Do you think you have made any impression on her ?' He seemed rather astonished when I briefly mentioned the subject of our talk.
'Did she tell you about herself?
Come, you have made great progress.

Let her get rid of some of the poison that seems to choke her, and then there will be some chance of doing her good.

She has taken a great fancy to you, that is evident; and, if you will allow me to say so, I think you are just the person to influence her.' 'It is a very difficult piece of work,' I returned; but he changed the subject so abruptly that I felt convinced that he knew how utterly jaded I was.

He told me a humorous anecdote about a child that made me laugh, and when we reached the gate of the cottage he bade me, rather peremptorily, put away all worrying thoughts and to go to bed, which piece of advice I followed as meekly as possible, after first reading a passage out of my favourite _Thomas a Kempis_; but I thought of Phoebe all the time I was reading it: 'The cross, therefore, is always ready, and everywhere waits for thee.
Thou canst not escape it wheresoever thou runnest; for wheresoever thou goest, thou carriest thyself with thee and shalt ever find thyself....

If thou bear the cross cheerfully, it will bear thee, and lead thee to the desired end, namely, where there shall be an end of suffering, though here there shall not be.