, half smiled, and shrank back,
thinking she had never felt anything like the left-handed grasp, so full
of warmth and thankfulness. It gave her confidence to venture on the
one question on which she was bent. Her father was in the hall, showing
Norman his Greek nymph; and lifting her eyes to Dr. May's face, then
casting them down, she coloured deeper than ever, as she said, in a
stammering whisper, "Oh, please--if you would tell me--do you think--is
papa very ill?"

Dr. May answered in his softest, most reassuring tones: "You need not
be alarmed about him, I assure you. You must keep him from too much
business," he added, smiling; "make him ride with you, and not let him
tire himself, and I am sure you can be his best doctor."

"But do you think," said Meta, earnestly looking up--"do you think he
will be quite well again?"

"You must not expect doctors to be absolute oracles," said he. "I will
tell you what I told him--I hardly think his will ever be sound health
again, but I see no reason why he should not have many years of comfort,
and there is no cause for you to disquiet yourself on his account--you
have only to be careful of him."

Meta tried to say "thank you," but not succeeding, looked imploringly
at her governess, who spoke for her. "Thank you, it is a great relief to
have an opinion, for we were not at all satisfied about Mr. Rivers."

A few words more, and Meta was skipping about like a sprite finding
a basket for the flowers--she had another shake of the hand, another
grateful smile, and "thank you," from the doctor; and then, as the
carriage disappeared, Mrs. Larpent exclaimed, "What a very nice
intelligent boy that was."

"Particularly gentlemanlike," said Mr. Rivers. "Very clever--the head of
the school, as his father tells me--and so modest and unassuming--though
I see his father is very proud of him."

"Oh, I am sure they are so fond of each other," said Meta: "didn't you
see his attentive ways to his father at luncheon! And, papa, I am
sure you must like Dr. May, Mr. Wilmot's doctor, as much as I said you
would."

"He is the most superior man I have met with for a long time," said
Mr. Rivers. "It is a great acquisition to find a man of such taste and
acquirements in this country neighbourhood, when there is not another
who can tell a Claude from a Poussin. I declare, when once we began
talking, there was no leaving off--I have not met a person of so much
conversation since I left town. I th