Rosalie ran to the door and looked out.

'Yes, mammie,' she said; 'my father's coming.'

'Then mind, not a word,' said her mother, in a hoarse whisper.

'Well,' said Augustus, entering the caravan in a theatrical manner, 'I
thought I might as well enjoy the felicity of the amiable society of my
lady and her daughter!'

This was said with a profound bow towards his wife and Rosalie.

'Glad to see you so much better, madam,' he continued. 'Rather singular,
isn't it, that your health and spirits have revived immediately we have
left the inspired scene of public action, or--to speak in plain terms--when
there's no work to do!'

'I think it's the fresh air, Augustus, that has done me good; there was
such a close, stifling smell from the fair, I felt worse directly we got
there.'

'It's to be hoped,' he said, with a disagreeable smile on his face, 'that
this resuscitation of the vital powers may be continued until we arrive at
Lesborough', but the probability is that the moment we arrive on the scene
of action, you will be seized with that most unpleasant of all maladies,
distaste to your work, and will be compelled once more to resume that most
interesting and pathetic occupation of playing the invalid!'

'Oh, Augustus, don't speak to me like that!' said the poor wife.