Lucy now appeared to think she might trust me to myself, and she led the
way into the house. I did not see her again until Mr. Hardinge caused the
whole household to be assembled at evening prayers. The meeting of the
family that night was solemn and mournful. For myself, I fancied that the
spirit of Grace was hovering around us; more than once did I fancy that I
heard her sweet, voice mingling in the petitions, or leading the service,
as was her practice on those occasions when our good guardian could not
attend. I observed all the negroes looking at me with solicitude, like
those who recognised my right to feel the blow the deepest, It was a
touching evidence of respectful interest that each man bowed to me
reverently, and each woman curtsied, as he or she left the room. As for
Chloe, sobs nearly choked her; the poor girl having refused to quit the
body of her mistress except for that short moment. I thought Lucy would
have remained with her father and myself for a few minutes, but for the
necessity of removing this poor heart-stricken creature, who really felt
as if the death of her young mistress was a toss of part of her own
existence.

I have already dwelt on the circumstances attending the death of Grace
longer than I intended, and shall now cease to harass my own feelings, or
to distress those of my readers by unnecessarily enlarging on more of the
details. The next three or four days produced the usual calm; and though
it was literally years ere Lucy or myself ceased altogether to weep for
her loss, we both obtained the self-command that was necessary for the
discharge of our ordinary duties. Grace, it will be remembered, died of a
Sunday, about the usual hour for dinner. Agreeably to the custom of the
country, in which there is usually a little too much of an indecent haste
in disposing of the dead, owing in some degree to climate, however, the
funeral would have taken place on Wednesday, and that would have been