to think of. I don't care what she asks of you, you must give way to
her now. If she falls into convulsions, she will die--and her death
will be at your door."

So, with feebler and feebler interruptions from Mr. Ronald, the doctor
spoke. It ended plainly in his being obeyed. The departing footsteps of
the men were the next sounds to be heard. After that, there was a pause
of silence--a long pause, broken by Mrs. Ronald, calling again from the
upper regions. "Take the child into the back parlour, nurse, and wait
till I come to you. It's cooler there, at this time of the day."

The wailing of an infant, and the gruff complaining of the nurse, were
the next sounds that reached Farnaby in his hiding place. The nurse was
grumbling to herself over the grievance of having been awakened from
her sleep. "After being up all night, a person wants rest. There's no
rest for anybody in this house. My head's as heavy as lead, and every
bone in me has got an ache in it."

Before long, the renewed silence indicated that she had succeeded in
hushing the child to sleep. Farnaby forgot the restraints of caution
for the first time. His face flushed with excitement; he ventured
nearer to the window, in his eagerness to find out what might happen
next. After no long interval, the next sound came--a sound of heavy
breathing, which told him that the drowsy nurse was falling asleep
again. The window-sill was within reach of his hands. He waited until
the heavy breathing deepened to snoring. Then he drew himself up by the
window-sill, and looked into the room.

The nurse was fast asleep in an armchair; and the child was fast asleep
on her lap.