perfectly frightened her. But as they did not speak to her, she
could not bring herself to ask the cause of this woeful change,
for fear of hearing something too bad to bear.

Caelia had absolutely refused granting to Sempronius leave to ask
her aunt's consent, till she should come to some explanation with
Chloe, which seemed every day farther off than ever.

The great perturbation of Chloe's mind threw her into a disorder
not many degrees short of madness; and at last she was seized with
a violent fever so as to keep her bed. She said she could not
bear to look on Amanda; but begged Caelia to be with her as much
as possible; which she did, in hopes of bringing herself to ease
her mind, by speaking to her of what had given them all this
torment.

Caelia watched with her night and day for three days, when the
physician who attended her pronounced that there was no hope of
her life. Caelia could not any longer bear to stay in the room,
and went downstairs, expecting every moment to hear she was
expired.

Chloe soon perceived by Caelia's abrupt leaving the room, and the
looks of those who were left in it, that her fate was pronounced;
which, instead of sinking her spirits, and making her dejected,
gave a tranquillity to her mind; for she thought within herself,
'I shall now make my dear cousin happy, by removing out of her way
an object that must embitter all her joy; and now likewise, as she
is convinced I am on my death-bed, she will once more believe me
capable of speaking truth; and will, in the manner I could wish,