Why should I speak of such things here, except to mourn over our
much-loved brother, with all his fine qualities and powers wasted
and overthrown? He clung to Clarence's affection, and submitted to
prayers and psalms, but without response. He showed tender
recollection of us all, but scarcely durst think of his father, and
hardly appeared to wish to see his mother. Clarence's object soon
came to be to obtain forgiveness for the wife, since bitterness
against her seemed the great obstacle to seeking pardon, peace, or
hope; but each attempt only produced such bitterness against her,
and such regrets and mourning for Ellen, as fearfully shook the
failing frame, while he moaned forth complaints of the blandishments
and raillery with which his temptress had beguiled him. Clarence
tried in vain to turn away this idea, but nothing had any effect
till he bethought himself of Ellen's message, that she knew even
this fatal act had been prompted by generosity of spirit. There was
truth enough in it to touch Griff, but only so far as to cry, 'What
might I not have been with her?' Still, there was no real softening
till my mother came. He knew her at once, and all the old childish
relations were renewed between them. There was little time left
now, but he was wholly hers. Even Clarence was almost set aside,
save where strength was needed, and the mother seemed to have equal
control of spirit and body. It was she, who, scarcely aware of what
had gone before, caused him to admit Selina.

'Tell her not to talk,' he said. 'But we have each much to forgive
one another.'

She came in, awed and silent, and he let her kiss him, sit near at
hand, and wait on my mother, whose coming had, as it were,