`You must not distress yourself, my dear,' said Miss Tox, in a soothing voice. `Now really! You have too much feeling.'

`We have all our faults,' said Mrs. Chick, weeping and shaking her head. `I dare say we have. I never was blind to hers. I never said I was. Far from it. Yet how I loved her!'

What a satisfaction it was to Mrs. Chick--a common-place piece of folly enough, compared with whom her sister-in-law had been a very angel of whomanly intelligence and gentleness--to patronise and be tender to the memory of that lady: in exact pursuance of her conduct to her in her lifetime: and to thoroughly believe herself, and take herself in and make herself uncommonly comfortable on the strength of her toleration!What a mighty pleasant virtue toleration should be when we are right, to be so very pleasant when we are wrong, and quite unable to demonstrate how we come to be invested with the privilege of exercising it!

Mrs. Chick was yet drying her eyes and shaking her head, when Richards made bold to caution her that Miss Florence was awake and sitting in her bed. She had risen, as the nurse said, and the lashes of her eyes were wet with tears. But no one saw them glistening save Polly. No one else leant over her, and whispered soothing words to her, or was near enough to hear the flutter of her beating heart.

`Oh! dear nurse!' said the child, looking earnestly up in her face, `let me lie by my brother!'

`Why, my pet?' said Richards.

`Oh! I think he loves me,' cried the child wildly. `Let me lie by him. Pray do!'

Mrs. Chick interposed with some motherly words about going to sleep like a dear, but Florence repeated her supplication, with a frightened look, and in a voice broken by sobs and tears.

`I'll not wake him,' she said, covering her face and hanging down her head. `I'll only touch him with my hand, and go to sleep. Oh, pray, pray, let me lie by my brother to-night, for I believe he's fond of me!'

Richards took her without a word, and carrying her to the little bed in which the infant was sleeping, laid her down by his side. She crept as near him as she could without disturbing his rest; and stretching out one arm so that it timidly embraced his neck, and hiding her face on the other, over which her damp and scattered hair fell loose, lay motionless.

`Poor little thing,' said Miss Tox; `she has been dreaming, I dare say.'

This trivial incident had so interrupted the current of conversation, that it was difficult of resumption; and Mrs. Chick moreover had been so affected by the contemplation of her own tolerant nature, that she was not in spirits. The two friends accordingly soon made an end of their tea, and a servant was despatched to fetch a hackney cabriolet for Miss Tox. Miss Tox had great experience in hackney cabs, and her starting in one was generally work of time, as she was systematic in the preparatory arrangements.

`Have the goodness, if you please, Towlinson,' said Miss Tox, `first of all, to carry out a pen and ink and take his number legibly.'

`Yes, Miss,' said Towlinson.

`Then, if you please, Towlinson,' said Miss Tox, `have the goodness to turn the cushion. Which,' said Miss Tox apart to Mrs. Chick, `is generally damp, my dear.'

`Yes, Miss,' said Towlinson.

`I'll trouble you also, if you please,' said Miss Tox, `with this card and this shilling. He's to drive to the card, and is to understand that he will not on any account have more than the shilling.'