The patient's voice sank into
faint murmurs; only a moan now and then announced that he was not asleep.
At the usual evening hour the chapel bell began to toll, and Thomas
Newcome's hands outside the bed feebly beat a time. And just as the last
bell struck, a peculiar sweet smile shone over his face, and he lifted up
his head a little, and quickly said, "Adsum!" and fell back. It was the
word we used at school, when names were called; and lo, he, whose heart
was as that of a little child, had answered to his name, and stood in the
presence of The Master.
* * * * * *
Two years ago, walking with my children in some pleasant fields, near to
Berne in Switzerland, I strayed from them into a little wood; and, coming
out of it presently, told them how the story had been revealed to me
somehow, which for three-and-twenty months the reader has been pleased to
follow. As I write the last line with a rather sad heart, Pendennis and
Laura, and Ethel and Clive, fade away into Fable-land.
Pages:
1840
1841
1842
1843
1844
1845
1846
1847
1848
1849
1850
1851
1852
1853
1854
1855
1856
1857
1858
1859
1860
1861
1862
1863
1864