erybody think of me in the city when
they find that it is put off? Poor mamma has been dreadful;--quite
dreadful! And here is Arabella now laid up on a bed of sickness."
This, too, was indiscreet. Camilla should have said nothing about her
sister's sickness.

"I have been so sorry to hear about dear Bella," said Mr. Gibson.

"I don't suppose she's very bad," said Camilla, "but of course we all
feel it. Of course we're upset. As for me, I bear up; because I've
that spirit that I won't give way if it's ever so; but, upon my word,
it tries me hard. What is the meaning of it, Thomas?"

But Thomas had nothing to say beyond what he had said before to Mrs.
French. He was very particular, he said, about money; and certain
money matters made it incumbent on him not to marry before the 29th
of April. When Camilla suggested to him that as she was to be his
wife, she ought to know all about his money matters, he told her that
she should,--some day. When they were married, he would tell her all.
Camilla talked a great deal, and said some things that were very
severe. Mr. Gibson did not enjoy his morning, but he endured the
upbraidings of his fair one with more firmness than might perhaps
have been expected from him. He left all the talking to Camilla; but
when he got up to leave her, the 29th of April had been fixed, with
some sort of assent from her, as the day on which she was really to
become Mrs. Gibson.

When he left the room, he again met Mrs. French on the landing-place.
She hesitated a moment, waiting to see whether the door would be
shut; but the door could not be shut, as Camilla was standing in
the entrance. "Mr. Gibson," said Mrs. French, in a voice that was
scarcely a whisper, "would you mind stepping in and seeing poor Bella
for a moment?"

"Why;--she is in bed," said Camilla.

"Yes;--she is in bed; but she thinks it would be a comfort to her.
She has seen nobody these four days except Mr. Martin, and she thinks
it would comfort her to have a word or two with Mr. Gibson." Now
Mr. Gibson was not only going to be Bella's brother-in-law, but
he was also a clergyman. Camilla in her heart believed that the
half-clerical aspect which her mother had given to the request was
false and hypocritical. There were special reasons why Bella should
not have wished to see Mr. Gibson in her bedroom, at any rate till
Mr. Gibson had become her brother-in-law. The expression of such a
wish at the present moment was almost indecent