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Page 64
Mrs. Dubois sat near him, her countenance expressing profound grief.
"The dear young man!" she said. "How sad and awful thus to die!"
"My dear madam", said Mr. Norton, "let us not mourn as those who have
no hope. Our beloved friend, brilliant and susceptible, aspiring and
tender, was illy fitted for the rude struggle of life. It is true he
might have fought his way through, girt with the armor of Christian
faith and prayer, as many others, like him, have done. But the fight
would have been a hard one. So he has been kindly taken home. Sad and
awful thus to die? Say rather, infinitely blest the God-protected
soul, thus snatched away from this terrific uproar of natural elements
into the sphere of majestic harmonies, of stupendous yet peaceful
powers".
At daybreak the little community took to their boats, crossed the
river and re-entered once more the dwellings they had but a few hours
before left, never expecting to return to them again. Some went home
and gathered their families in unbroken numbers around them. Others,
whose husbands and sons had been absent in the forest at the time of
the breaking out of the fire, over whose fate remained a terrible
uncertainty, gathered in silence around lonely hearths. The terrors of
the past night were, to such, supplemented by days and even weeks of
heartbreaking anxiety and suspense, closed at last by the knowledge of
certain bereavement.
All had been deeply impressed with the horror of the scene, and
sobered into thoughtfulness. A few felt truly grateful to the Most
High for their wonderful preservation.
CHAPTER XXIII.
THE SEPARATION.
With the morning light and the return to the settlement, Mr. Lansdowne
awoke to a consciousness of the duty immediately before him, that of
making arrangements for the safe conveyance home of the precious form
now consigned to his care.
His friends at the Dubois house manifested the deepest sympathy in his
affliction, and aided him in every possible way. In making his journey
he concluded to take a boat conveyance to Chatham, and a trading
vessel thence to his native city.
The missionary, who since the early spring had been laboring up and
down the rivers St. John and Miramichi, now concluded to return to his
family for the coming winter. Such had been his intention and his
promise to Mrs. Norton, when he left home. He was induced to go at
this particular time partly by the hope of rendering some service to
Mr. Lansdowne during his journey, and partly in order to see Mrs.
Lansdowne and impart to her the particulars of her brother's residence
and illness at Miramichi. A scheme of mercy on the part of the good
man.
On the return of Mr. Dubois to his house, he found a package of
letters, which, in the confusion and anxiety of the previous day, had
remained unopened. There was one from the Count de Rossillon,
announcing the death of the Countess. He wrote as if deeply depressed
in mind, speaking of the infirmities of age weighing heavily upon him,
and of his loneliness, and imploring Mr. Dubois to come, make his
abode at the chateau and take charge of the estate, which, at his
death, he added, would pass into the possession of Mrs. Dubois and
Ad�le.
Mrs. Dubois's heart beat with delight and her eyes swam with tears of
pleasure, at the prospect of once more returning to her beloved
Picardy. Yet her joy was severely chastened by the loss of the
Countess, whom she had fondly loved.
Ad�le felt a satisfaction in the anticipation of being restored to the
dignities of Rossillon, which she was too proud to manifest.
Mr. Dubois alone hesitated in entertaining the idea of a return. His
innate love of independence, together with a remembrance of the early
antipathy the Count had shown to the marriage with his niece, made the
thought repellant to him. A calmer consideration, however, changed his
view of the case. He recollected that the Count had at last consented
to his union with Mrs. Dubois, and reflected that the infirmities and
loneliness of the Count laid on them obligations they should not
neglect. He found, also, that his own love of home and country, now
that it could at last with propriety be gratified, welled up and
overflowed like a newly sprung fountain.
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