uddle on the brain," often hindered her at night from
learning the lessons for next day. But she worked at them nevertheless;
and tasks, that by her own account she "drove into her head" in bed,
though she was quite unable to say them that evening, seemed to arrange
themselves properly in her memory before the morning.

Matilda's ill-health came to a crisis at last. To smother a cough
successfully, you must be able to escape at intervals. On one occasion
the smothering was tried too long, and after the aggravated outburst
which ensued, the doctor was called in. The Bush House family
practitioner being absent, a new man came for him, who, after a few
glances at Matilda, postponed the examination of her lungs, and begged
to see Miss Mulberry.

Matilda had learned her last lesson in Bush House.

From the long interview with the doctor, Miss Mulberry emerged with a
troubled face.

Lessons went irregularly that day. Our quarter of an hour's recreation
was as much extended as it was commonly cut short, and Madame herself
was subdued. She became a very kind nurse to Matilda, and crept many
times from her bed during the night to see if "la pauvre petite" were
sleeping, or had a wish that she could satisfy.

Indeed, an air of remorse seemed to tinge the kindness of the heads of
Bush House to poor Matilda, which connected itself in Eleanor's mind
with a brief dialogue that she overheard between Miss Mulberry and the
doctor at the front door:

"I feel there has been culpable neglect," said Miss Mulberry mournfully.
"But----"

"No, no. At least, not wilful," said the doctor; "and springing from the
best motives. But I should not be doing my duty, madam, towards a lady
in your responsible position, if I did not say that I have known too
many cases in which the ill-results have been life-long, and some in
which they have been rapidly fatal."

CHAPTER XVII.

ELEANOR'S HEALTH--HOLY LIVING--THE PRAYER OF THE SON OF SIRACH.

Matilda went home, and Eleanor and I remained at Bush House.

I fancy that when we no longer had to repress ourselves for poor
Matilda's sake, Eleanor was more sensible of her own aches and pains.
She also became rather irritable, and had more than one squabble with
Madame about this time.

Eleanor had brought several religious books with her--books of prayers
and other devotional works. They were all new to Matilda and me, and we
began to use them, and to imitate Eleanor in various little devo