Page:Doctor Thorne.djvu/436

432 'Conduct! Is conduct everything? One may conduct oneself excellently, and yet break one's heart.'

This was too much for the doctor; his sternness and firmness instantly deserted him. 'Mary,' he said, 'I will do anything that you would have me. If you wish it, I will make arrangements for leaving this place at once.'

'Oh, no,' she said, plaintively.

'When you tell me of a broken heart, you almost break my own. Come to me, darling; do not leave me so. I will say all that I can say. I have thought, do still think, that circumstances will admit of your marriage with Frank if you both love each other, and can both be patient.'

'You think so,' said she, unconsciously sliding her hand into his, as though to thank him by its pressure for the comfort he was giving her.

'I do think so now more than ever. But I only think so; I have been unable to assure you. There, darling, I must not say more; only that I cannot bear to see you grieving, I would not have said this:' and then he left her, and nothing more was spoken on the subject.

If you can be patient! Why a patience of ten years would be as nothing to her. Could she but live with the knowledge that she was first in his estimation, dearest in his heart; could it be also granted to her to feel that she was regarded as his equal, she could be patient for ever. What more did she want than to know and feel this? Patient, indeed!

But what could these circumstances be to which her uncle had alluded? 'I do think that circumstances will admit of your marriage.' Such was his opinion, and she had never known him to be wrong. Circumstances! What circumstances? Did he perhaps mean that Mr. Gresham's affairs were not so bad as they had been thought to be? If so, that alone would hardly alter the matter, for what could she give in return? 'I would give him all the world for one word of love,' she said to herself, 'and never think that he was my debtor. Ah! how beggarly the heart must be that speculates on such gifts as those!'

But there was her uncle's opinion: he still thought that they might be married. Oh, why had she sent her letter? and why had she made it so cold? With such a letter as that before him, Frank could not do other than consent to her proposal. And then, why did he not at least answer it?

On the Sunday afternoon there arrived at Greshamsbury a man and a horse from Boxall Hill, bearing a letter from Lady Scatcherd to Dr. Thorne, earnestly requesting the doctor's immediate attendance. 'I fear everything is over with poor