'My dear young lady, your mother seems to have a most attentive

and efficient servant, who is more like her friend--'

'I am her daughter, sir.' 'But when I tell you she expressly desired that you might not be

told--' 'I am not good or patient enough to submit to the prohibition.

Besides, I am sure you are too wise--too experienced to have

promised to keep the secret.'

'Well,' said he, half-smiling, though sadly enough, 'there you

are right. I did not promise. In fact, I fear, the secret will be

known soon enough without my revealing it.'

He paused. Margaret went very white, and compressed her lips a

little more. Otherwise not a feature moved. With the quick

insight into character, without which no medical man can rise to

the eminence of Dr. Donaldson, he saw that she would exact the

full truth; that she would know if one iota was withheld; and

that the withholding would be torture more acute than the

knowledge of it. He spoke two short sentences in a low voice,

watching her all the time; for the pupils of her eyes dilated

into a black horror and the whiteness of her complexion became

livid. He ceased speaking. He waited for that look to go

off,--for her gasping breath to come. Then she said:-'I thank you most truly, sir, for your confidence. That dread has

haunted me for many weeks. It is a true, real agony. My poor,

poor mother!' her lips began to quiver, and he let her have the

relief of tears, sure of her power of self-control to check them.

A few tears--those were all she shed, before she recollected the

many questions she longed to ask.

'Will there be much suffering?' He shook his head. 'That we cannot tell. It depends on

constitution; on a thousand things. But the late discoveries of

medical science have given us large power of alleviation.' 'My father!' said Margaret, trembling all over.

'I do not know Mr. Hale. I mean, it is difficult to give advice.

But I should say, bear on, with the knowledge you have forced me

to give you so abruptly, till the fact which I could not

with-hold has become in some degree familiar to you, so that you

may, without too great an effort, be able to give what comfort

you can to your father. Before then,--my visits, which, of

course, I shall repeat from time to time, although I fear I can

do nothing but alleviate,--a thousand little circumstances will

have occurred to awaken his alarm, to deepen it--so that he will

be all the better prepared.--Nay, my dear young lady--nay, my

dear--I saw Mr. Thornton, and I honour your father for the

sacrifice he has made, however mistaken I may believe him to

be.--Well, this once, if it will please you, my dear. Only

remember, when I come again, I come as a friend. And you must

learn to look upon me as such, because seeing each other--getting

to know each other at such times as these, is worth years of

morning calls.' Margaret could not speak for crying: but she

wrung his hand at parting.




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