this; but,
for all that, Linda had not left her room.

It was now two weeks since she had suffered herself to be betrothed,
and Peter had twice been up to her chamber, creaking with his shoes
along the passages. Twice she had passed a terrible half-hour, while
he had sat, for the most part silent, in an old wicker chair by her
bedside. Her aunt had, of course, been present, and had spoken most
of the words that had been uttered during these visits; and these
words had nearly altogether referred to Linda's ailments. Linda was
still not quite well, she had said, but would soon be better, and
then all would be properly settled. Such was the purport of the words
which Madame Staubach would speak on those occasions.

"Before Christmas?" Peter had once asked.

"No," Linda had replied, very sharply.

"It must be as the Lord shall will it," said Madame Staubach. That
had been so true that neither Linda nor Peter had found it necessary
to express dissent. On both these occasions Linda's energy had been
chiefly used to guard herself from any sign of a caress. Peter had
thought of it, but Linda lay far away upon the bed, and the lover did
not see how it was to be managed. He was not sure, moreover, whether
Madame Staubach would not have been shocked at any proposal in
reference to an antenuptial embrace. On these considerations he
abstained.

It was now near the end of November, and Linda knew that she was
well. Her aunt had proposed some day in January for the marriage, and
Linda, though she had never assented, could not on the moment find
any plea for refusing altogether to have a day fixed. All she could
do was to endeavour to stave off the evil. Madame Staubach seemed
to think that it was indispensable that a day in January should be
named; therefore, at last, the thirtieth of that month was after some
fashion fixed for the wedding. Linda never actually assented, but
after many discourses it seemed to be decided that it should be so.
Peter was so told, and with some grumbling expressed himself as
satisfied; but when would Linda come down to him? He was sure that
Linda was well enough to come down if she would. At last a day was
fixed for that also. It was arranged that the three should go to
church together on the first Sunday in December. It would be safer so
than in any other way. He could not make love to her in church.

On the Saturday evening Linda was down-stairs with her aunt. Peter,
as she knew well, was at the