me-keeper within hearing of a scream. Mr Walcot was advised to
leave his watch and purse at home when he set forth to visit his country
patients; and it did not comfort him much to perceive that his
neighbours were always vigilant to note the hour and minute of his
setting forth, and to learn the precise time when he might be looked for
at home again. It was observed, that he was generally back half-an-hour
sooner than he was expected, with a very red face, and his horse all in
a foam.

In addition to these grounds of objection to solitary walks, Margaret
had strong domestic reasons for denying herself the rambles she
delighted in. As the months rolled on, poverty pressed closer and
closer. When the rent was secured, and some of the comforts provided
which Hester must have in her confinement, so little was left that it
became necessary to limit the weekly expenses of the family to a sum
small enough to require the nicest management, and the most strenuous
domestic industry, to make it suffice. Hope would not pledge his credit
while he saw so little prospect of redeeming it. His family were of one
mind as to purchasing nothing which they were not certainly able to pay
for. This being his principle, he made every effort to increase his
funds. A guinea or two dropped in now and then, in return for
contributions to medical periodicals. Money was due to him from some of
his patients. To these he sent in his bills again, and even made
personal application. From several he obtained promises; from two or
three the amount of whose debt was very small, he got his money,
disgraced by smiles of wonder and contempt. From the greater number he
received nothing but excuses on account of the pressure of the times.
The small sums he did recover were of a value which none of the three
had ever imagined that money could be to them. Every little extra
comfort thus obtained,--the dinner of meat once oftener in the week, the
fire in the evening, the new gloves for Hope, when the old ones could no
longer, by any mending, be made to look fit for him,--what a luxury it
was! And all the more for being secretly enjoyed. No one out of the
house had a suspicion how far their poverty had gone. Mr Grey had
really been vexed at them for withdrawing from the book club; had
attributed this instance of economy to the "enthusiasm" which was, in
his eyes, the fault of the family; and never dreamed of their not dining
on meat, vegetables, an