y comfortable, Mrs Grey."

"Oh, you are tired; you are faint, perhaps?"

"Shall I ring?" said Hester, moving to the bell.

"No, no," said he, laughing; "I am very well at present. I only mean
that I should like to stay all day, if you will let me. I am sure that
sofa is full as comfortable as my own. I may stay, may I not?"

"No, indeed you shall not, this first day. If you will go away now
before you are tired, and if I find when I look in upon you this
evening, that you are not the worse for this feat, you shall stay longer
to-morrow. But I assure you it is time you were at home now. My dears,
just see whether the gig is at the door."

"So I only get sent away by begging to stay," said Mr Hope. "Well, I
have been giving orders to sick people for so many years, that I suppose
it is fairly my turn to obey now. May I ask you to send to Widow Rye's
to-day? I looked in as I came; and her child is in want of better food,
better cooked, than she is able to give him."

"I will send him a dinner from our table. You are not going to see any
more patients to-day, I hope?"

"Only two that lie quite in my road. If you send me away, you must take
the consequences. Farewell, till tomorrow."

"Mr Grey and I shall look in upon you this evening. Now do not look
about you out of doors, to catch anybody's eye, or you will be visiting
a dozen patients between this house and your own."

There were, indeed, many people standing about, within sight of Mr
Grey's door, to see Mr Hope come out. All Mr Grey's children and
servants were peeping through the shrubbery. Mrs Enderby waved her
hand from a lower, and her two maids looked out from an upper window.
The old man of a hundred years, who was sunning himself on the bank, as
usual, rose and took off his hat: and the little Reeves and their
schoolfellows stood whispering to one another that Mr Hope looked
rarely bad still. Mrs Plumstead dropped a low curtsey, as she stood
taking in the letter-bag, at her distant door. Mrs Grey observed to
Hester on the respect which was paid to Mr Hope all through the place,
as if Hester was not feeling it in her heart of hearts at the moment.

Mrs Grey flattered herself that Mr Hope was thinking of Hester when he
said his friends did not look well. She had been growing thinner and
paler for the last month, and no doubt remained in Mrs Grey's mind
about the cause. Hester had commanded herself, to her sister's
admiration; but she co