ghter does so, it is intolerable." So Bell remained, without
permission indeed to see her sister, but performing various outside
administrations which were much needed.

And thus all manner of trouble came upon the inhabitants of the Small
House, falling upon them as it were in a heap together. It was as yet
barely two months since those terrible tidings had come respecting
Crosbie; tidings which, it was felt at the time, would of themselves
be sufficient to crush them; and now to that misfortune other
misfortunes had been added,--one quick upon the heels of another. In
the teeth of the doctor's kind prophecy Lily became very ill, and
after a few days was delirious. She would talk to her mother about
Crosbie, speaking of him as she used to speak in the autumn that was
passed. But even in her madness she remembered that they had resolved
to leave their present home; and she asked the doctor twice whether
their lodgings at Guestwick were ready for them.

It was thus that Crofts first heard of their intention. Now, in
these days of Lily's worst illness, he came daily over to Allington,
remaining there, on one occasion, the whole night. For all this he
would take no fee;--nor had he ever taken a fee from Mrs Dale. "I
wish you would not come so often," Bell said to him one evening, as
he stood with her at the drawing-room fire, after he had left the
patient's room; "you are overloading us with obligations." On that
day Lily was over the worst of the fever, and he had been able to
tell Mrs Dale that he did not think that she was now in danger.

"It will not be necessary much longer," he said; "the worst of it is
over."

"It is such a luxury to hear you say so. I suppose we shall owe her
life to you; but nevertheless--"

"Oh, no; scarlatina is not such a terrible thing now as it used to
be."

"Then why should you have devoted your time to her as you have done?
It frightens me when I think of the injury we must have done you."

"My horse has felt it more than I have," said the doctor, laughing.
"My patients at Guestwick are not so very numerous." Then, instead of
going, he sat himself down. "And it is really true," he said, "that
you are all going to leave this house?"

"Quite true. We shall do so at the end of March, if Lily is well
enough to be moved."

"Lily will be well long before that, I hope; not, indeed, that she
ought to be moved out of her own rooms for many weeks to come yet."

"Unless we are stopped by