"Oh!" she thought to herself, glancing round upon those four walls of
the sick-chamber, which had seen, with much of anxiety, much also of
love that never failed, and patience that knew no end, "I could almost
say with Arthur, 'It is so nice to be ill!'"

He seemed to think the same for on the day he left it he grumbled
dreadfully at being carried in Phillis's strong arms--which he had
fiercely resisted at first--to the drawing-room, where he was to hold his
second tea-party--of aunts.

There they sat waiting, Aunt Maria fond and tearful, Aunt Henrietta
grim and severe. And shortly--nay, before Arthur was well settled on
the sofa, and lay pale and silent, still clinging to his step-mother's hand,
the cause of her severity came out.

"Dr. Grey, what have you been doing? Buying a new piano?"

Yes, there it was, a beautiful Erard; and Dr. Grey stood and smiled at it
with an almost childish delight, as if he had done something
exceedingly clever, which he certainly had.

"To buy a new piano--without consulting me! I never heard of such a
thing. Mrs. Grey, this is your doing!"

"She never saw it before, or knew I meant to buy it; but, now it is
bought, I hope she will like it. Try it, Christian."

His wife was deeply touched, so much so that she almost felt sorry for
Aunt Henrietta, she would have given much to bring a little brightness,