"Oh, for heaven's sake! You will drive me mad, you ladies. Is it this,
and is it that? It is nothing, I tell you. The child is out of sorts,
and she has seen some picture that has caught her fancy,--and she thinks
she sees--I'll send her a bottle," he cried, jumping up, "that will put
an end to all that."

"Doctor, don't go away, tell me rather what I must do--if she is looking
for something! Oh, doctor, think if she were unhappy, if she were kept
out of her sweet rest!"

"Miss Mary, for God's sake, be reasonable. You ought never to have heard
a word."

"Doctor, think! if it should be anything we can do. Oh, tell me, tell me!
Don't go away and leave me; perhaps we can find out what it is."

"I will have nothing to do with your findings out. It is mere delusion.
Put them both to bed, Mrs. Turner; put them all to bed!--as if there was
not trouble enough!"

"What is it?" cried Connie's mother; "is it a warning! Oh, for the love
of God, tell me, is that what comes before a death?"

When they were all in this state of agitation, the vicar and his wife
were suddenly shown into the room. Mrs. Bowyer's eyes flew to Mary, but
she was too well bred a woman not to pay her respects first to the lady
of the house, and there were a number of politenesses exchanged, very
breathlessly on Mrs. Turner's part, before the new-comers were free to
show the real occasion of their visit. "Oh, Mary, what did you mean by
taking such a step all in a moment? How could you come here, of all