to acknowledge the sanctity of
his family, and to appreciate in some degree the duty which he owed to
it.

The emergency was so great that she feared to act alone. She told
everything to her husband, shewing him Lady Mary's letter, and the
effect upon him was so great that it made him ill. "It will be better
for me," he said, "to turn my face to the wall and die before I know
it." He took to his bed, and they of his household did think that he
would die. He hardly spoke except to his wife, and when alone with
her did not cease to moan over the destruction which had come upon
the house. "If it could only have been the other brother," said Lady
Scroope.

"There can be no change," said the Earl. "He must do as it lists him
with the fortune and the name and the honours of the family."

Then on one morning there was a worse bulletin than heretofore given by
the doctor, and Lady Scroope at once sent off the letter which was to
recall the nephew to his uncle's bedside. The letter, as we have seen,
was successful, and Fred, who caused himself to be carried over from
Dorchester to Scroope as fast as post-horses could be made to gallop,
almost expected to be told on his arrival that his uncle had departed to
his rest. In the hall he encountered Mrs. Bunce the housekeeper. "We
think my lord is a little better," said Mrs. Bunce almost in a whisper.
"My lord took a little broth in the middle of the day, and we believe
he has slept since." Then he passed on and found his aunt in the small
sitting-room. His uncle had rallied a little, she told him. She was very
affectionate in her manner, and thanked him warmly for his alacrity in
coming. When he was told that his uncle would postpone his visit till
the next morning he almost began to think that he had been fussy in
travelling so quickly.

That evening he dined alone with his aunt, and the conversation during
dinner and as they sat for a few minutes after dinner had reference
solely to his uncle's health. But, though they were alone on this
evening, he was surprised to find that Sophie Mellerby was again at
Scroope. Lady Sophia and Mr. Mellerby were up in London, but Sophie was
not to join them till May. As it happened, however, she was dining at
the parsonage this evening. She must have been in the house when Neville
arrived, but he had not seen her. "Is she going to live here?" he
asked, almost irreverently, when he was first told that she was in the
house. "I wish she were,"