Frederica and her Guardians Part 23

But neither Father Jerome nor Sister Magdalen was with her at the end.

A very peaceful end to a troubled life it was. Her children were all there, and Mr and Mrs Brandon. They thought her dying early in the afternoon, but she revived again, and spoke to them all, and sent a message to their father.

"Tell him I shall be waiting for him till he comes. Are you here, Frederica? Write it now beside me, that no time may be lost. Tell him, 'He loved us, and gave Himself for us.'"

If she spoke after that, they did not catch the words. They waited on, hour after hour, and so gently came the messenger, they scarce knew the moment when she was called.

"They thought her dying when she slept, And sleeping when she died."

Then "a change" came over the beautiful worn face. Tessie uttered a startled cry, and Selina laid down her face on the hand growing cold in hers, Frederica, taking a step toward the door, said, "Now I must go to papa." But she would have fallen, had not Miss Agnace put her arm around her.

Then there were long, long days of waiting. Awed by the remembrance of their mother's face, and the unwonted quiet of the house, the little boys now and then broke into momentary tears, and Tessie gave way sometimes, and cried bitterly. Selina comforted them all. She hardly realised yet what had befallen her. She only thought that her mother was at rest--that the weariness of earth was over, and the joy of heaven begun, and she said to the others how blessed their mother was now, how safe, and satisfied, and how she was waiting for them all there.

Frederica listened as the rest did, and watched with grave, attentive eyes all that was done in preparation for the funeral, but she hardly ever spoke a word.

So Mrs Vane was carried away from the house where she was born, and where she had lived all her life. Her little sons followed her to the grave, but her daughters remained at home, as is the custom in M. among people of their cla.s.s. They sat silent in the room where their mother had lain, refusing to leave it till their brothers came home. Mrs Brandon was with them, and by-and-by Miss Agnace came and sat down by the door. It grew dark, for the days were at the shortest, and it seemed a long time before the little boys came home.

"And now I must go to papa," said Frederica that night, before Mrs Brandon went away. Mrs Brandon looked in perplexity at Miss Agnace, who whispered,--

"Say nothing to-night. Look at her eyes and her changing colour. She is not fit to be spoken to to-night. Poor child! There are weary days before her."

CHAPTER FIFTEEN.

Miss Agnace was right. The next day Frederica began with her own hands the preparations for the voyage she was determined to make, and Miss Agnace, going up in a little while to her room, found her lying on the floor, among the garments she had gathered together, quite insensible.

She had come to the end of her strength now. For the next few weeks she knew little of what was going on in the house. Except that Selina was with her now, as well as Miss Agnace, the days pa.s.sed very much as they had done after her father went away.

Tessie went willingly back to school, for Madame Precoe's presence in the house was altogether distasteful to her. Madame had taken up her abode with them, no one knew at whose request or suggestion. Her stay gave pleasure to no one. Mrs Brandon was more than displeased, she was indignant. But there was no one to whom appeal could be made. It was to be presumed that Mr Jerome was carrying out the plans of Mr St.

Cyr, who was the proper person to act for Mrs Vane's children, and Mr Jerome approved of Madame's residence with them. There was nothing to be done therefore but to wait patiently till their father came home.

The boys were sent to school again within a few days after their mother's funeral. Mr Jerome took them away, saying that school was the best place for them, and so no doubt it was. The boys went away willingly, for their home was altogether changed now.

For a good while Frederica was not sufficiently able to notice what was going on about her, to be unhappy because of these things. Selina was constantly saying to herself and her sister, that it would be well with them, and they need not fear, and she believed it, and Frederica came to believe it too.

But whether it was to be well with them or not, Frederica knew there was nothing she could do to help it. What a poor weak little creature she felt herself to be! Even Selina, whom she had meant to care for and comfort, was stronger than she--stronger and wiser, and more to be relied on in a time of trouble; and she found it difficult sometimes not to murmur at her weakness.

She was very weak. The slightest exertion tired her. A word brought tears to her eyes. She needed quite another kind of discipline than that which she was getting at the hands of her sister and Miss Agnace, Madame Precoe hinted to Mr Jerome, and she also hinted what sort of discipline it ought to be. But either he did not agree with her, or had not the power to put her plans in practice, for the girls were left undisturbed together under Miss Agnace's care.

