uld she have said," exclaimed Hester, "if she had seen my
husband's doings of this morning?"

"Ah! what indeed?"

"Actually shovelling snow from his own steps!"

"Oh, I thought you meant giving away a competence. Which act would she
have thought the least self-respectful?"

"She would have had a great deal to say on his duty to his family in
both cases. But it is all out of kindness that she grieves so much over
his `enthusiasm,' and lectures us for our disregard of appearances. If
she loved us less, we should hear less of her concern, and it would be
told to others behind our backs. So we will not mind it. You do not
mind it, Margaret?"

"I rather enjoy it."

"That is right. Now I wish my husband would come in. He has been gone
very long; and I want to hear the whole truth about this fever."

CHAPTER FORTY ONE.

DEERBROOK IN SHADOW.

It was some hours before Hope appeared at home again; and when he did,
he was very grave. Mr Walcot had been truly glad to see him, and, it
was plain, would have applied to him for aid and co-operation some days
before, if Mrs Rowland had not interfered, to prevent any consultation
of the kind. The state of health of Deerbrook was bad,--much worse than
Hope had had any suspicion of. Whole families were prostrated by the
fever in the labourers' cottages, and it was creeping into the better
sort of houses. Mr Walcot had requested Hope to visit some of his
patients with him: and what he had seen had convinced him that the
disease was of a most formidable character, and that a great mortality
must be expected in Deerbrook. Walcot appeared to be doing his duty
with more energy than might have been expected: and it seemed as if
whatever talent he had, was exercised in his profession. Hope's opinion
of him was raised by what he had seen this morning. Walcot had
complained that his skill and knowledge could have no fair play among a
set of people so ignorant as the families of his Deerbrook patients.
They put more faith in charms than in medicines or care; and were
running out in the cold and damp to have their fortunes told by night,
or in the grey of the morning. If a fortune-teller promised long life,
all the warnings of the doctor went for nothing. Then, again, the
people mistook the oppression which was one of the first symptoms of the
fever, for debility; and before the doctor was sent for, or in defiance
of his directions, the patient was plied with strong dri