Excessive giddiness made James stagger against his cousin, and Louis, throwing his arms round him, looked in great alarm to the doctor for help, but was answered by something very like a smile.  ’Aye, aye, sir, there’s nothing for it but to go to bed.  If his lordship there had seen as many cases of jaundice as I have, he would not look so frightened.  Very wholesome disorder!  Yes, lie down, and I’ll send you a thing or two to take.’

So saying, Mr. Walby helped Louis to lay their unwilling invalid on the bed without much resistance or reply, and presently departed, so infinitely relieved that he could not help indulging in a little chuckle at the young Viscount’s mistake.  As soon as he was gone, James revived enough to protest that it was all nonsense, doctors must needs give a name to everything; if they would only let him alone, he should be himself and off to London in two hours; and that it was Fitzjocelyn himself who was looking excessively ill, and as yellow as a guinea.  He would not hear of undressing and going absolutely to bed, and fairly scolded every one out of sight.  Good Miss Mercy, who had trotted in at the tidings of illness, stood at the nursery-door, telegraphing signs of commiseration in answer to Louis’s looks of perplexity.

‘At least,’ she said, ’you had better come to breakfast with us, and hear what my sister says—­Salome always knows what is best.’

He soon found himself in the snug parlour, where the small round breakfast-table, drawn close to Miss Faithfull’s fireside chair, had a sort of doll’s-house air of cheerful comfort, with the tiny plates, tea-cups, and the miniature loaf, and the complicated spider-legs, among which it was not easy to dispose of his own length of limb.

The meal passed in anxious consultation.  There might be no danger, but the disorder was severe and increasing.  James’s health had long been suffering from harass of mind, want of exercise, and unwholesome diet; and the blow of the previous day had brought things to a crisis.  There he lay, perfectly unmanageable, permitting neither aid nor consolation, unable to endure the sight of any one, and too much stupefied by illness to perceive the impracticability of his wild scheme of seeking employment in London.

Miss Faithfull pronounced that either Mercy or Lord Fitzjocelyn must go and fetch Mrs. James Frost home.

‘I was only thinking how long we could keep her away,’ said Louis.  ’Pray don’t be shocked, dear Miss Mercy, but I thought I could nurse poor Jem much better alone than with another dead weight on our hands.’

‘They would neither of them thank you,’ said Miss Faithfull, laughing.  ‘Depend upon it, she will know best how to deal with him.’

’Well, you see more of their household than I do, but I have never dared to think of her!  Do you remember the words, ’if thou hast run with the footmen and they have wearied thee—­’’

’There are some people who can run with the horsemen better than with the footmen,’ said Miss Salome.  ’You know we are very fond of young Mrs. Frost.  We cannot forget her sweetness when she lived in this house, and she has always been most kind and friendly.  I do believe that to display the most admirable qualities, she only needs to be roused.’