"Whisper it!--tell it! You don't in the least understand me, Cleve," said Tom, collecting himself, and growing a little lofty; "I don't whisper or tell things; and as for daring or not daring, I don't know what you mean; and I hope, if occasion for _dying_ came, I should funk it as little as any other fellow." "I'm going to this d----d place now. I don't much care what you do: I almost wish you'd shoot me." He struck his hand on the table, looking not at Tom Sedley, but with a haggard rage through the window, and away toward the gray east; and without another word to Sedley, he ran down, shutting the hall-door with a crash that showed more of his temper than of his prudence, and Tom saw him jump into the cab and drive away. The distance is really considerable, but in Cleve's intense reverie time and space contracted, and before he fancied they had accomplished half the way, he found himself at the tall door and stained pilasters and steps of the old red-brick house. Anne Evans, half awake, awaited his arrival on the steps. He ran lightly up the stairs, under her covert scrutiny; and, in obedience to Mrs. Graver's gesture of warning, as she met him with raised hand and her frowning "Hish" at the head of the stairs, he checked his pace, and in a whisper he made his eager inquiries. She was going on very nicely. "I must see Miss Sheckleton--the old lady--where is she?" urged Cleve. "Here, sir, please"--and Mrs. Graver opened a door, and he found tired Miss Sheckleton tying on her bonnet, and getting her cloak about her. "Oh! Cleve, dear"--she called him "Cleve" now--"I'm so delighted; she's doing _very_ well; the doctor's quite _pleased_ with her, and it's a boy, Cleve, and--and I wish you joy with all my heart." And as she spoke, the kind old lady was shaking both his hands, and smiling up into his handsome face, like sunshine; but that handsome face, though it smiled down darkly upon her, was, it seemed to her, strangely joyless, and even troubled. "And Cleve, dear, my _dear_ Mr. Verney--I'm _so_ sorry; but I must go immediately. I make his chocolate in the morning, and he sometimes calls for it at half-past seven. This miserable attack that has kept him here, and the risk in which he is at every day he stays in this town, it _is so_ distracting. And if I should not be at home and ready to see him when he calls, he'd be sure to suspect something; and I really see nothing but ruin from his temper and violence to all of us, if he were to find out how it is. So good-bye, and God bless you. The doctor says he thinks you may see her in a very little time--half an hour or so--if you are very careful not to let her excite or agitate herself; and--God bless you--I shall be back, for a little, in an hour or two." So that kindly, fluttered, troubled, and happy old lady disappeared; and Cleve was left again to his meditations. "Where's the doctor?" asked Cleve of the servant.