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hour, of the too early change he had seen in such another - of all the
sufferings he had watched and known, and all his child had
undergone; when the young man's profligate and hardened course
drained him of money as his father's had, and even sometimes
occasioned them temporary privation and distress; it was then that
there began to beset him, and to be ever in his mind, a gloomy dread
of poverty and want. He had no thought for himself in this. His fear
was for the child. It was a spectre in his house, and haunted him
night and day.
'
The younger brother had been a traveller in many countries, and had
made his pilgrimage through life alone. His voluntary banishment had
been misconstrued, and he had borne (not without pain) reproach and
slight for doing that which had wrung his heart, and cast a mournful
shadow on his path. Apart from this, communication between him
and the elder was difficult, and uncertain, and often failed; still, it was
not so wholly broken off but that he learnt - with long blanks and
gaps between each interval of information - all that I have told you
now.
'
Then, dreams of their young, happy life - happy to him though laden
with pain and early care - visited his pillow yet oftener than before;
and every night, a boy again, he was at his brother's side. With the
utmost speed he could exert, he settled his affairs; converted into
money all the goods he had; and, with honourable wealth enough for
both, with open heart and hand, with limbs that trembled as they
bore him on, with emotion such as men can hardly bear and live,
arrived one evening at his brother's door!'
The narrator, whose voice had faltered lately, stopped.
'The rest,' said Mr Garland, pressing his hand after a pause, 'I know.'
'Yes,' rejoined his friend, 'we may spare ourselves the sequel. You
know the poor result of all my search. Even when by dint of such
inquiries as the utmost vigilance and sagacity could set on foot, we
found they had been seen with two poor travelling showmen - and in
time discovered the men themselves - and in time, the actual place of
their retreat; even then, we were too late. Pray God, we are not too late
again!'
'
'
We cannot be,' said Mr Garland. 'This time we must succeed.'
I have believed and hoped so,' returned the other. 'I try to believe and
hope so still. But a heavy weight has fallen on my spirits, my good
friend, and the sadness that gathers over me, will yield to neither hope
nor reason.'
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