such a trifle. (for I was willing to make light of it in order
to comfort her) I beg you would not mind it--You see it does not
vex me in the least; though perhaps I may suffer most from it
after all; for I shall not only be obliged to eat up all the
Victuals I have dressed already, but must if Henry should recover
(which however is not very likely) dress as much for you again;
or should he die (as I suppose he will) I shall still have to
prepare a Dinner for you whenever you marry any one else. So you
see that tho' perhaps for the present it may afflict you to think
of Henry's sufferings, Yet I dare say he'll die soon, and then
his pain will be over and you will be easy, whereas my Trouble
will last much longer for work as hard as I may, I am certain
that the pantry cannot be cleared in less than a fortnight." Thus
I did all in my power to console her, but without any effect, and
at last as I saw that she did not seem to listen to me, I said no
more, but leaving her with my Mother I took down the remains of
The Ham and Chicken, and sent William to ask how Henry did. He
was not expected to live many Hours; he died the same day. We
took all possible care to break the melancholy Event to Eloisa in
the tenderest manner; yet in spite of every precaution, her
sufferings on hearing it were too violent for her reason, and she
continued for many hours in a high Delirium. She is still
extremely ill, and her Physicians are greatly afraid of her going
into a Decline. We are therefore preparing for Bristol, where we
mean to be in the course of the next week. And now my dear
Margaret let me talk a little of your affairs; and in the first
place I must inform you that it is confidently reported, your
Father is going to be married; I am very unwilling to beleive so
unpleasing a report, and at the same time cannot wholly discredit
it. I have written to my freind Susan Fitzgerald, for