"
Two hours later Hester made her report. The mother asked:
"How is it with the child?"
"She is well."
CHAPTER VII
A sheaf of white crape and black was hung upon the door of the house,
and there it swayed and rustled in the wind and whispered its tidings.
At noon the preparation of the dead was finished, and in the
coffin lay the fair young form, beautiful, and in the sweet face
a great peace. Two mourners sat by it, grieving and worshipping
--Hannah and the black woman Tilly. Hester came, and she was trembling,
for a great trouble was upon her spirit. She said:
"She asks for a note."
Hannah's face blanched. She had not thought of this; it had seemed
that that pathetic service was ended. But she realized now that
that could not be. For a little while the two women stood looking
into each other's face, with vacant eyes; then Hannah said:
"There is no way out of it--she must have it; she will suspect, else."
"And she would find out."
"Yes. It would break her heart." She looked at the dead face,
and her eyes filled. "I will write it," she said.
Hester carried it. The closing line said:
"Darling Mousie, dear sweet mother, we shall soon be together again.
Is not that good news? And it is true; they all say it is true."
The mother mourned, saying:
"Poor child, how will she bear it when she knows? I shall never see
her again in life.
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