In the evening she insisted on both ladies dining with Mr. Vizard. Here, too, she had her way. Vizard was in very good spirits, and, when the servants were gone, complimented Miss Gale on her skill. _“Our_ skill, you mean,” said she. “It was you who prescribed this new medicine of the mind, the psalms and hymns and spiritual songs; and it was you who administered the Ashmead, and he made her laugh, or nearly--and that _we_ have never been able to do. She must take a few grains of Ashmead every day. The worst of it is, I am afraid we shall cure her too quickly; and then we shall lose her. But that was to be expected. I am very unfortunate in my attachments; I always was. If I fall in love with a woman, she is sure to hate me, or else die, or else fly away. I love this one to distraction, so she is sure to desert me, because she couldn't misbehave, and I won't _let_ her die.” “Well,” said Vizard, “you know what to do--retard the cure. That is one of the arts of your profession.” “And so it is; but how can I, when I love her? No, we must have recourse to our benevolent tyrant again. He must get Miss Vizard back here, before my goddess is well enough to spread her wings and fly.” Vizard looked puzzled. “This,” said he “sounds like a riddle, or female logic.” “It is both,” said Rhoda. “Miss Dover, give him the _mot d'e'nigme._ I'm off--to the patient I adore.” She vanished swiftly, and Vizard looked to Fanny for a solution. But Fanny seemed rather vexed with Miss Gale, and said nothing. Then he pressed her to explain. She answered him, with a certain reluctance, “Mademoiselle Klosking has taken into her head that Zoe will never return to this house while she is in it.” “Who put that into her head, now?” said Vizard, bitterly. “Nobody, upon my honor. A woman's instinct.” “Well?” “She is horrified at the idea of keeping your sister out of her own house, so she is getting well to go; and the strength of her will is such that she _will_ get well.” “All the better; but Zoe will soon get tired of Somerville Villa. A little persuasion will bring her home, especially if you were to offer to take her place.” “Oh, I would do that, to oblige you, Harrington, if I saw any good at the end of it. But please think twice. How can Zoe and that lady ever stay under the same roof? How can they meet at your table, and speak to each other? They are rivals.” “They are both getting cured, and neither will ever see the villain again.”