"Why, this scheme of sending this sick lady over the water to
get well; what do you think of it, eh?"

"_Will_ it make her quite well, do you think, Sir?" asked Ellen,
earnestly.

" 'Will it make her well?' — to be sure it will. Do you think
I don't know better than to send people all the way across the
ocean for nothing? Who do you think would want Dr. Green if he
sent people on wild-goose-chases in that fashion?"

"Will she have to stay long there before she is cured, Sir?"
asked Ellen.

"Oh, that I can't tell; that depends entirely on circumstances
— perhaps longer, perhaps shorter. But now, Miss Ellen, I've
got a word of business to say to you; you know you agreed to
be my little nurse. Mrs. Nurse, this lady whom I put under
your care the other day, isn't quite as well as she ought to
be this morning; I am afraid you haven't taken proper care of
her; she looks to me as if she had been too much excited. I've
a notion she has been secretly taking half a bottle of wine,
or reading some furious kind of a novel, or something of that
sort — you understand? Now mind, Mrs. Nurse," said the doctor,
changing his tone — "she _must not_ be excited — you must take
care that she is not — it isn't good for her. You mustn't let
her talk too much, or laugh much, or cry at all, on any
account; she mustn't be worried in the least — will you
remember? Now, you know what I shall expect of you; you must
be very careful; if that piece of toast of yours should chance