raised the fallen book, and smoothed out its doubled leaves, regretting
that I had injured it; and, sitting down again, I held the open volume
as before, resting on my knees. Now, however, I perceived that it had
opened at a place some pages in advance of the passages which had
excited me; but, feeling no desire to go back to resume my reading just
where I had left off, my eyes mechanically sought the top of the page
before me, and this is what I read:

"...make choice of one of the daughters of the house; it is fitting that
she should rejoice for that brighter excellence which caused her to be
raised to so high a state, and to have authority over all others, since
in her, with the father, all the majesty and glory of the house is
centered; albeit with a solemn and chastened joy, like that of the
pilgrim who, journeying to some distant tropical region of the earth,
and seeing the shores of his native country fading from sight, thinks at
one and the same time of the unimaginable beauties of nature and art
that fire his mind and call him away, and of the wide distance which
will hold him for many years divided from all familiar scenes and the
beings he loves best, and of the storms and perils of the great
wilderness of waves, into which so many have ventured and have not
returned. For now a changed body and soul shall separate her forever
from those who were one in nature with her; and with that superior
happiness destined to be hers there shall be the pains and perils of
childbirth, with new griefs and cares unknown to those of humbler
condition. But on that lesser gladness had by the children of the house
in her exaltation, and because there will be a new mother in the
house--one chosen from themselves--there shall be no cloud or shadow;
and, taking her by the hand, and kissing her face in token of joy, and
of that new filial love and obedience which will be theirs, they shall
lead her to the Mother's Room, thereafter to be inhabited by her as long