I don't know anything about
sickness -- I never was with anybody before --"

She had felt one other time the gentle kind hands which, while
her own eyes were blinded with tears, led her and placed her
on the sofa. Elizabeth took the sofa cushion in both arms and
laid her head upon it, turning her face from her companion;
and her whole frame was racked and shaken with terrible
agitation.

In a few minutes this violent expression of feeling came to an
end. She took her arms from the pillow and sat up and spoke
again to the friend at her side; who meanwhile had been
perfectly quiet, offering neither to check nor to comfort her.
Elizabeth went back to a repetition of her last remark, as if
for an excuse.

"I never even tried to nurse anybody before -- and the doctor
couldn't stay with me this morning --"

"I will do both now," said Winthrop.

"What?" -- said Elizabeth looking at him bewilderedly.

"Stay with you, and take care of Mr. Haye."

"Oh no! you must not!" she said with a sort of eager
seriousness; -- "I shouldn't like to have you."

"I have seen something of the disease," he said smiling
slightly, "and I am not afraid of it. -- Are you?"

"Oh yes! -- oh yes!!"

How much was confessed in the tone of those words! -- and she
hid her face again. But her companion made no remark.

"Is there no friend you would like to have sent for?"

"No," said Elizabeth, -- "not one! not one here -- and not
anywhere, that I should care to have with me."

"May I go up and see Mr. Haye now?" he said presently. "Which
is the room?"

Elizabeth rose up to shew him.

"No," he said, gently motioning her back, -- "I am going alone.
You must stay here."

"But I must go too, Mr. Landholm! --"

"Not if I go," he said.

"But I am his daughter, -- I must."

"I am not his daughter -- so as far as that goes we are even.
And by your own confession you know nothing of the matter; and
I do. No -- you must not go above this floor."

"Until when, Mr. Landholm?" said Elizabeth looking terrified.

"Until new rules are made," he said quietly. "While you can do
nothing in your father's room, both for him and for you it is
much better that you should not be there."

"And can't I do anything?" said Elizabeth.

"If I think you are wanted, I will let you know. Meanwhile
there is one thing that can be done everywhere."

He spoke, looking at her with a face of steady kind gravity.
Elizabeth could not meet it; she trembled with th