o not say, "the
fellow." Say "Nevil." No, no; call him "the fellow." He was alive and
well when you used to say it. But smile kindly, as if he made you love
him down in your heart, in spite of you. We have both known that love,
and that opposition to him; not liking his ideas, yet liking him so: we
were obliged to laugh--I have seen you! as love does laugh! If I am not
crying over his grave, Everard? Oh!'

The earl smoothed her forehead. All her suspicions were rekindled.
'Truth! truth! give me truth. Let me know what world I am in.'

'My dear, a ship's not lost because she's caught in a squall; nor a man
buffeting the waves for an hour. He's all right: he keeps up.'

'He is delirious? I ask you--I have fancied I heard him.'

Lord Romfrey puffed from his nostrils: but in affecting to blow to the
winds her foolish woman's wildness of fancy, his mind rested on Nevil,
and he said: 'Poor boy! It seems he's chattering hundreds to the minute.'

His wife's looks alarmed him after he had said it, and he was for toning
it and modifying it, when she gasped to him to help her to her feet; and
standing up, she exclaimed: 'O heaven! now I hear you; now I know he
lives. See how much better it is for me to know the real truth. It takes
me to his bedside. Ignorance and suspense have been poison. I have been
washed about like a dead body. Let me read all my letters now. Nothing
will harm me now. You will do your best for me, my husband, will you
not?' She tore at her dress at her throat for coolness, panting and
smiling. 'For me--us--yours--ours! Give me my letters, lunch with me, and
start for Bevisham. Now you see how good it is for me to hear the very
truth, you will give me your own report, and I shall absolutely trust in
it, and go down with it if it's false! But you see I am perfectly strong
for the truth. It must be you or I to go. I burn to go; but your going
will satisfy me. If you look on him, I look. I feel as if I had been
nailed down in a coffin, and have got fresh air. I pledge you my word,
sir, my honour, my dear husband, that I will think first of my duty. I
know it would be Nevil's wish. He has not quite forgiven me--he thought
me ambitious--ah! stop: he said that the birth of our child would give
him greater happiness than he had known for years: he begged me to
persuade you to call a boy Nevil Beauchamp, and a girl Renee. He has
never believed in his own long living.'

Rosamund refreshed her lord's heart by smili