ctivity. His whole soul was engrossed: he
never appeared to think of himself, or to be sensible of fatigue; but
was only absorbed in the one thought of his patient's comfort! He seldom
came to Amabel except at meals, and now and then for a short visit to
her sitting-room to report on Philip's condition. If he could spare a
little more time when Philip was in a state of stupor, she used to try
to persuade him to take some rest; and if it was late, or in the heat
of noon, she could sometimes get him, as a favour to her, to lie down
on the sofa, and let her read to him; but it did not often end in
sleep, and he usually preferred taking her out into the fresh air, and
wandering about among the chestnut-trees and green hillocks higher up in
the ravine.

Very precious were these walks, with the quiet grave talk that the scene
and the circumstances inspired--when he would tell the thoughts that had
occupied him in his night-watches, and they shared the subdued and
deep reflection suited to this period of apprehension. These were her
happiest times, but they were few and uncertain. She had in the meantime
to wait, to watch, and hope alone, though she had plenty of employment;
for besides writing constant bulletins, all preparations for the
sickroom fell to her share. She had to send for or devise substitutes
for all the conveniences that were far from coming readily to hand in a
remote Italian inn--to give orders, send commissions to Vicenza, or even
to Venice, and to do a good deal, with Anne's' assistance, by her own
manual labour. Guy said she did more for Philip outside his room than
he did inside, and often declared how entirely at a loss he should have
been if she had not been there, with her ready resources, and, above
all, with her sweet presence, making the short intervals he spent out of
the sick chamber so much more than repose, such refreshment at the time,
and in remembrance.

Thus it had continued for more than a fortnight, when one evening as the
French physician was departing, he told Guy that he would not fail to
come the next night, as he saw every reason to expect a crisis. Guy sat
intently marking every alteration in the worn, flushed, suffering face
that rested helplessly on the pillows, and every unconscious movement
of the wasted, nerveless limbs stretched out in pain and helplessness,
contrasting his present state with what he was when last they parted,
in the full pride of health, vigour, and intellect