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and it is well remembered as characteristic of Aunt Esther, that she said when they were at the worst — <" I am very glad they are so ill: it is a well-deserved punishment because their mother would not let them K<> to church for fear they should catch it there." ('1 lurch and a love of church was the standard by which Aunt Esther measured everything. In all things she had the inflexible cruelty of a Dominican. She would willingly and proudly undergo martyrdom herself for her own principles, but she would torture without remorse those who differed from her.
When we were recovering, Aunt Lucy read " Guy Manneriiijjr" aloud to us. It was enchanting. I had always longed beyond words to read Scott's novels, but had never been allowed to do so — "they were too exciting for a boy! " But usually, as Aunt Lucy and my mother sat together, their conversation was almost entirely about the spiritual things in which their hearts, their mental powers, their whole being wm* absorbed. The doctrine of Pascal was always he Tore their minds — " La vie humaine n'est qu'une illusion perptft.uelle," and their treasure was truly »st»t in heavenly places. They would talk of heaven in detail just as worldly people would talk of the place where they were going for change of air. At this time, I remember, they both wished — no, I suppose they only thought they wished — to die: they talked of longing', pining for "the coming of the kingdom/' but when they grew really old, when the time which they had wished for before was in all probability really near, and when they were, I believe, far more really prepared for it, they ceased to
VOL. I. ........- 1 1 Lime Wood, tin* i^il** I nh !