Dr. West
recovered his equanimity, and magnanimously waived the affair as a
trifle not worth dwelling on.
"How does Cheese get on?" he asked.
"First rate--in the eating line," replied Jan.
"Have you got him out of his idleness yet?"
"It would take a more clever man than I to do that, doctor. It's
constitutional. When he goes up to London, in the autumn, I shall take
an assistant: unless you should be coming home yourself."
"I have no intention of it at present, Mr. Jan. Am I to understand you
that Sibylla has serious symptoms of disease?"
"There's no doubt of it," said Jan. "You always prophesied it for her,
you know. When she was at Verner's Pride she was continually ailing: not
a week passed but I was called in to attend her. She was so imprudent
too--she _would_ be. Going out and getting her feet wet; sitting up half
the night. We tried to bring her to reason; but it was of no use. She
defied Lionel; she would not listen to me--as well speak to a post."
"Why should she defy her husband? Are they on bad terms?"
"They are on as good terms as any man and wife could be, Sibylla being
the wife," was Jan's rejoinder.
Pages:
1003
1004
1005
1006
1007
1008
1009
1010
1011
1012
1013
1014
1015
1016
1017
1018
1019
1020
1021
1022
1023
1024
1025
1026
1027