It was the first time that Elizabeth and Helen had stood together at
their mother's grave, for Helen was but three years old at the time
she had been deprived of her, and, after their father's second
marriage, a kind of delicacy in Elizabeth, young as she was, had
prevented her from ever mentioning her to her younger sisters.
After a few minutes, during which no one spoke, the three sisters
turned away, and re-entered the church. Helen and Dora had reached
the north door, and were leaving the church, when they missed
Elizabeth, and looking round, saw her sitting in one of the low pews,
in the centre aisle, her face raised towards the flamboyant tracery
of the east window. Dora, who seemed to have a sort of perception
that her presence was a restraint upon her sisters, whispered, 'I am
going to feed the doves,' and hastened across the quadrangle, while
Helen came back to Elizabeth's side. Her sister rose, and with her
own bright smile, said, 'Helen, I could not help coming here, it was
where I sat at the day of the funeral, and I wanted to look at that
flame-shaped thing in the top of the window, as I did all through the
reading of the Lesson.
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