and merely said that
he should be happy to go or stay, whichever was most in accordance with
the wishes of others, and took up the newspaper. He and Charles did not
seem to get on well. I could see that Charles had not seemed to take to
him from the very first; and Carr certainly did not appear at ease in
the house. Perhaps Charles felt that he had rather failed in courtesy
to him, for during the remainder of the morning he hardly let him out of
his sight. He took him to see the stables, though Carr openly declared
that he did not understand horses; he showed him his collection of Zulu
weapons in the vestibule; he even started a game of billiards with him
till the arrival of the doctor. I did not think Carr took his attentions
in very good part, though he was too well-mannered to show it; but he
looked relieved when Charles went up-stairs with the doctor, and pitched
his cue into the rack at once, and came to the hall-fire where I was
sitting, and where Aurelia presently joined us, fresh and smiling, in
the prettiest of morning-gowns. Every one met in the hall. It was in the
centre of the house, and every one coming up or down had to pass through
it. Just now it was not so tempting an abode as usual, for the flowers
and part of the stage had already been removed, and the bare boards,
with their wooden supports, gave an air of discomfort to the whole
place.

Aurelia opened wide eyes of horror at hearing Sir George was ill. She
even got out a tiny laced pocket-handkerchief; but before she had had
time to weep much into it, and spoil her pretty eyes, the doctor
reappeared, accompanied by Charles and Ralph, and we all learned to our
great relief that Sir George, though undoubtedly ill, was not
dangerously so at present, though the greatest care would be necessary.
Lady Mary had undertaken the nursing of her brother-in-law, and in her
the doctor expressed the same confidence which parents are wont to feel
in a stern school-master. In the mean time the patient was to be kept
very quiet, and on no account to be disturbed.

When the doctor had left, Ralph and Aurelia, who had actually seen
nothing of each other that morning, sauntered away together towards the
library. Charles challenged Carr to finish his game of billiards, and
Marston and I retired up-stairs to the smoking-room, where we could talk
over our Indian experiences, and perhaps doze undisturbed. We might have
been so occupied for half an hour or more when a flyin