John [pp. 622-639]

630 ~okn.
"Going out for a walk, cousin?" cousin0s friendship, and the worth of
asked Mrs. Clay, as he passed her. her Chinese compliments, and he
How the trivial question irritated would far rather have fallen in the
him! He bowed, afraid to utter a street, and been left to the tender
word, lest it should be an offensive mercies of strangers, than fall ill in
one. His nerves felt bare, his teeth her house.
on edge. Morning came, and it was break.
Miss Bird looked more deeply than fast-time, by no means an early hour.
her friend had, and in the one timid Mrs. Clay had put off the meal half
glance she gave the gentleman saw an hour on her cousin's account.
a painflil trouble underneath his cool "He has at least one polite habit-he
exterior. does not rise early," she said. "But
"I hope he didn't hear what we then he is as regular as a clock in his
were saying of him before dinner," late hour."
she remarked apprehensively. He was not prompt this morning,
"No, indeed!" was the confident however, for they waited ten minutes
response. " He scarcely hears what after breakfast was on the table, and
you say to him, still less what is said rang a second bell, and still their
of him." visitor did not appear.
"But he looked displeased," per- Miss Bird suggested that he had
sisted the anxious Bird. looked unwell the evening before,
Mrs. Clay cast a sarcastic glance and might be unable to come down.
on her subordinate. " My dear," "Really. how thoughfful you are!"
she said with decision, " the less you Mrs. Clay said with cutting emphasis.
occupy yourself witl~ my cousin's "I had quite forgotten. Perhaps,
feelings, the better for you. Your my son, you will go up and see if
solicitude will be quite thrown away." Miss Bird is right."
Bird sighed faintly, and resigned " My son" objected to being made
hersdf to being snubbed. a messenger of. "If the old fellar
Mr. Bently walked up-stairs slow- wanted to sleep, let him sleep. Don't
ly, dreading to be alone, and shut you say so, Clem?"
himself into his room; and, when Clementina always agreed with
there, desolation settled upon him. her brother; the two prevailed, and
It is not pleasant to be sick ~n one's the " old fellar" was left to sleep, or
own home, with loving and solicitous toss and moan, or be consumed with
friends surroundiiig one with their fever and thirst, or otherwise entercares, and taking every task from the tain himself as he or fate should
weak hands; it is still less pleasant d~oose, while the family breakfasted
when, though friends are near, they at their leisure.
are powerless to lift the burden which It is scarcely worth while to put
only those helpless bands can carry; Clementina and Arthur Clay in
but how far more miserable, how far print. They are insignificant and,
more cruel than any other desolation in a small way, disagreeable objects,
on earth, is it when sickness falls up- and their like is often met with to
on one who must work, and the sick the annoyance of many. The menone is not only oppressed by the bur- tal ignorance and lack of capacity
den of duties unpefformed, but is him- which we lose sight of when they are
self a burden, coldly and grudging- overmantled by the loveliness of
ly tended, or tended not at all? Mr. good-will, in such as these become
Bently knew well il~e extent of his contemptible by being placed on