A Day of Punishment 



I have no notion what Mary or Mother, 

 who had just entered, told him ; my 

 Father's kindness had opened the flood- 

 gates and I was carried out in spite of my- 

 self on the overwhelming tide, and could 

 think of nothing, except that I was sorry, 

 sorry, dreadfully sorry, and that I loved 

 my Father, loved him so much that my 

 heart was like to break. Neither do I 

 know how it came about that a few 

 minutes later I was sitting on his knee 

 close to the fire, trying to please him by 

 taking sips from his glass of hot wine and 

 water, though the catching at my breath 

 nearly choked me, and my tears rushed 

 over the end of my nose into the glass : 

 Mother was gently pulling from me my 

 sea-drenched breeks, looking very 

 anxiously at me the while, while Mary 

 busied herself with warmino^ me a basin of 

 good soup. 



I cried out in my dreams that night ; and 

 little wonder, for the terrible sea was 

 coming up all round me, and I knew how 

 cold it was ; and my cry woke me. I lay 

 and luxuriated a little in the sense of safety 

 and comfort, and thought of my Father, and 

 how he had held me so close and stroked 

 my head as if he would never be done with 

 comforting me : a memory that heaved up 

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