dressed again, and never sat up. Recumbent on one of
Alderman's couches, in a pretty dressing-gown, with soft warm shawls,
and lace, and bright colour, such as she loved, about her, she spent her
good days. On the bad ones she was not lifted from her bed.

She had indeed become like a train that is left upon a siding, and all
her busy life was hushed and silent.

When the summer came, and her rooms were to be repapered and painted,
she was carried downstairs. The drawing-rooms were specially prepared as
her bed and sitting-rooms, and she would stay in these her "country
quarters" for six weeks or two months. After that she was taken upstairs
in the same way for the autumn, winter, and spring. This removal
required great care and very skilful management, as the couch on which
she reclined had to be lifted over the bannisters, and any jerk or
unexpected movement caused both pain and apprehension.

A fresh sorrow awaited her. In 1876 Charlotte Gadney, her faithful and
affectionate attendant, had a paralytic seizure, and it was necessary
for the sake both of mistress and maid that they should part. Bessie
could not at first acquiesce in separation; she reproached herself as
the cause of Charlotte's illness, and could not rest until she was
informed of all the minutest details connected with her.

But when the parting was over Bessie's anxiety gradually diminished, and
Charlotte's recovery was more rapid than had been expected. She was
never well enough to resume attendance upon her beloved mistress, but
from time to time she came on a short visit, much to her own and
Bessie's delight.

Meanwhile the Association struggled on under the care of successive
managers. Levy's illness and frequent absence had caused confusion,
irregularity, and loss, which his successors were not slow to take
advantage of. They found it easy to persevere in defects occasioned by
his failing health and want of sight; but the untiring devotion to the
cause of the blind, and unwearied efforts on their behalf, which had
made these defects of comparatively small importance, were lost to the
Association for ever.

Bessie knew and lamented the shortcomings, but she could no longer
supplement them. Successive years diminished her powers of work.
Sleeplessness, pain, exhaustion, wore her out; and sometimes for days
together she could not bear even an allusion to the Association and its
work. Occasional fits of deafness, to which she had always been li