"And the loftiest hope is the surest of being fulfilled."

* * * * *

"Thank you, heartily," said the curate. "I will choose another time to
tell you how much I have enjoyed your parable, which is altogether to my
mind, and far beyond anything I could do."

Mr. Bloomfield returned no answer, but his countenance showed that he was
far from hearing this praise unmoved. The faces of the rest showed that
they too had listened with pleasure; and Adela's face shone as if she had
received more than delight--hope, namely, and onward impulse. The colonel
alone--I forgot to say that Mrs. Cathcart had a headache, and did not
come--seemed to have been left behind.

"I am a stupid old fellow, I believe," said he; "but to tell the truth, I
did not know what to make of it. It seemed all the time to be telling me
in one breath something I knew and something I didn't and couldn't know. I
wish I could express what I mean, but it puzzled me too much for that;
although every now and then it sounded very beautiful indeed."

"I will try and tell you what it said to me, sometime, papa," said Adela.

"Thank you, my child; I should much like to understand it. I believe I
have done my duty by my king and country, but a man has to learn a good
deal after all that is over and done with; and I suppose it is never too
late to begin, Mr. Armstrong?"

"On the contrary, I not merely believe that no future time can be so good