Page:Carroll - Sylvie and Bruno Concluded.djvu/164

126 thought, that perhaps the real guilt of the human race was infinitely less than I fancied itthat the millions, whom I had thought of as sunk in hopeless depths of sin, were perhaps, in God's sight, scarcely sinning at allwas more sweet than words can tell! Life seemed more bright and beautiful, when once that thought had come! 'A livelier emerald twinkles in the grass, A purer sapphire melts into the sea! His voice trembled as he concluded, and the tears stood in his eyes.

Lady Muriel shaded her face with her hand, and was silent for a minute. "It is a beautiful thought," she said, looking up at last. "Thank youArthur, for putting it into my head!"

The Earl returned in time to join us at tea, and to give us the very unwelcome tidings that a fever had broken out in the little harbour-town that lay below usa fever of so malignant a type that, though it had only appeared a day or two ago, there were already more than a dozen down in it, two or three of whom were reported to be in imminent danger.

In answer to the eager questions of Arthurwho of course took a deep scientific interest