-engine, she looked up and smiled.
"Lady Oldtower asked me about it to-day. She said, 'she hoped you would not ruin yourself, like Mr. Miller of Glasgow!' I said I was not afraid."
Her husband returned a bright look. "It is easier to make the world trust one, when one is trusted by one's own household."
"Ah! never fear; you will make your fortune yet, in spite of Lord Luxmore."
For, all winter, John had found out how many cares come with an attained wish. ”

“ Lord Luxmore is the cause of all."
Here I heard—or fancied I heard—out of the black shadow behind the loom, a heavy sigh. John and Ursula were too anxious to notice it.
"Could anything be done?" she asked. "Just to keep things going till your steam-engine is ready? Will it cost much?"
"More than I like to think of. But it must be;—nothing venture— nothing have. You and the children are secure anyhow, that's one comfort. But oh, my poor people at Enderley!" ”

“ Is it not so, Uncle Phineas?" continued her father, hastily, for I was watching them.
"Muriel will be quite strong when the warm weather comes. We have had such a severe winter. Every one of the children has suffered," said the mother, in a cheerful tone, as she poured out a cup of cream for her daughter, to whom was now given, by common consent, all the richest and rarest of the house.
"I think every one has," said John, looking round on his apple-cheeked boys; it must have been a sharp eye that detected any decrease of health, or increase of suffering, there. ”

“ They cannot last—let Lord Luxmore do what he will. If, as I told you, we re-let Longfield for this one summer to Sir Ralph, we shall save enough to put the mill in thorough repair. If my landlord will not do it, I will; and add a steam-engine, too."
Now the last was a daring scheme, discussed many a winter night by us three in Longfield parlour. At first, Mrs. Halifax had looked grave- -most women would, especially wives and mothers, in those days when every innovation was regarded with horror, and improvement and ruin were held synonymous. ”

“ He worked early and late—often with his own hands—aided by the men he brought with him from Manchester. For it was necessary to keep the secret—especially in our primitive valley—until the thing was complete. So the ignorant, simple mill people, when they came for their easy Saturday's wages, only stood and gaped at the mass of iron, and the curiously-shaped brickwork, and wondered what on earth "the master" was about? ”

“ I think—though John rarely betrayed it—he had strongly this presentiment of future power, which may often be noticed in men who have carved out their own fortunes. They have in them the instinct to rise; and as surely as water regains its own level, so do they, from however low a source, ascend to theirs.
Not many weeks after, we removed in a body to Enderley. Though the chief reason was, that John might be constantly on the spot, superintending his mills, yet I fancied I could detect a secondary reason, which he would not own even to himself ”

“ She shook her head.
"What, with those troubles at the mills? How can you speak so lightly?"
"Not lightly, love—only cheerfully. The troubles must be borne; why not bear them with as good heart as possible? ”