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THE HISTORY

never before seen it coming, though I had often watched it drive past on a summer evening: I saw it pass rapidly through the windings of the green hedges, till it began slowly to ascend the hill. Here my attention was drawn from it, by the sight of my nurse and one of her fellow servants hurrying up the avenue; years—years have past since then, but even now the pang of that moment is cold at my heart. I was standing with my arm round the slender stem of one of the young trees. I leant my face upon it; but I saw my nurse coming along as distinctly as if I had watched her. The coach stopped at the gate, the coachman gave a loud and hasty ring, my nurse hurried by without seeing me, another moment and I felt that she was lost to me for ever. I sprang forward, I flung my arms around her, I clung to her with the momentary strength of despair; I implored her to take me with her, I said I would work, beg for her, anything, if she would let me go and be her own child. At first she kissed and coaxed me to loose her, but at last