collect
as it were from some oblique hint, the intelligence which she had not
courage expressly to require.

Towards morning the state of the patient seemed to take a favourable
turn. She dozed for near two hours, and, when she awoke, appeared
perfectly calm and sensible. Understanding that Mr. Falkland had
brought the physician to attend her, and was himself in her
neighbourhood, she requested to see him. Mr. Falkland had gone in the
mean time, with one of his tenants, to bail the debt, and now entered
the prison to enquire whether the young lady might be safely removed,
from her present miserable residence, to a more airy and commodious
apartment. When he appeared, the sight of him revived in the mind of
Miss Melville an imperfect recollection of the wanderings of her
delirium. She covered her face with her fingers, and betrayed the most
expressive confusion, while she thanked him, with her usual unaffected
simplicity, for the trouble he had taken. She hoped she should not give
him much more; she thought she should get better. It was a shame, she
said, if a young and lively girl, as she was, could not contrive to
outlive the trifling misfortunes to which she had been subjected. But,
while she said this, she was still extremely weak. She tried to assume a
cheerful countenance; but it was a faint effort, which the feeble state
of her frame did not seem sufficient to support. Mr. Falkland and the
doctor joined to request her to keep herself quiet, and avoid for the
present all occasions of exertion.

Encouraged by these appearances, Mrs. Hammond ventured to follow the two
gentlemen out of the room, in order to learn from the physician what
hopes he entertained. Doctor Wilson acknowledged, that he found his
patient at first in a very unfavourable situation, that the symptoms
were changed for the better, and that he was not without some
expectation of her recovery. He added, however, that he could answer for
nothing, that the next twelve hours would be exceedingly critical, but
that if she did not grow worse before morning, he would then undertake
for her life. Mrs. Hammond, who had hitherto seen nothing but despair,
now became frantic with joy. She burst into tears of transport, blessed
the physician in the most emphatic and impassioned terms, and uttered a
thousand extravagancies. Doctor Wilson seized this opportunity to press
her to give herself a little repose, to which she consented, a bed being
first procured for h