ch heartfelt contrition as she had never
known before.

So she continued till she heard Henrietta's approaching steps, when she
rose and opened the door, ready to welcome her with all the affection
and consolation in her power. There stood Henrietta, a heavy weight on
her eyes, her hair on one side all uncurled and flattened, the colour
on half her face much deepened, and a sort of stupor about her whole
person, as if but one idea possessed her. Beatrice went up to meet her,
and took her candle, asking what account she brought of the patient. "No
better," was all the answer, and she sat down making no more detailed
answers to all her cousin's questions. She would have done the same to
her grandmamma, or any one else, so wrapped up was she in her own grief,
but this conduct gave more pain to Beatrice than it could have done
to any one else, since it kept up the last miserable feeling of being
unforgiven. Beatrice let her sit still for some minutes, looking at
her all the time with an almost piteous glance of entreaty, of which
Henrietta was perfectly unconscious, and then began to beg her to
undress, seconding the proposal by beginning to unfasten her dress.

Henrietta moved pettishly, as if provoked at being disturbed.

"I beg your pardon, dear Henrietta," said Beatrice; "if you would but
let me! You will be ill to-morrow, and that would be worse still."

"No, I shan't," said Henrietta shortly, "never mind me."

"But I must, dear Henrietta. If you would but--"

"I can't go to bed," replied Henrietta, "thank you, Bee, never mind--"

Beatrice stood still, much distressed at her own inability to be of any
service, and pained far more by the sight of Henrietta's grief than by
the unkind rejection of herself. "Papa thinks there is great hope," said
she abruptly.

"Mamma does not," said Henrietta, edging away from her cousin as if to
put an end to the subject.

Beatrice almost wrung her hands. O this wilfulness of grief, how hard
it was to contend with it! At last there was a knock at the door--it was
grandmamma, suspecting that they were still up. Little recked Beatrice
of the scolding that fell on herself for not having been in bed hours
ago; she was only rejoiced at the determination that swept away all
Henrietta's feeble opposition. The bell was rung, Bennet was summoned,
grandmamma peremptorily ordered her to be undressed, and in another
half-hour the cousins were lying side by side, Henrietta's lethargy
had be