She could not contradict it, and therefore suffered herself to be detained, though her dread of further questions made her, for the first time in their acquaintance, wish to leave him.  They walked slowly up the gallery.  “Have you had any letter from Bath since I saw you?”

“No, and I am very much surprised.  Isabella promised so faithfully to write directly.”

“Promised so faithfully!  A faithful promise!  That puzzles me.  I have heard of a faithful performance.  But a faithful promise —­ the fidelity of promising!  It is a power little worth knowing, however, since it can deceive and pain you.  My mother’s room is very commodious, is it not?  Large and cheerful-looking, and the dressing-closets so well disposed!  It always strikes me as the most comfortable apartment in the house, and I rather wonder that Eleanor should not take it for her own.  She sent you to look at it, I suppose?”

“No.”

“It has been your own doing entirely?” Catherine said nothing.  After a short silence, during which he had closely observed her, he added, “As there is nothing in the room in itself to raise curiosity, this must have proceeded from a sentiment of respect for my mother’s character, as described by Eleanor, which does honour to her memory.  The world, I believe, never saw a better woman.  But it is not often that virtue can boast an interest such as this.  The domestic, unpretending merits of a person never known do not often create that kind of fervent, venerating tenderness which would prompt a visit like yours.  Eleanor, I suppose, has talked of her a great deal?”

“Yes, a great deal.  That is —­ no, not much, but what she did say was very interesting.  Her dying so suddenly” (slowly, and with hesitation it was spoken), “and you —­ none of you being at home —­ and your father, I thought —­ perhaps had not been very fond of her.”

“And from these circumstances,” he replied (his quick eye fixed on hers), “you infer perhaps the probability of some negligence —­ some” —­ (involuntarily she shook her head) —­ “or it may be —­ of something still less pardonable.”  She raised her eyes towards him more fully than she had ever done before.  “My mother’s illness,” he continued, “the seizure which ended in her death, was sudden.  The malady itself, one from which she had often suffered, a bilious fever —­ its cause therefore constitutional.  On the third day, in short, as soon as she could be prevailed on, a physician attended her, a very respectable man, and one in whom she had always placed great confidence.  Upon his opinion of her danger, two others were called in the next day, and remained in almost constant attendance for four and twenty hours.  On the fifth day she died.  During the progress of her disorder, Frederick and I (we were both at home) saw her repeatedly; and from our own observation can bear witness to her having received every possible attention which could spring from the affection of those about her, or which her situation in life could command.  Poor Eleanor was absent, and at such a distance as to return only to see her mother in her coffin.”