26 THE SHIPWRECK,

and taking his sister in his arms, whose appearance alone
had conquered all his revengeful thoughts, he embraced
her with tearful eyes, and confessed with candour the true
occasion of his delay.

“Philip, how happy your return has rendered me! ei
us together return our thanks to God.”

After saying these words, Maria recited aloud that beau-
tiful prayer, Our father who art in heaven; and when she
came to this part—forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive
those who trespass against us, she turned towards Philip with
such an expression of fervour and benevolence, that her
brother repeated with her, Forgive us our trespasses, as we
forgive those that trespass against us.

Like the rose, parched and withered by the burning sun,
or like some limpid stream which, emanating from an
abundant source, promises to become a majestic river, but
suddenly loses itself in the arid sand—so too the youthful
Maria had hardly placed the cup of life to her lips, before
the end of her term approached. Her eyes were closed to
the light of Heaven; the beauties of nature and the mag-
nificence of the universe were hidden from her contempla-
tion, but her soul, instructed and formed to piety, was ever
elevated to her Creator, whom she never ceased to love
and bless. The thought of evil had never, as yet, found