Page:The Tenant of Wildfell Hall (emended first edition), Volume 3.djvu/203

Rh Lawrence looked up with a rather reproachful glance. "Is he dying then?"

"I think not, Markham."

"And how many more nurses has he?—how many ladies are there besides, to take care of him?"

"None: he was alone, or she would not have gone."

"Oh, confound it! this is intolerable!"

"What is? that he should be alone?"

I attempted no reply, for I was not sure that this circumstance did not partly conduce to my distraction. I therefore continued to pace the walk in silent anguish, with my hand pressed to my forehead; then suddenly pausing and turning to my companion, I impatiently exclaimed,

"Why did she take this infatuated step? What fiend persuaded her to it?"

"Nothing persuaded her but her own sense of duty."

"Humbug!"

"I was half inclined to say so myself,