The End of a Coil   By: Susan Warner (1819-1885)

THE END OF A COIL.

BY

SUSAN WARNER

AUTHOR OF

"THE WIDE, WIDE WORLD."

"Well begun is half done."

LONDON:

JAMES NISBET & CO., 21 BERNERS STREET

NOTE TO THE READER.

As in the case of "My Desire," the turning facts of this story are fact; even to the most romantic and unlikely detail. In this is found, I hope, my justification for making the hero in one place repeat something very like what was said by the hero of Queechy on a like occasion. I was unwilling to disturb the absolute truth of the story, so far as I had it.

CONTENTS.

CHAPTER

I. DOLLY'S ARRIVAL II. CHRISTINA AND HER MOTHER III. THE MARINE DICTIONARY IV. THE "ACHILLES" V. THE PIECE OF ROPE VI. END OF SCHOOL TERM VII. PLAYTHINGS VIII. LONDON IX. THE PEACOCKS X. BRIERLEY COTTAGE XI. IN THE PARK XII. THE HOUSE XIII. PREACHING AND PRACTICE XIV. DIFFICULTIES XV. THE CONSUL'S OFFICE XVI. A FIGHT XVII. RUPERT XVIII. A SQUARE PARTY XIX. SEEING SIGHTS XX. LIMBURG XXI. VENICE XXII. MR. COPLEY XXIII. THE WINE SHOP XXIV. PAST GREATNESS XXV. CHRISTMAS EVE XXVI. NAPLES XXVII. SORRENTO XXVIII. AT THE VILLA XXIX. WHITHER NOW? XXX. DOWN HILL XXXI. HANDS FULL XXXII. THE NURSE XXXIII. UNDER AN OAK TREE XXXIV. UNDER THE SAME OAK XXXV. WAYS AND MEANS XXXVI. THIS PICTURE AND THAT

THE END OF A COIL.

CHAPTER I.

DOLLY'S ARRIVAL.

The door stands open of a handsome house in Walnut Street the Walnut Street which belongs to the city of William Penn; and on the threshold stands a lady, with her hand up to her brows, shielding her eyes from the light. She is watching to see what will come out of a carriage just driving up to the curbstone. The carriage stops; there descends first the figure of a handsome, very comfortable looking gentleman. Mrs. Eberstein's eyes pass over him very cursorily; she has seen him before; and there is hardly a curl on his handsome head which his wife does not know by heart. What comes next? Ah, that is she! the figure of the expected one; and a little girl of some eleven years is helped carefully out by Mr. Eberstein, and comes up the steps to the waiting and watching lady. A delicate little thing, delicate in frame and feature alike, with a fair, childish face, framed in by loose light brown curls, and a pair of those clear, grave, wise, light hazel eyes which have the power of looking so young and so spiritually old at once. Those eyes are the first thing that Mrs. Eberstein sees, and they fascinate her already. Meanwhile kind arms are opened wide, and take the little one in.

"Come at last, darling! And do you remember your Aunt Hal? and are you half as glad to see her as she is to see you?" So Mrs. Eberstein gives her greeting, while she is drawing the child through the hall and into the parlour; gives it between kisses.

"Why, no," said her husband, who had followed. "Be reasonable, Harry. She cannot be so glad to see you as we are to see her. She has just come from a long stage coach journey; and she is tired, and she is hungry; and she has left a world she knows, and has come to a world she doesn't know; hey, Dolly? isn't it true? Tell your Aunt Hal to stop asking questions, and give you something to eat."

"I have come to a world I don't know," repeated the little girl by way of answer, turning her serious small face to her questioner, while Mrs. Eberstein was busily taking off coat and hat and mufflers.

"Yes, that's what I say!" returned Mr. Eberstein. "How do you like the look of it, hey?"

"I wonder who is asking questions now!" said Mrs. Eberstein. "There, darling! now you are at home."