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Lady Isabel's heart beat。 〃I understood you to say that you should go with him yourself； madame。〃
〃I know I did。 I intended to do so； but I heard this morning that some friends from a distance are coming this afternoon to call upon me； therefore I shall not go out。〃
How she； Lady Isabel； wished that she dare say； also； 〃I shall not go out either。〃 But that might not be。 Well； she must go through with it as she had to go through with the rest。
William rode his pony into West Lynne； the groom attending to take it back again。 He was to walk home with Madame Vine； who walked both ways。
Mr。 Carlyle was not in when they arrived at the office。 The boy went boldly on to the private room； leaving Madame Vine to follow him。
Presently Mr。 Carlyle appeared。 He was talking to Mr。 Dill； who followed him。
〃Oh； you are here； Madame Vine！ I left word that you were to go into Miss Carlyle's。 Did I not leave word； Dill？〃
〃Not with me； sir。〃
〃I forgot it； then； I meant to do so。 What is the time？〃 He looked at his watch： ten minutes to four。 〃Did the doctor say at what hour he should call？〃 Mr。 Carlyle added to Madame Vine。
〃Not precisely。 I gathered that it would be very early in the afternoon。〃
〃Here he is！〃 exclaimed Mr。 Carlyle with alacrity； as he went into the hall。 She supposed he alluded to the physiciansupposed he had seen him pass the window。 Their entrance together woke up William。
〃Well；〃 said the doctor； who was a little man with a bald head； 〃and how fares it with my young patient？ /Bon jour/ madame。〃
〃/Bon jour/； monsieur；〃 responded she。 She wished everybody would address her in French； and take her for French； there seemed less chance of recognition。 She would have to speak in good plain English； however； if she must carry on conversation with the doctor。 Beyond a familiar phrase or two； he was something like Justice Hare/Nong parley Fronsay/ me！
〃And how does the cod…liver oil get on？〃 asked the doctor of William； as he drew him to the light。 〃It is nicer now than it used to be； eh？〃
〃No；〃 said William； 〃it is nastier than ever。〃
Dr。 Martin looked at the boy； felt his pulse； his skin； listened to his breathing。 〃There；〃 said he； presently； 〃you may sit down and have your nap out。〃
〃I wish I might have something to drink； I am very thirsty。 May I ring for some water； papa？〃
〃Go and find your aunt's maid； and ask her for some；〃 said Mr。 Carlyle。
〃Ask her for milk；〃 called out Dr。 Martin。 〃Not water。〃
Away went William。 Mr。 Carlyle was leaning against the side of the window； Dr。 Martin folded his arms before it： Lady Isabel stood near the latter。 The broad； full light was cast upon all； but the thick veil hid Lady Isabel's face。 It was not often she could be caught without that veil； for she seemed to wear her bonnet at all sorts of seasonable and unseasonable times。
〃What is your opinion； doctor？〃 asked Mr。 Carlyle。
〃Well；〃 began the doctor； in a /very/ professional tone； 〃the boy is certainly delicate。 But〃
〃Stay； Dr。 Martin；〃 was the interruption； spoken in a low； impressive voice； 〃you will deal candidly with me。 I must know the truth； without disguise。 Tell it me freely。〃
Dr。 Martin paused。 〃The truth is not always palatable； Mr。 Carlyle。〃
〃True。 But for that very reason； all the more necessary。 Let me hear the worst。 And the child has no mother； you know； to be shocked with it。〃
〃I fear that it will be the worst。〃
〃Death？〃
〃Ay。 The seeds of consumption must have been inherent in him。 They are showing out too palpably。〃
〃Is there /no/ hope for the child？〃
Dr。 Martin looked at him。 〃You bade me give you the truth。〃
〃Nothing else； nothing but the truth；〃 returned Mr。 Carlyle； his tone one of mingled pain and command。
〃Then； there is none； no hope whatever。 The lungs are extensively diseased。〃
〃And how long〃
〃That I cannot say；〃 interrupted the doctor； divining what the next question was to be。 〃He may linger on for months； for a year； it may even be； or a very short period may see the termination。 Don't worry him with any more lessons and stuff of learning； he'll never want it。〃
The doctor cast his eyes on the governess as he spoke； the injunction concerned her as much as it did Mr。 Carlyle。 And the doctor started； for he thought she was fainting； her face had become so ghastly white； he could see it through her veil。
〃You are ill； madame！ You are ill？ /Trouve malade/； don't you？〃
She opened her lips to speak； her trembling lips； that would not obey her。 Dr。 Martin； in his concern； pulled off the blue spectacles。 She caught them from him with one hand； sat down on the nearest chair； and hid her face with the other。
