And he
could not but like the testimony of strong affection that came to
him. The whole parish was in consternation, and inquiries, and very
odd gifts, which he was supposed to 'fancy,' came from all over
Compton as well as from Strawyers, and were continually showering
upon his nurses, so that Mrs. Hornblower and Dilemma spent their
lives in mournful replies over the counter, and fifty times a day he
was pronounced to be 'as bad as he could be to be alive.' Old
servants and keepers made progresses from Strawyers, to see Master
Herbert, and were terribly aggrieved because Miss Bowater kept them
out of his room, as much for their sake as his; and Mrs. Cranstoun
pointed to the open lattice which she believed to be killing him, as
surely as it gave aches to her rheumatic shoulder.
Julius thought almost as much as Jenny could do of the means of
recalling Archie; but it was necessary to wait until he could
communicate with Mr. Moy, and his hands were still over-full, for
though much less fatal, the fever smouldered on, both in Wil'sbro'
and Compton, and as St.
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