"Selina," said Frederica one day, after a hint from Madame Precoe, "I had forgotten how very disagreeable Mrs Ascot used to be. Her visit has taken away all the good effect of Miss Agnace's medicine."

"Don't be foolish, Fred dear," said her sister.

"Oh! you did not see her face, or the horrible shrug of her shoulders.

You cannot know. Has she quite taken possession of us and the house. I wonder what her beloved Precoe can do without her!"

"Fred," said Selina, laughing, and kissing her, "you are almost your old self again. It delights me to see you vexed with p.r.i.c.kly Polly."

Frederica laughed, partly at the old nickname, and partly at Selina's way of saying it; for French had always been Selina's language with her mother, and she spoke English with an accent not at all like the rest.

"But she is not 'p.r.i.c.kly Polly' now. She is not easily offended as she used to be. I have not tried certainly; but she has a grand and satisfied air, as though she had but to speak to put things on a pleasant footing--for herself at least."

"You must rise, Fred, and sit on this chair. You are quite well, I am sure. She was not ten minutes in the room, and you saw all that."

"Oh! Selina," said Frederica, with a sigh, "it is very sad to think now of the days when we were young and had no trouble."

"But then, we are still rather young, are we not?" said Selina gravely.

"And if you remember, there never was a time when we were quite without trouble. Always mama was ill, and there were other things sometimes."

"Yes, that is true."

"Mama will not suffer any more, and I am glad for her."

But it was a tearful smile that bore witness to her gladness, and Frederica broke into weeping as she looked at her sister's face.

"Oh! Lena! Lena!" she gasped, "are we never to have her with us any more? nor papa--"

"Hush, Fred! Don't cry like that," said Selina, crying herself, but more gently. "Think how well she is, and how satisfied. And papa may come home; but I don't think he will: I think he will go to mama. He has had all this long time to think, and to be sorry. And Jesus loves him too. He gave Himself for _him_."

"Oh! Lena! Lena!" was all that Frederica could say.

"And, darling, think how glad mama will be! and nothing shall grieve them any more. We shall be with them there; and you may go very soon, for you are not strong."

Frederica was startled by her sister's words.

"No. I am not strong: but to die! Lena, I must not die. I must live to take care of you all. Oh! what a foolish girl I am! As though I could do anything!" and her tears fell fast as her sister tried to soothe her.

"And, Lena, I would not like to die yet, even to see mama. I am not good like you."

"Hush, dear. I think G.o.d will let you live to take care of us all. And you are not to cry any more to-night. For indeed, except that you are weak and tired, there is no cause."

But Frederica was weak in body and mind, and cried herself to sleep, and Miss Agnace saw with anxiety her flushed wet cheeks when she came in.

"I almost wish she might have her desire, and go away to England," said she as she stood looking at her. "She needs something to rouse and interest her. But perhaps Madame's plan for her would be best."

"What is her plan?" asked Selina quickly. "My child, Madame has given me no authority to speak of any plan of hers. But I wish there could come a change of some kind for this poor Miss Frederica."

"She is better, and I don't know why Madame Precoe should take trouble in making plans for us. What has she to do with us, or our plans?"

"Nay, my child! It is not well to say anything in that voice and manner. It is not like you. It will all be well, as you often say.

Why should you be afraid?"

"Yes, it will be well," said Selina, and she thought so still, though she felt that her sister's eyes were wet beneath her kiss. "We must have patience a little while. It will all be well."

"Yes, it will be well," said Miss Agnace, thinking how Father Jerome had set himself to the work of saving these children. Yet she sighed, too; for she had learned to love them dearly, and she longed that they should be happy, as well as safe. If Father Jerome were permitted to have his will as to their future life, she feared that suffering must come before the happiness. She could not help them much, she knew, still she gave them good counsel, repeated her little legends, and prayed earnestly to Mary and the saints in their behalf. In her heart she believed it would be well with them in the end, and in the meantime she longed to comfort them and to teach them as well. So that night, as the young girls sat in the darkening room a little sad and dreary, with the tears not very far from the eyes of either of them, she said softly,--

"My children, do you never comfort yourselves and one another by praying for your dear mother's soul?"

Frederica looked at her in astonishment, not quite free from anger.

"I do not understand you, Miss Agnace," said Selina gently.

"It would soothe and comfort you, would it not, to feel that you might still do something for your dear mama?"