Paul did not half seem to take it in—­perhaps he was too unhappy, or it sounded like sending him away again; or, maybe, such a great step in life was more than he could comprehend, after the outcast condition to which he had been used:  but Mr. Cope could not go on talking to him, for the Grange carriage was stopping at the gate, and Matilda and Ellen were both coming down-stairs to receive Miss Jane.  Poor little thing, she looked very pale and nervous; and as she shook hands with the Curate, as he met her in the garden-path, she said with a startled manner, ’Oh!  Mr. Cope—­were you there?  Am I interrupting—?’

‘Not at all,’ he said.  ’I had only called in as I came home, and had just come down again.’

‘Is it—­is it very dreadful?’ murmured Jane, with a sort of gasp.  She was so entirely unused to scenes of sadness or pain, that it was very strange and alarming to her, and it was more difficult than ever to believe her no younger than Ellen.

‘Very far from dreadful or distressing,’ said Mr. Cope kindly, for he knew it was not her fault that she had been prevented from overcoming such feelings, and that this was a great effort of kindness.  ’It is a very peaceful, soothing sight—­he is very happy, and not in a suffering state.’

‘Oh, will you tell Grandmamma?’ said Jane, with her pretty look of earnestness; ’she is so much afraid of its much for me, and she was so kind in letting me come.’

So Miss Selby went on to the two sisters, and Mr. Cope proceeded to the carriage, where Lady Jane had put out her head, glad to be able to ask him about the state of affairs.  Having nothing but this little grand-daughter left to her, the old lady watched over her with almost over-tender care, and was in much alarm both lest the air of the sick-room should be unwholesome, or the sight too sorrowful for her; and though she was too kind to refuse the wish of the dying boy, she had come herself, in order that ‘the child,’ as she called her, might not stay longer than was good for her; and she was much relieved to hear Mr. Cope’s account of Alfred’s calm state, and of the freshness of the clean room, in testimony of which he pointed to the open window.

‘Yes,’ she said, ’I hope Mary King was wise enough; but I hardly knew how it might be with such a number about the house—­that boy and all.  He is not gone, is he?’

’No, he is not nearly well enough yet, though he does what he can to be useful to her.  When he is recovered, I have a scheme for him.’

So Mr. Cope mentioned Mr. Shaw’s proposal, by which my Lady set more store than did Paul as yet.  Very kind-hearted she was, though she did not fancy adopting chance-comers into her parish; and as long as he was not saddled upon Mary King, as she said, she was very glad of any good for him; so she told Mr. Cope to come to her for what he might want to fit him out properly for the situation; and turning her keen eyes on him as he stood near the cottage door, pronounced that, after all, he was a nice, decent-looking lad enough, which certainly her Ladyship would not have said before his illness.