son had made the
voluntary promise that he should see her once again. He neither spoke
nor cried for many hours; and all Jemima's delicate wiles were called
forth, before his heavy heart could find the relief of tears. And
then he was so weak, and his pulse so low, that all who loved him
feared for his life.

Anxiety about him made a sad distraction from the sorrow for the
dead. The three old people, who now formed the household in the
Chapel-house, went about slowly and dreamily, each with a dull wonder
at their hearts why they, the infirm and worn-out, were left, while
she was taken in her lovely prime.

The third day after Ruth's death, a gentleman came to the door and
asked to speak to Mr Benson. He was very much wrapped up in furs and
cloaks, and the upper, exposed part of his face was sunk and hollow,
like that of one but partially recovered from illness. Mr and Miss
Benson were at Mr Farquhar's, gone to see Leonard, and poor old Sally
had been having a hearty cry over the kitchen fire before answering
the door-knock. Her heart was tenderly inclined just then towards any
one who had the aspect of suffering; so, although her master was out,
and she was usually chary of admitting strangers, she proposed to Mr
Donne (for it was he) that he should come in and await Mr Benson's
return in the study. He was glad enough to avail himself of her
offer; for he was feeble and nervous, and come on a piece of business
which he exceedingly disliked, and about which he felt very awkward.
The fire was nearly, if not quite, out; nor did Sally's vigorous
blows do much good, although she left the room with an assurance that
it would soon burn up. He leant against the chimney-piece, thinking
over events, and with a sensation of discomfort, both external and
internal, growing and gathering upon him. He almost wondered whether
the proposal he meant to make with regard to Leonard could not be
better arranged by letter than by an interview. He became very
shivery, and impatient of the state of indecision to which his bodily
weakness had reduced him.

Sally opened the door and came in. "Would you like to walk upstairs,
sir?" asked she, in a trembling voice, for she had learnt who the
visitor was from the driver of the fly, who had run up to the house
to inquire what was detaining the gentleman that he had brought from
the Queen's Hotel; and, knowing that Ruth had caught the fatal fever
from her attendance on Mr Donne, Sally imagined th