148 THE COUSINS.

and I only wish I was in my grave, where
nobody could see me.”

Nothing but great passion could have given
Luey courage to make such a speech to her
father; and even passion had not so completely
blinded her to its consequences but that she
trembled a little as she thought of the anger it
would excite. She did not dare to look up at
her father, who remained quite silent for a
while; but when he did speak, instead of the
angry rebuke she had expected, Lucy only heard,
in tones of the tenderest pity, ‘My poor child!
I can only pray for you; but take courage,
diuey; we have, in our Saviour, a High Priest
who can be touched with a feeling of our infir-
mities, and he will intercede for you; and
God, who pitieth us even as a father pitieth
his children, will give you a loving and gentle
heart.”

As these gentle words stole softly and ten-
derly into Lucy’s ears, her heart seemed changed
within her; and though she continued to weep,
it was with sorrow rather than with anger.
She drew nearer to her father on the scat,