shall know that you have been here, no one must know what has passed
between us."

Miss Joliffe came back from the Dorcas meeting a little downhearted and
out of humour. Things had not gone so smoothly as usual. No one had
inquired after her health, though she had missed three meetings in
succession; people had received her little compliments and cheery
small-talk with the driest of negatives or affirmatives; she had an
uncomfortable feeling that she was being cold-shouldered. That high
moralist, Mrs Flint, edged her chair away from the poor lady of set
purpose, and Miss Joliffe found herself at last left isolated from all,
except Mrs Purlin, the builder's wife, who was far too fat and
lethargic to be anything but ignorantly good-natured. Then, in a fit of
pained abstraction, Miss Joliffe had made such a bad calculation as
entirely to spoil a flannel petticoat with a rheumatic belt and camphor
pockets, which she had looked upon as something of a _chef d'oeuvre_.

But when she got back to Bellevue Lodge her vexation vanished, and was
entirely absorbed in solicitude for her niece.

Anstice was unwell, Anstice was quite ill, quite flushed, and
complaining of headache. If Miss Joliffe had feigned indisposition for
three Saturdays as an excuse for not leaving the house, Anastasia had
little need for simulation on this the fourth Saturday. She was, in
effect, so dazed by the event which had happened, and so preoccupied by
her own thoughts, that she could scarcely return coherent replies to her
aunt's questions. Miss Joliffe had rung and received no answer, had
discovered that the front-door was unlocked, and had at last found
Anastasia sitting forlorn in Mr Westray's room with the window open. A
chill was indicated, and Miss Joliffe put her to bed at once.

Bed is a first aid that even ambulance classes have not entirely taught
us to dispense with; it is, moreover, a poor man's remedy, being
exceedingly cheap, if, indeed, the poor man is rich enough to have a bed
at all. Had Anastasia been Miss Bulteel, or even Mrs Parkyn, or lying
and mischief-making Mrs Flint, Dr Ennefer would have been summoned
forthwith; but being only Anastasia, and having the vision of debt
before her eyes, she prevailed on her aunt to wait to see what the night
brought forth, before sending for the doctor. Meanwhile Dr Bed,
infinitely cleverest and infinitely safest of physicians, was called in,
and with him was associated that excellent