'You will be glad, in time,' at last she said. He made no answer.
She held the stimulants to him again, and tried to arrange him more comfortably.
'Thank you,' at last he said. 'How is Guy?'
'He has just had another nice quiet sleep, and is quite refreshed.'
'That is a blessing, at least. But does not he want you? I have been keeping you a long time?'
'Thank you, as he is awake, I should like to go back. You are better now.'
'Yes, while I don't move.'
'Don't try. I'll send Arnaud, and as soon as you can, you had better go to bed again.'
Guy was still awake, and able to hear what she had to tell him about Philip.
'Poor fellow!' said he. 'We must try to soften it.'
'Shall I write?' said Amy. 'Mamma will be pleased to hear of his having told you, and they must be sorry for him, when they hear how much the letter cost him.'
'Ah! they will not guess at half his sorrow.'
'I will write to papa, and send it after the other letters, so that he may read it before he hears of Philip's.'
'Poor Laura!' said Guy. 'Could not you write a note to her too? I want her to be told that I am very sorry, if I ever gave her pain by speaking thoughtlessly of him.'
'Nay,' said Amy, smiling, 'you have not much to reproach yourself with in that way. It was I that always abused him.'
'You can never do so again.'
'No, I don't think I can, now I have seen his sorrow.'
Amabel was quite in spirits, as she brought her writing to his bed-side, and read her sentences to him as she composed the letter to her father, while he suggested and approved. It was a treat indeed to have him able to consult with her once more, and he looked so much relieved and so much better, that she felt as if it was the beginning of real improvement, though still his pulse was fast, and the fever, though lessened, was not gone.
The letter was almost as much his as her own, and he ended his dictation thus: 'Say that I am sure that if I get better we may make arrangements for their marriage.'
Then, as Amy was finishing the letter with her hopes of his amendment, he added, speaking to her, and not dictating--'If not,'--she shrank and shivered, but did not exclaim, for he looked so calm and happy that she did not like to interrupt him--'If not, you know, it will be very easy to put the money matters to rights, whatever may happen.'