house. The women disappeared
with him, and Edwin had to recount the whole history of the arrival to
Osmond Orgreave in the drawing-room. This recital was interrupted by
Mrs Orgreave.

"Mr Edwin, Janet thinks if we sent for the doctor, just to be sure. As
Johnnie isn't in, would you mind--"

"Stirling, I suppose?" said Edwin.

Stirling was the young Scottish doctor who had recently come into the
town and taken it by storm.

When Edwin at last went home to a much-delayed meal, he was in a
position to tell Maggie that young George Cannon had thought fit to
catch influenza a second time in a couple of months. And Maggie,
without a clear word, contrived to indicate that it was what she would
have expected from a boy of George's violent temperament.

VOLUME FOUR, CHAPTER TEN.

GEORGE AND THE VICAR.

On the Tuesday evening Edwin came home from business at six o'clock, and
found that he was to eat alone. The servant anxiously explained that
Miss Clayhanger had gone across to the Orgreaves' to assist Miss
Orgreave. It was evident that before going Miss Clayhanger had inspired
the servant with a full sense of the importance of Mr Clayhanger's
solitary meal, and of the terrible responsibility lying upon the person
in charge of it. The girl was thrillingly alive; she would have liked
some friend or other of the house to be always seriously ill, so that
Miss Clayhanger might often leave her to the voluptuous savouring of
this responsibility whose formidableness surpassed words. Edwin, as he
went upstairs and as he came down again, was conscious of her excited
presence somewhere near him, half-visible in the warm gas-lit house,
spying upon him in order to divine the precise moment for the final
service of the meal.

And in the dining-room the table was laid differently, so that he might
be well situated, with regard to the light, for reading. And by the
side of his plate were the newspaper, the magazines, and the book, among
which Maggie had well guessed that he would make his choice for perusal.
He was momentarily touched. He warmed his hands at the splendid fire,
and then he warmed his back, watching the servant as with little
flouncings and perkings she served, and he was touched by the placid and
perfect efficiency of Maggie as a housekeeper. Maggie gave him
something that no money could buy.

The servant departed and shut the door.

When he sat down he minutely changed the situation of nearly everythi