The sexton smooths the moist earth carefully with his reversed spade; Ruth's eyes follow his movements with a strange fascination. Now the carriages roll away one after another, and the wooden man turns to Ruth and says, "Come." She looks into his stony face, then at the new-made mound, utters a low, stifled cry, and staggers forth with her crushing sorrow.
Oh, Earth! Earth! with thy mocking skies of blue, thy placid silver streams, thy myriad, memory-haunting odorous flowers, thy wheels of triumph rolling--rolling on, over breaking hearts and prostrate forms--maimed, tortured, crushed, yet not destroyed. Oh, mocking Earth! snatching from our frenzied grasp the life-long coveted treasure! Most treacherous Earth! are these thy unkept promises?
Oh, hadst thou no Gethsemane--no Calvary--no guarded tomb--no risen Lord!
"And is it because Biddy M'Pherson don't suit yer, that ye'd be afther sending her away?" said Ruth's nursery maid.
"No, Biddy," replied Ruth; "you have been respectful to me, and kind and faithful to the children, but I cannot afford to keep you now since--" and Ruth's voice faltered.
"If that is all, my leddy," said Biddy, brightening up, "then I'll not be afther laving, sure."
"Thank you," said Ruth, quite moved by her devotion; "but you must not work for me without wages. Besides, Biddy, I could not even pay your board."
"And the tears not dry on your cheek; and the father of him and you with plenty of the siller. May the divil fly away wid 'em! Why, Nettie is but a babby yet, and Masther used to say you must walk every day, to keep off the bad headaches; and it's coming could weather, and you can't take Nettie out, and you can't lave her with Katy; and anyhow it isn't Biddy M'Pherson that'll be going away intirely."
The allusion to Harry's tender care of Ruth's health opened the wound afresh, and she wept convulsively.
"I say it's a shame," said Biddy, becoming more excited at the sight of her tears; "and you can't do it, my leddy; you are as white as a sheet of paper."
"I _must_," said Ruth, controlling herself with a violent effort; "say no more, Biddy. I don't know where I am going; but wherever it may be I shall always be glad to see you. Katy and Nettie shall not forget their kind nurse; now, go and pack your trunk," said Ruth, assuming a composure she was far from feeling. "I thank you for your kind offer, though I cannot accept it."