l that never flagged, at the dolly garments.
Just as he could read his way, so Polly sewed hers, through the time of
waiting. But whereas she, like a sensible little woman, pinned her
thoughts fast to the matter in hand, he let his range freely over the
future. Of the many good things this had in store for him, one in
particular whetted his impatience. It took close on a twelvemonth out
here to get hold of a new book. On Ballarat not even a stationer's
existed; nor were there more than a couple of shops in Melbourne itself
that could be relied on to carry out your order. You perforce fell
behind in the race, remained ignorant of what was being said and
done--in science, letters, religious controversy--in the great world
overseas. To this day he didn't know whether Agassiz had or had not
been appointed to the chair of Natural History in Edinburgh; or whether
fresh heresies with regard to the creation of species had spoiled his
chances; did not know whether Hugh Miller had actually gone crazy over
the VESTIGES; or even if those arch-combatants, Syme and Simpson, had
at length sheathed their swords. Now, however, God willing, he would
before very long be back in the thick of it all, in intimate touch with
the doings of the most wide-awake city in Europe; and new books and
pamphlets would come into his possession as they dropped hot from the
press.

Chapter V

And then one morning--it was spring now, and piping hot at noon--Long
Jim brought home from the post-office a letter for Polly, addressed in
her sister Sarah's sloping hand. Knowing the pleasure it would give
her, Mahony carried it at once to his wife; and Polly laid aside broom
and duster and sat down to read.

But he was hardly out of the room when a startled cry drew him back to
her side. Polly had hidden her face, and was shaken by sobs As he could
not get her to speak, Mahony picked up the letter from the floor and
read it for himself.

Sarah wrote like one distracted.

OH, MY DEAR SISTER, HOW CAN I FIND WORDS TO TELL YOU OF THE TRULY
"AWFUL" CALAMITY THAT HAS BEFALLEN OUR UNHAPPY BROTHER. Mahony skipped
the phrases, and learnt that owing to a carriage accident Emma Turnham
had been prematurely confined, and, the best medical aid
notwithstanding--JOHN SPARED ABSOLUTELY "NO" EXPENSE--had died two days
later. JOHN IS LIKE A MADMAN. DIRECTLY I HEARD THE "SHOCKING" NEWS, I
AT ONCE THREW UP MY ENGAGEMENT--AT "SERIOUS" LOSS TO MYSELF, BUT THAT
IS A MATTE