As for her
nephew, he was gradually falling away from her in his trouble. He would
seldom go to dine with her without Sophy; and he had urgent reasons to
decline every invitation for her. Their conversations upon religious
subjects, which had always tended to make her comfortably assured of her
own state of grace, had quite ceased. David never talked to her now
about his sermons, past or future. He was in the "wasteful wilderness"
himself, and could not walk with her through trim alleys of the
vineyards. Now and then there fell from him, as from his friend,
unpractical notions of a Christian's duty; as if Christianity consisted
more in acts of self-denial than in an accurate creed concerning
fundamental doctrines. It was an uneasy time for Mrs. Bolton; and her
chief consolation was found in a volume of sermons, published by the
archdeacon, which made her feel sure that all must be right with the
widow of such a dignitary.
CHAPTER X.
A SIN AND A SHAME
It was May again; a soft, sunny day, with spring showers falling, or
gathering in glistening clouds in the blue sky.
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