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implication that I had consented； and it wasn't possible the news
could please her。 This ought doubtless to have made me more careful
as to what I said next； but all I can plead is that it didn't。 I
soon mentioned that just after leaving her the evening before； and
after hearing her apply to her husband's writings the epithet already
quoted； I had on going up to my room sat down to the perusal of those
sheets of his new book that he had been so good as to lend me。 I had
sat entranced till nearly three in the morningI had read them twice
over。 〃You say you haven't looked at them。 I think it's such a pity
you shouldn't。 Do let me beg you to take them up。 They're so very
remarkable。 I'm sure they'll convert you。 They place him in
reallysuch a dazzling light。 All that's best in him is there。
I've no doubt it's a great liberty； my saying all this； but pardon
me； and DO read them！〃
〃Do read them； mamma！〃 the boy again sweetly shrilled。 〃Do read
them！〃
She bent her head and closed his lips with a kiss。 〃Of course I know
he has worked immensely over them；〃 she said； after which she made no
remark； but attached her eyes thoughtfully to the ground。 The tone
of these last words was such as to leave me no spirit for further
pressure； and after hinting at a fear that her husband mightn't have
caught the Doctor I got up and took a turn about the grounds。 When I
came back ten minutes later she was still in her place watching her
boy； who had fallen asleep in her lap。 As I drew near she put her
finger to her lips and a short time afterwards rose； holding him； it
being now best； she said； that she should take him upstairs。 I
offered to carry him and opened my arms for the purpose； but she
thanked me and turned away with the child still in her embrace； his
head on her shoulder。 〃I'm very strong；〃 was her last word as she
passed into the house； her slim flexible figure bent backward with
the filial weight。 So I never laid a longing hand on Dolcino。
I betook myself to Ambient's study； delighted to have a quiet hour to
look over his books by myself。 The windows were open to the garden；
the sunny stillness； the mild light of the English summer； filled the
room without quite chasing away the rich dusky tone that was a part
of its charm and that abode in the serried shelves where old morocco
exhaled the fragrance of curious learning； as well as in the brighter
intervals where prints and medals and miniatures were suspended on a
surface of faded stuff。 The place had both colour and quiet； I
thought it a perfect room for work and went so far as to say to
myself that； if it were mine to sit and scribble in； there was no
knowing but I might learn to write as well as the author of
〃Beltraffio。〃 This distinguished man still didn't reappear； and I
rummaged freely among his treasures。 At last I took down a book that
detained me a while and seated myself in a fine old leather chair by
the window to turn it over。 I had been occupied in this way for half
an houra good part of the afternoon had wanedwhen I became
conscious of another presence in the room and； looking up from my
quarto； saw that Mrs。 Ambient； having pushed open the door quite
again in the same noiseless way marking or disguising her entrance
the night before； had advanced across the threshold。 On seeing me
she stopped； she had not； I think； expected to find me。 But her
hesitation was only of a moment； she came straight to her husband's
writing…table as if she were looking for something。 I got up and
asked her if I could help her。 She glanced about an instant and then
put her hand upon a roll of papers which I recognised； as I had
placed it on that spot at the early hour of my descent from my room。
〃Is this the new book？〃 she asked； holding it up。
〃The very sheets；〃 I smiled； 〃with precious annotations。〃
〃I mean to take your advice〃and she tucked the little bundle under
her arm。 I congratulated her cordially and ventured to make of my
triumph； as I presumed to call it； a subject of pleasantry。 But she
was perfectly grave and turned away from me； as she had presented
herself； without relaxing her rigour； after which I settled down to
my quarto again with the reflexion that Mrs。 Ambient was truly an
eccentric。 My triumph； too； suddenly seemed to me rather vain。 A
woman who couldn't unbend at a moment exquisitely indicated would
never understand Mark Ambient。 He came back to us at last in person；
having brought the Doctor with him。 〃He was away from home；〃 Mark
said； 〃and I went after him to where he was supposed to be。 He had
left the place； and I followed him to two or three others； which
accounts for my delay。〃 He was now with Mrs。 Ambient； looking at the
child； and was to see Mark again before leaving the house。 My host
noticed at the end of two minutes that the proof…sheets of his new
book had been removed from the table； and when I told him； in reply
to his question as to what I knew about them； that Mrs。 Ambient had
carried them off to read he turned almost pale with surprise。 〃What
has suddenly made her so curious？〃 he cried； and I was obliged to
tell him that I was at the bottom of the mystery。 I had had it on my
conscience to assure her that she really ought to know of what her
husband was capable。 〃Of what I'm capable？ Elle ne s'en doute que
trop！〃 said Ambient with a laugh； but he took my meddling very good…
naturedly and contented himself with adding that he was really much
afraid she would burn up the sheets； his emendations and all； of
which latter he had no duplicate。 The Doctor paid a long visit in
the nursery； and before he came down I retired to my own quarters；
where I remained till dinner…time。 On entering the drawing…room at
this hour I found Miss Ambient in possession； as she had been the
evening before。
〃I was right about Dolcino；〃 she said； as soon as she saw me； with an
air of triumph that struck me as the climax of perversity。 〃He's
really very ill。〃
〃Very ill！ Why when I last saw him； at four o'clock； he was in
fairly good form。〃
〃There has been a change for the worse； very sudden and rapid； and
when the Doctor got here he found diphtheritic symptoms。 He ought to
have been called； as I knew； in the morning； and the child oughtn't
to have been brought into the garden。〃
〃My dear lady； he was very happy there；〃 I protested with horror。
〃He would be very happy anywhere。 I've no doubt he's very happy now；
with his poor little temperature！〃 She dropped her voice as her
brother came in； and Mark let us know that as a matter of course Mrs。
Ambient wouldn't appear。 It was true the boy had developed
diphtheritic symptoms； but he was quiet for the present and his
mother earnestly watching him。 She was a perfect nurse； Mark said；
and Mackintosh would come back at ten。 Our dinner wasn't very gay
with my host worried and absent； and his sister annoyed me by her
constant tacit assumption； conveyed in the very way she nibbled her
bread and sipped her wine； of having 〃told me so。〃 I had had no
disposition to deny anything she might have told me； and I couldn't
see that her satisfaction in being justified by the ev