Page:Jane Austen (Sarah Fanny Malden 1889).djvu/216

 in the summons for her, and endeavoured, as far as possible, to cheer those around her.

Her sister-in-law, Mrs. James Austen, came to Winchester to help Cassandra with the nursing; and soon after she arrived, a sudden prostration in the patient made everyone believe that the end had come. Jane was aware of it, and, calm and serene as ever, said words of farewell to all who were with her. Finally she turned to her sister-in-law with warm expressions of gratitude for all her care and help, adding, "You have always been a kind sister to me, Mary." The end was not as near as the watchers thought, for she lingered until past the middle of July, but when it came, it seemed alsudden, as is often the case after a lingering illness. On the 18th of July, 1817, Jane Austen breathed her last; and those who had watched her throughout her illness were thankful that the months of weariness and suffering were over, even though they felt how irreparable was their own loss. Their feelings are best described in the letter which Cassandra wrote to her niece, Fanny Knight, two days after Jane had passed away; and this letter gives, also, the most complete account of her last hours:

"Winchester, Sunday.

"Doubly dear to me now for her dear sake whom we have lost. She did love you most sincerely; and never shall I forget the proofs of love you gave her during her illness, in writing those kind amusing letters at a time when I know your feelings would have dictated so different a style. Take the only reward I can give you in the assurance that your