re yet but very slight
hopes that she could get through. After this, the accounts were better
for a day or two; the fever was gone, and she had gained a little
strength. In two days more, Jane wrote herself, as follows.

"At length, dearest Charles, I can write to you again with my own
hand. I could not till yesterday leave Isabella's bedside for an
hour. Now, however, she sleeps a great deal, and therefore does not
require such constant watching. She is certainly better, much better;
but still so weak, that she cannot move a limb. O! I was so glad
when her delirium ceased. Weak as she was, she was incessantly
attempting to rise, and was never quiet for an instant. Now she lies
quite still, generally with her eyes closed, so that we can scarcely
tell when she is asleep; but I think she dozes for many hours in the
day. She takes very little nourishment yet, but we have got down more
to-day than yesterday. Our friends have sent all kinds of delicacies
to tempt her, but I do not think she knows one thing from another yet.
She opens her eyes: I must go to her. O, dear Charles, she has
spoken for the first time since her delirium ceased! I could scarcely
understand her. `Are you writing?' she said. `Yes, I am writing to
Charles, to tell him you are better.'--`My love to him: I _am_
better.' `May I say you are comfortable now?'--`O yes!'

"My hopes have risen much since yesterday; but we must beware of too
early hope: there is much to be done yet. I have _trusted_
throughout. I have tried to be hopeful, even while I contemplated the
danger. Now that things look brighter, let us hope yet more; I need
not say, let us be grateful; I am sure you are, and my own heart is
now full of gratitude. Farewell.

"Jane Forsyth.

"P.S. You shall certainly hear, in a day or two: if not to-morrow,
you may conclude that we go on well."

Slowly, very slowly, Isabella continued to gain strength, and in three
weeks from Jane's last letter, Charles allowed himself to dismiss all
apprehensions. At that time, Isabella added two lines to a letter of
Jane's, to shew that she _could_ write, though the almost illegible
character of the writing shewed how much even this exertion cost her.
This was the signal for Charles to write to her, but he wished first to
know the opinion of the bookseller to whom he had taken Isabella's
little volume. He called at the shop, accordingly,