Mary knew nothing more for many minutes. When she recovered
consciousness, she found herself supported by Jem on the "settle" in
the house-place. Job and Mr. Carson were there, talking together
lowly and solemnly. Then Mr. Carson bade farewell and left the
house; and Job said aloud, but as if speaking to himself--
"God has heard that man's prayer. He has comforted him."
XXXVI. JEM'S INTERVIEW WITH MR. DUNCOMBE.
"The first dark day of nothingness,
The last of danger and distress."
--BYRON.
Although Mary had hardly been conscious of her thoughts, and it had
been more like a secret instinct informing her soul, than the result
of any process of reasoning, she had felt for some time (ever since
her return from Liverpool, in fact), that for her father there was
but one thing to be desired and anticipated, and that was death!
She had seen that Conscience had given the mortal wound to his
earthly frame; she did not dare to question of the infinite mercy of
God, what the Future Life would be to him.
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