No doubt the full import of what he had done had dawned even on Major Delavie during the watches of that last sorrowful night, for he came out a pale, haggard man, looking as if his age had doubled since he went to bed, wrapped in his dressing gown, his head covered with his night-cap, and leaning heavily on his staff.  He came charged with one of the long solemn discourses which parents were wont to bestow on their children as valedictions, but when Aurelia, in her camlet riding cloak and hood, brought her tear-stained face to crave his blessing, he could only utter broken fragments.  “Bless thee my child!  Take heed to yourself and your ways.  It is a bad world, beset with temptations.  Oh! heaven forgive me for sending my innocent lamb out into it.  Oh! what would your blessed mother say?”

“Dear sir,” said Betty, who had wept out her tears, and was steadily composed now, “this is no time to think of that.  We must only cheer up our darling, and give her good counsel.  If she keep to what her Bible, her catechism and her conscience tell her, she will be a good girl, and God will protect her.”

“True, true, your sister is right; Aura, my little sweetheart, I had much to say to you, but it is all driven out of my poor old head.”

“Aura!  Aura! the horses are coming!  Ten of them!” shouted Eugene.  “Come along!  Oh! if I were but going!  How silly of you to cry; I don’t.”

“There! there!  Go my child, and God in His mercy protect you!”

Aurelia in speechless grief passed from the arms of one sister to the embrace of the other, hugged Eugene, was kissed by Nannerl, who forced a great piece of cake into her little bag, and finally was lifted to her pillion cushion by Palmer, who stole a kiss of her hand before Dove put his horse in motion, while Betty was still commending her sister to his wife’s care, and receiving reiterated promises of care.

CHAPTER VI.  DISAPPOINTED LOVE.

I know thee well, thy songs and sighs,
A wicked god thou art;
And yet, most pleasing to the eyes,
And witching to the heart. 
W. MACKWORTH PRAED.

The house was dull when Aurelia was gone.  Her father was ill at ease and therefore testy, Betty too sore at heart to endure as cheerfully as usual his unwonted ill-humour.  Harriet was petulant, and Eugene troublesome, and the two were constantly jarring against one another, since the one missed her companion, the other his playmate; and they were all more sensible than ever how precious and charming an element was lost to the family circle.