"I should be very grateful," said Alleyne. "Give me your advice," he continued, earnestly, "for I--I must live--I have so much to do--endless labour--and if I do not husband my strength, I--you are right: a man must take exercise and sleep. Mr Oldroyd, I shall take your advice, and--Hush, here they come." In effect, looking red-eyed, but perfectly calm now, Mrs Alleyne entered with Lucy, and the rest of the dinner passed off most pleasantly to Oldroyd, who was ready to accord that the poor, badly-cooked mutton was the most delicious he had ever eaten, and the vegetables as choice as could have been grown. Doubtless this was due to Lucy's grateful glances, and the quiet, grave condescension with which Mrs Alleyne turned from her idol to say a few words now and then. Even Alleyne himself seemed to be making efforts to drag himself back from the company of the twin orbs in space, or the star-dust of the milky way, to chat about the ordinary things of every-day life; and at last, it was with quite a guilty sensation of having overstepped the bounds of hospitality in his stay that Oldroyd rose to go. "You will call and see us again soon, Mr Oldroyd?" said Mrs Alleyne, with the dignity of a reigning queen. "Professionally, madam," he said, "there is no need. I have exhausted my advice at this first visit. It is for you to play the nurse, and see that my suggestions are carried out." "Then as a friend," said the lady, extending her thin white hand. "I am sure my son feels grateful to you, and will be glad to see you at any time." She glanced at Alleyne, who was seated in the sunshine, holding a pair of smoked glass spectacles to his eyes, and gazing up at the dazzling orb passing onwards towards the west. "I thank you heartily," said Oldroyd. "Society is not so extensive here that one can afford to slight so kind an invitation." "Mr Oldroyd going?" said Alleyne, starting, as, in obedience to a look from her mother, Lucy bent over him, and, pressing the glasses down with one hand, whispered a few words in his ear. "Yes, I must be off now," said the young doctor. "You will come and see us again soon?" said Alleyne. "Would you care to see my observatory? It might interest you a little." "I shall be glad," said Oldroyd, "very glad--some day," and after a most friendly good-bye, he took his soft hat and stout stick, and, leaving the cheerless, sombre house, went down the steep slope, and took a short cut across the rough boggy land towards his patient's cottage.