I must be content with him as he is. I can't be so
unwifelike after all; for I am sure nothing makes me feel so small and
foolish as that humility of his! Come, I must see about some dinner for
the French doctor.'

She set to work on her housewifery cares; but when these were
despatched, it was hard to begin anything else on such a day of
suspense, when she was living on reports from the sick room. The
delirium had returned, more violent than ever; and as she sat at her
open window she often heard the disconnected words. She could do nothing
but listen--she could neither read nor draw, and even letter-writing
failed her to-day, for it seemed cruel to send a letter to his sister,
and if Philip was not under a delusion, it was still worse to write to
Hollywell; it made her shudder to think of the misery she might have
inflicted in the former letters, where she had not spared the detail of
her worst fears and conjectures, and by no means softened the account,
as she had done to his sister.

Late in the afternoon the physician came, and she heard of his being
quieter; indeed, there were no sounds below. It grew dark; Arnaud
brought lights, and told her Captain Morville had sunk into stupor.
After another long space, the doctor came to take some coffee, and said
the fever was lessening, but that strength was going with it, and if "le
malade" was saved, it would be owing to the care and attention of "le
chevalier".

Of Guy she saw no more that evening. The last bulletin was pencilled by
him on a strip of paper, and sent to her at eleven at night:

'Pulse almost nothing; deadly faintness; doctor does not give him up; it
may be many hours: don't sit up; you shall hear when there is anything
decisive.'

Amy submitted, and slowly put herself to bed, because she thought Guy
would not like to find her up; but she had little sleep, and that was
dreamy, full of the same anxieties as her waking moments, and perhaps
making the night seem longer than if she had been awake the whole time.

At last she started from a somewhat sounder doze than usual, and saw it
was becoming light, the white summits of the mountains were beginning to
show themselves, and there was twilight in the room. Just then she heard
a light, cautious tread in the passage; the lock of Guy's dressing-room
was gently, slowly turned. It was over then! Life or death? Her heart
beat as she heard her husband's step in the next room, and her suspense
would let her cal