Thesunlightmockedher;andherspiritwassooutoftunethatthesweetsoundsofnaturemadejarringdiscord.
Butthechurchbellcaughtherattention.HownaturalandalmostuniversalistheinstinctwhichleadsuswhenintroubletoseekthesupportofsomeHigherpower.Nomatterhowwaywardthehumanchildmayhavebeen,howhardenedbyyearsofwrong,orarrogantlyentrenchedinsomephaseofrationalphilosophy,whenthedarknessofdangerorsorrowblotsoutthelightofearthlyhopes,orhidesthepathwhichwastroddensoconfidently,then,withtheimpulseoffrightenedchildrenwhomnighthassuddenlyovertaken,thereisalongingfortheFather\'shandandtheFather\'sreassuringvoice.
IfthereisnoGodtoloveandhelpus,humannatureisalie.
ThusfarIdaMayhewhadnomorethoughtofturningHeavenwardforhelpthantothephilosophyofPlato.Indeed,religionasasystemoftruth,andGreekphilosophywerealmostequallyunknowntoher.
Butthatchurch-bellremindedherofthesourceofhopeandhelptowhichburdenedheartshavebeenturninginalltheages,andwiththevaguethoughtthatshemightfindsomelightandcheerthatwasnotinthesunshine,shehastilydressedandwentdownintimetocatchoneofthelastcarriages.Whenshereachedthechurch,shefoundhermotherhadprecededher,andthathercousinIkStantonwasalsothere;butshecorrectlysurmisedthattheonlydevotiontowhichhewasinclinedhadbeeninspiredbyMissBurton,whosatnotfaraway.ShewassoonsatisfiedthatVanBergwasnotpresent.