Farquhar
was none the less convinced that common report was true, which
represented the clever, prosperous surgeon of Eccleston as
bitterly disappointed at his failure of offspring.
While these various interests and feelings had their course
outside the Chapel-house, within there was but one thought which
possessed all the inmates. When Sally was not cooking for the
little invalid, she was crying; for she had had a dream about
green rushes, not three months ago, which, by some queer process
of oneiromancy, she interpreted to mean the death of a child; and
all Miss Benson's endeavours were directed to making her keep
silence to Ruth about this dream. Sally thought that the mother
ought to be told. What were dreams sent for but for warnings? But
it was just like a pack of Dissenters, who would not believe
anything like other folks. Miss Benson was too much accustomed to
Sally's contempt for Dissenters, as viewed from the pinnacle of
the Establishment, to pay much attention to all this grumbling;
especially as Sally was willing to take as much trouble about
Leonard as if she believed he was going to live, and that his
recovery depended upon her care. Miss Benson's great object was
to keep her from having any confidential talks with Ruth; as if
any repetition of the dream could have deepened the conviction in
Ruth's mind that the child would die.
It seemed to her that his death would only be the fitting
punishment for the state of indifference towards him--towards
life and death--towards all things earthly or divine, into which
she had suffered herself to fall since her last interview with
Mr.
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