move her posture,
she hardly breathed. From time to time Mrs Hughes wetted her mouth
with some liquid, and there was a little mechanical motion of the
lips; that was the only sign of life she gave. The doctor came and
shook his head,--"a thorough prostration of strength, occasioned by
some great shock on the nerves,"--and prescribed care and quiet, and
mysterious medicines, but acknowledged that the result was doubtful,
very doubtful. After his departure, Mr Benson took his Welsh grammar
and tried again to master the ever-puzzling rules for the mutations
of letters; but it was of no use, for his thoughts were absorbed by
the life-in-death condition of the young creature, who was lately
bounding and joyous.

The maid and the luggage, the car and the driver, had arrived before
noon at their journey's end, and the note had been delivered. It
annoyed Mrs Bellingham exceedingly. It was the worst of these kind
of connexions, there was no calculating the consequences; they were
never-ending. All sorts of claims seemed to be established, and
all sorts of people to step in to their settlement. The idea of
sending her maid! Why, Simpson would not go if she asked her. She
soliloquised thus while reading the letter; and then, suddenly
turning round to the favourite attendant, who had been listening to
her mistress's remarks with no inattentive ear, she asked:

"Simpson, would you go and nurse this creature, as this--" she looked
at the signature--"Mr Benson, whoever he is, proposes?"

"Me! no, indeed, ma'am," said the maid, drawing herself up, stiff in
her virtue. "I'm sure, ma'am, you would not expect it of me; I could
never have the face to dress a lady of character again."

"Well, well! don't be alarmed; I cannot spare you; by the way, just
attend to the strings on my dress; the chambermaid here pulled them
into knots, and broke them terribly, last night. It is awkward
though, very," said she, relapsing into a musing fit over the
condition of Ruth.

"If you'll allow me, ma'am, I think I might say something that would
alter the case. I believe, ma'am, you put a bank-note into the letter
to the young woman yesterday?"

Mrs Bellingham bowed acquiescence, and the maid went on:

"Because, ma'am, when the little deformed man wrote that note (he's
Mr Benson, ma'am), I have reason to believe neither he nor Mrs
Morgan knew of any provision being made for the young woman. Me and
the chambermaid found your letter and the bank-note