“I hope not. My son found him some time ago, disheartened and unhappy about leaving Oxford. He persuaded him to come and share his rooms. He has been with him more or less all the time, which I hope may be a comfort to you. And then he fell ill. My dear Aubrey has tried to see your father, but in vain, and poor Charlie is not anxious, I fear, to see his father. Yes, he has been ill, but not so seriously that we need fear anything serious. He has shaken off the complaint, but he wants rousing--he wants someone whom he loves. Aubrey sent for me a fortnight ago. He has been well taken care of, there is nothing really wrong. But we cannot persuade him to rouse himself. It is illness that is at the bottom of it all. He would not have left you without news of him, he would not shrink from his father if he were not ill. Bee, I will confess to you that it is Aubrey who has sent me; but don’t be afraid, it is for Charlie’s sake--only for Charlie’s sake. He thinks if you would but come to him--if you would have the courage to come--to your brother, Bee.” “He--he thinks? Not Charlie--you don’t mean Charlie?” Bee cried. “Charlie does not seem to wish for anything. We cannot rouse him. We think that the sight of someone he loves----” Bee was full of agitation. Her lips quivered; her hands trembled. “Oh, me!” she said; “I am no one. It is not for his sister a boy cares. I do not think I should do him any good. Oh, Charlie, Charlie! all this time that we have been blaming him so, thinking him so cruel, he has been lying ill! If I could do him any good!” she cried, wringing her hands. “The sight of you would do him good. It is not that he wants a nurse--I have seen to that; but no nurse could rouse him as the sight of some of his own people would. Do not question, my dear, but come--oh, come! He thinks he is cut off from everybody, that his father will never see him, that you must all have turned against him. Words will not convince him, but to see you, that would do so. He would feel that he was not forsaken.” “Oh, forsaken! How could he think it? He must know that we have been breaking our hearts. It was he who forsook us all.”