while they felt almost equally the trial of parting with him, the grief
of each was a kind of solace to the other. For, in fact, whatever they
might say, neither regarded this journey as an ordinary one, or thought
that the return they spoke of would be what they tried to imagine it.

Mr. Leigh, believing that his strength was really failing more and more,
hastened his son's departure, that the voyage might be made before his
increasing weakness should set it aside; his parting from Maurice,
therefore, he dreaded as a final one. Mrs. Costello had vaguer, but
equally oppressive forebodings. She saw that in all probability a few
weeks longer would find her peaceful home deserted, and herself and
Lucia fugitives. Even if Maurice, transported into a new world with new
interests and incalculably brighter prospects, should still retain his
affection for them--and _that_ she scarcely doubted--how could he ever
again be to them what he had been? far less, what she had hoped he might
be?

When Maurice returned, earlier than they expected, from the town, he
found them still together. Mrs. Costello soon rose to return home,
having seen to the last possible arrangement for the traveller's
comfort. He proposed to accompany her, and say good-bye to Lucia, and
they left the house together.

"I want to ask you to do me another kindness yet," he said, as soon as
they had left the house. "My father, I am sure, will not tell me the
truth about himself; he will be terribly lonely, and I am afraid of his
health suffering more than it has done. He thinks it a duty to my
mother, that I should go to England now; but it will certainly be my
duty to him to come back, at all risks, if he feels my being away as
much as I fear he will."