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a learned man, and loved long Latin words—but with great
gravity, vast emphasis, and with tolerable correctness in
the main. How often has my Mick listened to these ser-
mons, she thought, and me reading in the cabin of a calm!
She proposed to resume this exercise on the present day,
with Amelia and the wounded ensign for a congregation.
The same service was read on that day in twenty thousand
churches at the same hour; and millions of British men and
women, on their knees, implored protection of the Father
of all.
They did not hear the noise which disturbed our little
congregation at Brussels. Much louder than that which had
interrupted them two days previously, as Mrs. O’Dowd was
reading the service in her best voice, the cannon of Water-
loo began to roar.
When Jos heard that dreadful sound, he made up his
mind that he would bear this perpetual recurrence of ter-
rors no longer, and would fly at once. He rushed into the
sick man’s room, where our three friends had paused in
their prayers, and further interrupted them by a passionate
appeal to Amelia.
‘I can’t stand it any more, Emmy,’ he said; ‘I won’t stand
it; and you must come with me. I have bought a horse for
you—never mind at what price—and you must dress and
come with me, and ride behind Isidor.’
‘God forgive me, Mr. Sedley, but you are no better than a
coward,’ Mrs. O’Dowd said, laying down the book.
‘I say come, Amelia,’ the civilian went on; ‘never mind
what she says; why are we to stop here and be butchered by

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