'Yes, with the greatest joy and sincerity imaginable, my dearest
Chloe,' answered Caelia, 'and never let it be again mentioned or
remembered.'

The sudden recovery of Chloe was almost incredible; for in less
than a week she was able to quit both her bed and room, and go
into her aunt's chamber. The good old lady shed tears of joy, to
see such a return of Chloe's health, and of cheerfulness in the
family; and was perfectly contented, now she saw their melancholy
removed, not to inquire into the late cause of it, for fear of
renewing their trouble even one moment by the remembrance of it.

Sempronius, in the meantime, upon some affairs of his duty in the
army, had been called away, and was absent the whole time of
Chloe's illness, and was not yet returned. Caelia spent almost
her whole time with Chloe; but three weeks passed on, and they
were often alone; yet they had never once mentioned the name of
Sempronius, which laid Caelia still under the greatest difficulty
how to act, so as to avoid giving her friend any uneasiness, and
yet not disoblige Sempronius; for she had promised him at his
departure, that she would give him leave to ask her aunt's consent
immediately upon his return. But the very day he was expected,
she was made quite easy by what passed between her and her friend.

Chloe, in this time, by proper reflections, and a due sense of
Caelia's great goodness and affection to her, had so entirely got
the better of herself in this affair, that she found she could
now, without any uneasiness, see them married; and calling Caelia
to her, she said with a smile, 'I have, my dear friend, been so
long accustomed to read in that intelligible index, your