“Well, I beg your pardon, Sophie.  But I fancied you and Miss Charlotte were in charge; and I thought about ten days ago, your patient was in a fair way to be killed with kindness, and it’s a little of a surprise to me to find he’s being let alone so very systematically.”

“Why, to tell you the truth,” cried Charlotte Benson, “we were turned out of office without much ceremony, one fine day after dinner.  I am quite willing to be forgiving; but I don’t think you can ask me to put myself in the way of being snubbed again to that extent.”

“The ungrateful varlet! what did he complain of?  Hadn’t he been coddled enough to please him?  Did he want four or five more women dancing attendance on him?”

“Oh, it was not want of attention he complained of.  In fact,” said Charlotte, coloring, “It was that he didn’t like quite so much, and wanted to be allowed more liberty.”

Kilian indulged in a good laugh, which wasn’t quite fair, considering Charlotte’s candor.

“But the truth is,” said Charlotte, uneasily, “that he was too ill, that day, to be responsible for what he said.  He was just coming down with the fever, and, you know, people are always most unreasonable then.”

“I’m very glad I never gave him a chance to dispense with me,” said Mary Leighton, with a view to making herself amiable in Kilian’s eyes.

“I think he dispensed with you early in the season,” said Charlotte, sharply.  “Oh, hast thou forgotten that walk that he took, upon your invitation?  Ah, Miss Leighton, his look was quite dramatic.  I know you never have forgiven him.”

“I haven’t the least idea what you are talking of,” returned Mary Leighton, with bewildered and child-like simplicity.

“Ah, then it was not as unique an occurrence as I hoped,” said Charlotte, viciously.  “I imagined it would make more of an impression.”

“Charlotte,” interrupted Sophie, shocked at this open impoliteness, “I hope you are forgiving enough to break it to him that he’s got to see the Doctor; for if he comes unexpectedly and goes up to his room, he will be dramatic, and that is so unpleasant, as we know to our sorrow.”

“Indeed, I shan’t tell him,” cried Charlotte, “you can take your life in your hand, and try it if you please; but I cannot consent to risk myself.  There’s Mary Leighton, she bears no malice.  Perhaps she’ll go with you as support.”

“Ha, ha!” cried Kilian.  “Richard, you and I may be called on to bring up the rear.  There’s the General’s old sword in the hall, and I’ll take the Joe Manton from the shelf in the library.”

“Richard looks as if he disapproved of us all very much,” said Sophie, and in truth Richard did look just so.  He did not even answer these suggestions, but began after a moment to talk to Henrietta on indifferent matters.

It was on this afternoon that a new policy was inaugurated at R——.  We were taught to feel that we had been quite aggrieved by the dullness of the past two weeks or more, and that we must be compensated by some refreshing novelties.