"And you, George Vine, thank God, too, for sparing to you the best and most loving daughter that ever lived. Now, now, now, don't look like that. I wanted to tell you how fond and patient John always has been with me, and Maddy too, when I have said and done weak and silly things. For I do, you know, sometimes. Ah, it's no use for you to shake your head, and pretend you never noticed it. You must." "I hope you will never change," said Vine with a sad smile. "Ah, that's better," cried Mrs Van Heldre. "I'm glad to see you smile again, for Louy's sake, for our sake: and now, once for all, never come into our house again, my dear old friend and brother, looking constrained. John has had long, long talks with me and Maddy." "Yes," cried Vine excitedly. "What did he say?" Mrs Van Heldre took his hand and held it. "He said," she whispered slowly, "That it grieved and pained him to see you come to his bedside, looking as if you felt that we blamed you for what has passed. He said you had far more cause to blame him." "No, no," said Vine hastily. "I do not blame him. It was fate--it was fate." "It wasn't anything of the kind," said Mrs Van Heldre sharply; "it was that stupid, obstinate, bigoted, wrong-headed old fellow Crampton." "Who felt that he owed a duty to his master, and did that duty." "Oh!" sighed the little woman with a look of perplexity in her puckered-up forehead, "I told you that I was a very stupid woman. I wanted to make you more cheerful and contented, and see what I have done!" "How can I be cheerful and contented, my good little woman?" said Vine sadly. "There, there! I shall be glad when a couple of years have gone." "Why?" said Mrs Van Heldre, sharply. "Because I shall either be better able to bear my burden or be quite at rest." "George Vine!" exclaimed Mrs Van Heldre reproachfully. "Is that you speaking? Louise--remember Louise." "Ah, yes," he said sadly, but sat gazing dreamily before him. "Louise. If it had not been for her--" He did not finish his sentence. "Come, my dear. John will be expecting you for a long chat. Try and be more hopeful, and don't go up to him looking like that. Doctor Knatchbull said we were to make him as cheerful as we could, and to keep him from thinking about the past. He did say, too, that we were not to let you see him much. There--" Poor little Mrs Van Heldre looked more perplexed than ever, and now burst into tears. "He said that? The doctor said that?" "Yes; but did you ever hear such a silly woman in your life? To go and blurt out such a thing as that to you!" "He was quite right--quite right," said Vine hastily; "and I'll be very careful not to say or do anything to depress him. Poor John! Do you think he is awake now?" "No," said Mrs Van Heldre, wiping her eyes. "Maddy is with him, and she will come down directly he wakes." At that moment there was a ring, and on the door being opened the servant announced Luke Vine.