will not turn to God, because the pride of his heart opposes itself to the confession of his former hypocrisy; and too, too often, such a man sinks into everlasting perdition rather than he will undeceive the world by revealing to them that he had hitherto been but an almost christian. But I thank God," continued he, looking round with affectionate confidence on Jane, Mr. Westbury, and Emily, (for Mr. Landor had left the room immediately after prayer) "that we have no Achan in the camp*—that this little assembly, small indeed though it be, is one where the Lord is in the midst."" When Emily was alone, she shed many tears as she recalled the expression of undoubting assurance which had brightened Mr. Leslie's features while he declared his belief that they were all true disciples of Christ; and she bitterly regretted the circumstances which had made her a hypocrite, and a deceiver; but this regret did not teach her to look upon herself, and her own wandering heart, as the first cause of her unhappiness. She did not grieve that she had forsaken God, so much as that she was imposing upon her friends, and particularly upon that kind and benevolent minister of God, the very gentleness of whose manners seemed to bespeak her candour. "Oh!" thought she, "if he knew how fallen I am, how would he despise me! He would pity me, it is true, but I * Joshua vii. 18. cannot consent to exchange esteem for compassion -I cannot bear that he should think me so different from what I seem! No-I will retrace the steps which I have taken from God and religion, that I may merit Mr. Leslie's good opinion, and that of my brother and sister; I will forsake my sins, and return to my merciful and gracious Saviour, and then I shall not only obtain their esteem and affection, but deserve it also !" But alas! was this motive for Emily's purposed amendment sufficiently pure to be acceptable to a holy and heart-searching God? CHAPTER VIII. Those hours those walks are past! On the following morning Emily accompanied her sister to H, for the purpose of calling upon Fanny Gordon, whom she had not seen since her arrival, the weather having been such as to confine them at home. But on this sunny morning, it seemed as if March had borrowed a day of smiles from May, to atone for his past severity; white and dazzling clouds were sailing in their snowy beauty over the face of the blue heavens, while, the bright eye of day" threw his cheering rays alike. over earth and sky. +2 "How many such delightful days we shall probably have next summer," said Emily, when Mrs. Westbury expressed her pleasure at the unusual beauty of the weather, "but we shall not then be together to enjoy them !" "We will look forward to the summer of next year," answered Jane, cheerfully, "when I hope we shall all be returned to Elmwood; Mr. Leslie completely recovered, and Edward and I loving our home still better for our temporary absence." "But how solitary I shall be while you are away;" said Emily; "my father will be sure to spend most of his time at H, and I shall be alone at Elmwood, surrounded with objects which will but increase my grief, by reminding me of you. At family prayer, there will be no Edward to perform that duty; at church, there will be no sister by my side; on Sunday evenings, there will be no Mr. Leslie to admonish us. In my employments at home, you will have no share, and in my evening walks, you will not be my companion. Now have I not real cause to regret your leaving me ?" "But Emily," returned Jane, "you know Mr. Leslie's precarious health calls for many little kindnesses which strangers either would not think of, or would be unwilling to perform. Invalids, I need not tell you, are altogether dependent on those around them, and there are very few who meet with proper attention from home, so that it is quite necessary for them to have some active companion to order every thing for their comfort. Now Mr. Leslie would be much less likely to recover, if he left England without some friends to study his wants, and take from him all the little tiresome affairs of managing his journeys, &c.; and tell me, Emily," she continued, with a half smile, "which would you choose-to retain Edward and myself at home, and so to lose Mr. Leslie for ever, or to part from all three, to meet happily again after a year's separation ?" “Oh! I would rather you left me!" replied Emily, with quickness, "but do not talk of Mr. Leslie dying, Jane, for I should grieve as sincerely as you if such a mournful event were to occur. Ah! I see by that smile you have no fears of his death!" "We certainly entertain very sanguine hopes of his recovery," answered Jane, "and I trust it will be very long ere we have to grieve for the loss of Mr. Leslie. I wish we could anticipate Fanny Gordon's convalescence likewise." "Do you really think she will die ?" asked Emily. "Alas! there are no hopes !” replied Mrs. Westbury; "and it is almost selfish to wish her to live, for she has but little happiness to expect here! No one can tell the sorrow which poor Fanny has felt, even in her short life, neglected and ridiculed as she has been by her nearest and dearest friends. She never complains, but it is easy to perceive that her home is not a happy one, though since her last dangerous illness, she has experienced more kindness, and less opposition. "I wonder how such indulgent parents as Mr. and Mrs. Gordon used to seem, could act so differently to Fanny, and merely for this one reason, that she was more religious than themselves," said Emily. "They had many reasons for it," answered Jane, "besides that principle of opposition to holiness. which reigns in every unregenerate heart; but we were talking of Fanny, not of her parents' faults, and we had better return to her. She has passed through many trials since she became a professor of religion, but she has never yielded to them, and she has more than once exclaimed to me, with tears in her eyes, I find that the only means of continuing in the way of peace is to be faithful to my God, under every temptation !"" "Perhaps," said Emily, thoughtfully, "it is in mercy that she is summoned away from this sinful world, in which so many dangers abound." "We may be assured," returned Mrs. Westbury, "it is for the good of our dear friend that she is taken away from the evil to come.' We |