6 porter eyed me with a suspicious look, I was obliged to keep in my bedroom after the two had apparently separated for the night. No sooner had the Captain left his room than I went in, and thinking he might have written a few lines to Lady H——, I inspected his blotting book, tore out a sheet, which I enclose, where you will be able to trace the following lines, which fully confirm what I heard in the garden, and during supper-the words, beloved,' mine, for ever mine," 'blissful hour;' are quite distinct, your own devoted Harry,' is slightly blotted. I have requested Mr. Sharpness to send you at once a copy of the letter I forwarded to him. In it I omitted the French lines, which, not understanding the language, I copied as the Captain pronounced them; you, my lord, will be able to know their exact meaning; they were uttered in a very affectionate tone:'Labsense sate ar lammor sir ke ate on feu ler vant, ill ettaint le petite, il ogmente le grand.' I hope, in the course of the day, to square the man that attends the family, and will keep a sharp eye on the parties until they return to England, which, I hear from Mr. C's servant, will be shortly. The doctor now pronounced that Mr. Charleville was sufficiently recovered to undertake his journey to England, and in a few days after the announcement the family left Geneva. CHAPTER X. Placidâque ibi demum morte quievit. VIRGIL. There calm at length he breathed his soul away. No sooner had Mr. Charleville returned to Rylston Rectory than he was seized with a paralytic stroke, which, in less than eightand-forty hours, terminated fatally. His end was peace-calmly resigning his spirit to Him who gave it, and, taking an affectionate leave of his sorrowing wife and children, breathed his last. By his own express desire he was borne to his grave in God's acre, upon the shoulders of his dependents, and a more remarkable expression of universal respect was never shown to any man than was exhibited on the occasion of his funeral, the remembrance of which lingered long in the hearts of his parishioners, an evidence that they knew how to mark their estimate of Christian virtue and social merits. It was not alone the parishioners who mourned the loss of a man whose one earnest purpose, whose one unswerving practice, through an extended and valuable life, had been to do the thing that was right-right in purity, right in honour, right in justice, right in generosity; for the grief was universally felt by allhigh and low, rich and poor. One of the salient points in Mr. Charleville's character was that high, straightforward sense of honour which held in detestation all that was mean, or even doubtful in its professed motives. He gave fearless expression to such feelings, and if occasionally, there was found a severity in his manner, it was but the outburst of that downright sincerity, which was not only overlooked without a shadow of resentment, but even respected as an evidence of the honesty of his nature; and yet, with all his personal purity, he was anything but a hard judging person. Pro vided only that religion was not slighted, morality not outraged, and integrity not violated, he was lenient to error, and made allowance for the shortcomings of others. In truth, he was in every sense a large-hearted man. In conclusion, John Charleville died as he had lived. When the last day did arrive, it did not find him unprepared. Though he had always" made a conscience of his ways," though few men could show more purity of life, and fewer still point to more charitable good works, yet he utterly discarded any claims grounded on such a foundation. With true humility, and trustful hope in the merits and sacrifice of his Saviour, he looked forward for acceptance at the throne of Him in whose presence all is joy and gladness, and sighing and sorrow flee away. His last thought was Jesus, my Lord, I look to Thee, Where else can helpless sinners go? When men like the Reverend John Charleville die, they dispel the gloom and almost |