“Wilt thou stand here with mother and me, tomorrow noontide?” inquired Pearl.

“Nay; not so, my little Pearl,” answered the minister; for, with the new energy of the moment, all the dread of public exposure, that had so long been the anguish of his life, had returned upon him; and he was already trembling at the conjunction in which⁠—with a strange joy, nevertheless⁠—he now found himself. “Not so, my child. I shall, indeed, stand with thy mother and thee one other day, but not tomorrow.”

Pearl laughed, and attempted to pull away her hand. But the minister held it fast.

“A moment longer, my child!” said he.

“But wilt thou promise,” asked Pearl, “to take my hand, and mother’s hand, tomorrow noontide?”

“Not then, Pearl,” said the minister, “but another time.”

“And what other time?” persisted the child.