322 THE VICARAGE. 



was fitted for her reception. The good Abbe was pre- 

 sent at her wedding, where he might have been seen 

 distributing bon-bons to the village children, and 

 listening with delight to the praises bestowed on 

 his adopted daughter, who received the blessings 

 of all who knew her. The Abbe resided princi- 

 pally with her and Neville, and expired at a good 

 old age with the calmness and resignation of a 

 Christian; receiving from Lucy, during a pro- 

 tracted illness, those cares and attentions which he 

 had bestowed on her beloved husband. 



Between the Vicar and the Abbe, a bond of 

 friendship had been established, which no differ- 

 ence of religion had ever disturbed, or any contro- 

 versy weakened. They were both good men, 

 pursuing, perhaps, different roads to the same 

 country, but both humbly hoping to arrive there 

 at last only through the atonement of Him who 

 died for all. 



During the Abbe's occasional visits at the vicar- 

 age, Mary made up to him as much as she could 

 for the loss of the society of her sister. He had 

 at length the pleasure of seeing her united to Mr. 

 Davenport, whose sound religious principles and 

 good sense were calculated to secure her happi- 

 ness. Henry became his father's curate, with the 

 probability of succeeding ultimately to the living, 

 thus affording the Vicar an opportunity of passing 

 part of his time with his married daughters. Lucy 



