e, I dare say,
every moment! Let us make haste."

Philip made all the haste that was compatible with gathering a handful
of wild hyacinth and meadow narcissus for poor Maria. He found himself
farther from success than ever, when he would have again urged Margaret
to marry at once. A new duty seemed to have sprung up to keep her at
Deerbrook. Maria wanted her. Her summer work lay clear before her.
She must nurse and cheer Maria, she must ply her needle for Hester, and
play the housewife, spending many of her hours in the business of
living; a business which is often supposed to transact itself, but,
which in reality requires all the faculties which can be brought to it,
and all the good moral habits which conscience can originate. The most
that Philip could obtain was, permission to come when his duties would
fairly allow it, and a promise that he should be summoned, if Margaret
found herself placed in any difficulty by Mrs Rowland.

Maria was not now literally alone; nor did she depend on her hostess or
on Margaret for nursing and companionship. It occurred to all the
kindest of her friends, immediately after Mrs Enderby's death, that
Phoebe might be her attendant. Phoebe was not, just then, the most
cheerful of nurses, so truly did she mourn her good old mistress; but
she was glad of occupation, glad to be out of Mrs Rowland's way, glad
to be useful: and she was an inestimable comfort to Maria.

Nothing could be done about placing the children again under Maria's
care, when she had recovered. Mr Rowland was naturally unwilling to
stir in the business, and saw that the best chance for his children was
to send them to school at a distance from Deerbrook: and Maria had been
too grossly insulted in the presence of her pupils to choose to resume
her authority. The Greys took her up with double zeal, as the Rowlands
let her down. They assured her that her little income should not suffer
for her being able to devote all her time to Fanny and Mary. The money,
indeed, was nothing to Mrs Grey, in comparison with the pleasure it
procured her. It put her upon equal terms with Mrs Rowland, at last.
She did not know how it was, but it was very difficult to patronise Mr
Hope. He always contrived to baffle her praise. But here was an
unconnected person thrown upon her care: and if Mrs Rowland had a young
surgeon to push, Mrs Grey had an incomparable governess, now all to
herself.

CHAPTER THIRTY FOUR.

OLD AND