ou so
well without it? Oh, won't you stay at East Angels until it is time to
go north? In that way, as I am to go with you, we shouldn't be separated
at all."

"Aunt Katrina may tire of East Angels in two days," Margaret answered.

"We won't allow it We'll amuse her!" Garda declared, with soft energy.

But something else was to amuse poor Aunt Katrina. She made the little
journey comfortably, one beautiful morning, on the _Emperadora_,
surrounded by her retinue, of which Betty was one; she enjoyed her
installation, and the novelty of the new rooms; she enjoyed the
congratulations of Dr. Kirby, when, later in the day, he came down for
his week's visit; and she played cribbage with him for a little while in
the evening. Her nephew too was there; she had required his presence.
"You must come, of course, Evert," she said; "I couldn't possibly stay
way down in that lonely place without you." So Evert had been obliged to
install himself as well as his aunt; he took up his abode not
unwillingly in the old house which he expected some day to own.

After the cribbage, Aunt Katrina went to bed, and passed a night of
blessed oblivion, unteased by the whining water: that had been her
latest term for it--that it whined. But after a few days of this
delightful rest, a fresh assortment of pains lifted their heads. The
Doctor at first alluded to them as rheumatic. But Aunt Katrina would not
accept that suggestion. He then called them "suppressed gout." This was
better; Aunt Katrina had always had a certain esteem for gout. Besides,
suppressed gout had no fixed habitation; Aunt Katrina, having very
shapely feet, took the opportunity, the very day she accepted the name,
to have herself lifted to the sofa, where these same members, in
delicate slippers, reposed upon a bear-skin, only half concealed by an
India shawl.

But these little vanities could be forgiven, they could even be
encouraged (and were by the quick-witted Looth), if they had the power
to make her forget her pain. This pain was of the kind she herself
described as "wearing." Fortunately it was not constant, there were many
free intervals; but during these intervals she was often tired, and
Katrina Rutherford had lived such an easy, comfortable life that she had
almost never been tired before. This fatigue after pain sometimes
extended to her mind, and made her irritable. On these days no one could
soothe her but Margaret, and it was soon discovered that no one must
tr