"That is what Mrs.Haddon said--the tears were in her eyes--last night, Mr.Courtland.I wish you could have heard her.

I wish you could have heard what she said when someone made a commonplace remark as to how sad it was they were dead." "What did she say, Miss Ayrton ?" "She said, 'No, no; please do not talk about death overtaking such as they.

The mother, who transmits her nature to the son, renews her life in him; it is not he, but his mother, who lives.' And then she asked, 'Do you suppose that Herbert Courtland ever sets out on any of his great enterprises without thinking of his mother and sister, without feeling that he must do something worthy of them, something for their sake?
And you talk of them as if they were dead--as if they had passed away forever from the concerns of earth!' That is what she said, Mr.
Courtland." He had bent forward on his low seat, and was leaning his head on one of his hands.

He had his eyes fixed on the parquet of the floor.

He was motionless.