my heart for your
confidence and love; and I'm gladder than you'll ever know, Gerty, that
they are still the same.' And thus the two girls kissed silently and
fervently, and poor Gertrude Chattesworth wept uncomplainingly, looking
out upon the dark prospect.

'And you'll tell me, darling, when you're happier, as you soon will be?'
said Lily.

'I will--I will indeed. I'm sometimes happier--sometimes quite
happy--but I'm very low to-night, Lily,' answered she.

Then Lily comforted and caressed her friend. And I must confess she was
very curious, too, and nothing but a terror of possessing a secret under
such terms, withheld her from hearing Gertrude's confession. But on her
way home she thanked Heaven for her resolution, and was quite sure that
she was happier and better for it.

They were roused by Aunt Becky's knock at the hall-door, and her voice
and Dominick's under the window.

CHAPTER XXXVII.

SHOWING HOW SOME OF THE FEUDS IN CHAPELIZOD WAXED FIERCER, AND OTHERS
WERE SOLEMNLY CONDONED.

By this time little Dr. Toole had stepped into the club, after his wont,
as he passed the Phoenix. Sturk was playing draughts with old Arthur
Slowe, and Dangerfield, erect and grim, was looking on the game, over
his shoulder. Toole and Sturk were more distant and cold in their
intercourse of late, though this formality partook of their respective
characters. Toole used to throw up his nose, and raise his eyebrows, and
make his brother mediciner a particularly stiff, and withal scornful
reverence when they met. Sturk, on the other hand, made a short, surly
nod--'twas little more--and, without a word, turned on his heel, with a
gruff pitch of his shoulder towards Toole.

The fact was, these two gentlemen had been very near exchanging pistol
shots, or sword thrusts, only a week or two before; and all about the
unconscious gentleman who was smiling in his usual pleasant fashion over
the back of Sturk's chair. So Dangerfield's little dyspepsy had like to
have cured one or other of the village leeches, for ever and a day, of
the heart-ache and all other aches that flesh is heir to. For
Dangerfield commenced with Toole: and that physician, on the third day
of his instalment, found that Sturk had stept in and taken his patient
bodily out of his hands.

'I've seen one monkey force open the jaws of his brother, resolutely
introduce his fingers, pluck from the sanctuary of his cheek the filbert
he had just stowed there for