dozen words were spoken between them, and those dozen were spoken with
no purport. On the Monday Captain Aylmer gave orders for the funeral,
and then went away to London, undertaking to be back on the day before
the last ceremony. Clara was rather glad that he should be gone, though
she feared the solitude of the big house. She was glad that he should
be gone, as she found it impossible to talk to him with ease to
herself. She knew that he was about to assume some position as
protector or quasi guardian over her in conformity with her aunt's
express wish, and she was quite resolved that she would submit to no
such guardianship from his hands. That being so, the shorter period
there might be for any such discussion the better.

The funeral was to take place on the Saturday, and during the four days
that intervened she received two visits from Mr Possitt. Mr Possitt was
very discreet in what he said, and Clara was angry with herself for not
allowing his words to have any avail with her. She told herself that
they were commonplace; but she told herself, also, after his first
visit, that she had no right to expect anything else but commonplace
words. How often are men found who can speak words on such occasions
that are not commonplaces that really stir the soul, and bring true
comfort to the listener? The humble listener may receive comfort even
from commonplace words; but Clara was not humble, and rebuked herself
for her own pride. On the second occasion of his coming she did
endeavour to receive him with a meek heart, and to accept what he said
with an obedient spirit. But the struggle within her bosom was hard,
and when he bade her to kneel and pray with him, she doubted for a
moment between rebellion and hypocrisy. But she had determined to be
meek, and so hypocrisy carried the hour.

What would a clergyman say on such an occasion if the object of his