The day previous to their departure, however, Mr. and Mrs. Middleton, with Walter and Beatrice, came to take leave of him.  As Mrs. Middleton stooped over the unconscious youth her tears fell fast and warm upon his face, so that in his fever dream he murmured: 

“Claudia, it is beginning to rain, let us go in.”

At this Beatrice burst into a flood of tears and was led away to the carriage by her father.

After the departure of the Middletons it was currently reported in the neighborhood that the arrival of Mr. Herman Brudenell was daily expected.  Hannah became very much disturbed with an anxiety that was all the more wearing because she could not communicate it to anyone.  The idea of remaining in the neighborhood with Mr. Brudenell, and being subjected to the chance of meeting him, was unsupportable to her; she would have been glad of any happy event that might take her off to a distant part of the State, and she resolved, in the event of poor Ishmael’s death, to go and seek a home and service somewhere else.  Reuben Gray stayed on; and in answer to all Hannah’s remonstrances he said: 

“It is of no use talking to me now, Hannah!  You can’t do without me, woman; and I mean to stop until the poor lad gets well or dies.”

But our boy was not doomed to die; the indestructible vitality, the irrepressible elasticity of his delicate and sensitive organization, bore him through and above his terrible illness, and he passed the crisis safely and lived.  After that turning point his recovery was rapid.  It was a mild, dry mid-day in early spring that Ishmael walked out for the first time.  He bent his steps to the old oak tree that overshadowed his mother’s grave, and seated himself there to enjoy the fresh air while he reflected.

Ishmael took himself severely to task for what he called the blindness, the weakness, and the folly with which he had permitted himself to fall into a hopeless, mad, and nearly fatal passion for one placed so high above him that indeed he might as well have loved some “bright particular star,” and hoped to win it.  And here on the sacred turf of his mother’s grave he resolved once for all to conquer this boyish passion, by devoting himself to the serious business of life.

Hannah and Reuben were left alone in the hut.

“Now, Reuben Gray,” began Hannah, “no tongue can tell how much I feel your goodness to me and Ishmael; but, my good man, you mustn’t stay in this neighborhood any longer; Ishmael is well and does not need you; and your employer’s affairs are neglected and do need you.  So, Reuben, my friend, you had better start home as soon as possible.”

“Well, Hannah, my dear, I think so too, and I have thought so for the last week, only I did not like to hurry you,” said Reuben acquiescently.

“Didn’t like to hurry me, Reuben? how hurry me?  I don’t know what you mean,” said Hannah, raising her eyes in astonishment.