"'Out of the heart are the issues of life!' Bee, mine has received a
paralyzing blow."

"I know it, dear Ishmael; I know it; but let your great mind sustain
that stricken heart until it recovers the blow. And in the meantime
try to get up your strength. You must have more food and more rest,
and in order to secure them you must take a tonic in the morning to
give you an appetite, and a sedative at night to give you sleep.
That was the way we saved mamma after little Mary died, or, indeed,
I think she would have followed her."

Ishmael smiled a very wan smile as he answered:

"Indeed, I am ashamed of this utter weakness, Bee."

"Why should you be? Has Providence given you any immunity from the
common lot? We must take our human nature as it is given to us and
do the best we can with it, I think."

"What a wise little woman you are, Bee."

"That's because I have got a good memory. The wisdom was second-
handed, Ishmael, being just what I heard you yourself say when you
were defending Featherstonehaugh:

"'There's nothing original in me
Excepting original sin.'"

Ishmael smiled.