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"He told me to comfort you, to advise you to pardon him who has

done you this evil, to rejoice that God has shown compassion

towards him, and even to pray for him; for, besides its being a

duty, you will derive comfort from it to your own heart."

Lucy replied with a look which expressed assent as clearly as if

she had made use of words, and with a sweetness which words could

not have expressed.

"Worthy young woman!" resumed the friend. "And as your curate was

also in our village, the lord cardinal judged it best to send him

with us, thinking that he might be of some assistance. I had

already heard that he was a poor sort of a timid man; and on this

occasion, he has been wholly taken up with himself, like a hen

with one chick."

"And he--he who is thus changed--who is he?"

"How! do you not know?" said the good dame, repeating his name.