Mr。 Carlyle； scarcely understanding the scuffle； came forward。 〃Are you ill； Madame Vine？〃
She was putting her spectacles under her veil； her face whiter than ever。 〃Pray do not interrupt your conversation to pay attention to me！ I thank you； I thank you both。 I am subject toslight spasms； and they do make me look ill for the moment。 It has passed now。〃
The doctor turned from her； Mr。 Carlyle resumed his place by the window。 〃What should be the treatment？〃 asked the latter。
〃Almost anything you pleasethat the boy himself likes。 Let him play or rest； ride or walk； eat and drink； or let it alone； it cannot make much difference。〃
〃Doctor！ You yield it； as a last hope； very lightly。〃
Dr。 Martin shook his head。 〃I speak as I /know/。 You insisted on having my true opinion。〃
〃A warmer climate？〃 suggested Mr。 Carlyle eagerly； the idea crossing his mind。
〃It might prolong the end for a little whilea few weeks； perhaps avert it it could not。 And who could take him？ You could not go； and he has no mother。 No！ I should not advise it。〃
〃I wish you would see Wainwrightwith reference to William。〃
〃I have seen him。 I met him this afternoon； by chance； and told him my opinion。 How is Mrs。 Carlyle？〃
〃Pretty well。 She is not in robust health； you are aware； just now。〃
Dr。 Martin smiled。 〃These things will happen。 Mrs。 Carlyle has a thoroughly good constitution； a far stronger one thanthan〃
〃Than what？〃 said Mr。 Carlyle； wondering why he hesitated。
〃You must grant me pardon。 I may as well finish； now I have begun； but I was not thinking when I spoke。 She is stronger than was Lady Isabel。 I must be off to catch the six train。〃
〃You will come over from time to time to East Lynne to see William？〃
〃If you wish it。 It may be a satisfaction； perhaps。 /Bon jour/； madame。〃
Lady Isabel bowed to him as he left the room with Mr。 Carlyle。 〃How fond that French governess of yours is of the boy！〃 the doctor whispered； as they crossed the hall。 〃I detected it when she brought him to Lynneborough。 And you saw her just now！ That emotion was all because he could not live。 Good…bye。〃
Mr。 Carlyle grasped his hand。 〃Doctor； I /wish/ you could save him！〃 he passionately uttered。
〃Ah； Carlyle！ If we humble mites of human doctors could but keep those whom it is the Great Physician's pleasure to take； how we should be run after！ There's hidden mercy； remember； in the darkest cloud。 Farewell my friend。〃
Mr。 Carlyle returned to the room。 He approached Lady Isabel； looking down upon her as she sat； not that he could see much of her face。 〃These are grievous tidings。 But you were more prepared for them； I fancy； than I was。〃
She started suddenly up； approached the window； and looked out； as if she saw somebody passing whom she would gaze at。 All of emotion was stirred up within herher temples throbbed； her throat beat； her breath became hysterical。 Could she bear thus to hold confidential converse with him over the state of their child？ She pulled off her gloves for coolness to her burning hands； she wiped the moisture from her pale forehead； she struggled manfully for calmness。 What excuse could she offer to Mr。 Carlyle？
〃I had begun to like the boy so very much； sir；〃 she said； half turning round。 〃And the doctor's fiat； too plainly pronounced has given me pain； pain to agitation。〃
Again Mr。 Carlyle approached her； following close up to where she stood。 〃You are very kind； thus to feel an interest in my child。〃
She did not answer。
〃Here； papa； papa！ I want you；〃 cried William； breaking into the room。 〃Let me walk home with you？ Are you going to walk？〃
How could he find it in his heart to deny anything to the child then？
〃Very well；〃 he said。 〃Stay here till I come for you。〃
〃We are going home with papa；〃 proclaimed William to Madame Vine。
Madame Vine did not relish the news。 But there was no help for it。 In a very short time Mr。 Carlyle appeared； and they set off； he holding William's hand； madame walking on the other side of the child。
〃Where's William Vane； papa？〃 asked the boy。
〃He has gone on with Lord Mount Severn。〃
Scarcely had the words been spoken； when some one came bolting out of the post…office； and met them face to face； almost ran against them in fact； creating some hindrance。 The man looked confused； and slunk off into the gutter。 And you will not wonder that he did； when you hear that it was Francis Levison。 William； child like； turned his head to gaze at the intruder。
〃I would not be an ugly bad man like him for the world；〃 quoth he； as he turned his back