From time to time Mrs.
Hughes wetted her mouth with some liquid, and there was a little
mechanical motion of the lips; that was the only sign of life she
gave. The doctor came and shook his head,--"a thorough
prostration of strength, occasioned by some great shock on the
nerves,"--and prescribed care and quiet, and mysterious
medicines, but acknowledged that the result was doubtful, very
doubtful. After his departure, Mr. Benson took his Welsh grammar
and tried again to master the ever-puzzling rules for the
mutations of letters; but it was of no use, for his thoughts were
absorbed by the life-in-death condition of the young creature,
who was lately bounding and joyous.
The maid and the luggage, the car and the driver; bad arrived
before noon at their journey's end, and the note had been
delivered. It annoyed Mrs. Bellingham exceedingly. It was the
worst of these kind of connections,--there was no calculating the
consequences; they were never-ending. All sorts of claims seemed
to be established, and all sorts of people to step in to their
settlement. The idea of sending her maid! Why, Simpson would not
go if she asked her. She soliloquised thus while reading the
letter; and then, suddenly turning round to the favourite
attendant, who had been listening to her mistress's remarks with
no inattentive ear, she asked--
"Simpson, would you go and nurse this creature, as this----" she
looked at the signature--"Mr.
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