'When some beloved voice that was to you

Both sound and sweetness, faileth suddenly,

And silence, against which you dare not cry,

Aches round you like a strong disease and new--

What hope? what help? what music will undo

That silence to your sense?'

MRS. BROWNING.

The shock had been great. Margaret fell into a state of

prostration, which did not show itself in sobs and tears, or even

find the relief of words. She lay on the sofa, with her eyes

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shut, never speaking but when spoken to, and then replying in

whispers. Mr. Bell was perplexed. He dared not leave her; he

dared not ask her to accompany him back to Oxford, which had been

one of the plans he had formed on the journey to Milton, her

physical exhaustion was evidently too complete for her to

undertake any such fatigue--putting the sight that she would have

to encounter out of the question.

Mr. Bell sate over the fire,

considering what he had better do. Margaret lay motionless, and

almost breathless by him. He would not leave her, even for the

dinner which Dixon had prepared for him down-stairs, and, with

sobbing hospitality, would fain have tempted him to eat. He had a

plateful of something brought up to him. In general, he was

particular and dainty enough, and knew well each shade of flavour

in his food, but now the devilled chicken tasted like sawdust. He

minced up some of the fowl for Margaret, and peppered and salted

it well; but when Dixon, following his directions, tried to feed

her, the languid shake of head proved that in such a state as

Margaret was in, food would only choke, not nourish her.

Mr. Bell gave a great sigh; lifted up his stout old limbs (stiff

with travelling) from their easy position, and followed Dixon out

of the room.

'I can't leave her. I must write to them at Oxford, to see that

the preparations are made: they can be getting on with these till

I arrive. Can't Mrs. Lennox come to her? I'll write and tell her

she must. The girl must have some woman-friend about her, if only

to talk her into a good fit of crying.'

Dixon was crying--enough for two; but, after wiping her eyes and

steadying her voice, she managed to tell Mr. Bell, that Mrs.

Lennox was too near her confinement to be able to undertake any

journey at present.

'Well! I suppose we must have Mrs. Shaw; she's come back to

England, isn't she?' 'Yes, sir, she's come back; but I don't think she will like to

leave Mrs. Lennox at such an interesting time,' said Dixon, who

did not much approve of a stranger entering the household, to

share with her in her ruling care of Margaret.




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