Galloway, it was several days
since Arthur had called on Jenkins, and the change he now saw in his
face struck him sharply. The skin was drawn, the eyes were unnaturally
bright, the cheeks had fallen in; certainly there could not be very
many hours of life left to Jenkins. A smile sat on his parched lips,
and his eyelashes became moist as he looked up to Arthur, and held out
his feeble hand.
"I knew you would be cleared, sir! I knew that God would surely bring
the right to light! I have been humbly thanking Him for you, sir, all
day."
Arthur's eyes glistened also as he bent over him. "You have heard it,
then, Jenkins? I thought you would."
"Yes, sir, I heard it this morning, when it was getting towards
mid-day. I had a visit, sir, from his lordship the bishop. I had,
indeed! He came up as he has done before--as kindly, and with as little
ceremony, as if he had been a poor body like myself. It was he who
first told me, Mr. Arthur."
"I am glad he came to see you, Jenkins."
"He talked so pleasantly, sir. 'It is a journey that we must all take,
Jenkins,' he said; 'and for my part, I think it matters little whether
we take it sooner or later, so that God vouchsafes to us the grace to
prepare for it.' For affability, sir, it was just as if it had been a
brother talking to me; but he said things different from what any poor
brother of mine could have said, and they gave me comfort.
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