le cause. The doctor
sounded her carefully, and then sat down without speaking. There was
undoubtedly a weakness in one lung, but he was not satisfied. He knew
how difficult it is to get people to tell the real truth to a physician,
and that if a third person is present, it is impossible. He therefore
asked Mrs. Furze if she would step into the next room. "A girl," he
said, "will not say all she has to say even to her mother." Mrs. Furze
did not quite like it, but obeyed.

"Miss Furze," said the doctor, "I imagine you are a person who would not
like to be deceived: you have a slight tenderness in the chest; there is
no reasonable cause for alarm, but you will have to be careful."

Catharine's face lighted up a little when the last sentence was half
finished, and the careful observer noticed it instantly.

"That, however, is not the cause of your troubles: there is something on
your mind. I never make any inquiries in such cases, because I know if I
did I should be met with evasions."

Catharine's eyes were on the floor. After a long pause she said--

"I am wretched: I have no pleasure in life; that is all I can say."

"If there is no definite cause for it--mind, I say that--I may do
something to relieve your distress. When people have no pleasure in
living, and there is no concrete reason for it, they are out of health,
and argument is of no avail. If a man does not find that food and light
and the air are pleasant, it is of no use to debate with himself. Have
you any friends at a distance?"

"None."

"What occupation have you?"

"None."

"It is not often that people are so miserable that they are unable to
make others less miserable. If instead of thinking about yourself you
were to think a little about those who are worse, if you would just
consider that you have duties and attempt to do them, the effort might be
a mere dead lift at first, but it would do you good, and you would find a
little comfort in knowing at the end of the day that, although it had
brought no delight to you, it had through you been made more tolerable to
somebody. Disorders of the type with which you are afflicted are
terribly selfish. Mind, I repeat it, I presuppose nothing but general
depression. If it is more than that I can be of no use."

Catharine was dumb, and Dr. Turnbull's singular power of winning
confidence was of no avail to extract anything more from her.

"I am sorry you cannot leave home. I shall give