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more decided opinion. For the present, be assured that there is no immediate danger."

The poor lady cherished the hope thus inspired, and, clasping her hands with deep fervour, thanked God.

"But," he added, "how long has your daughter been ill?"

"She has been sinking, sir, gradually, for nearly twelvemonths."

"Has anything of very great importance ever occurred to her? Do you know of any circumstance at all calculated to prey upon her mind?"

"Alas! yes. I ascribe it all to that. She became, sir, about twelve months since, enamoured, deeply enamoured, of a gentleman—a medical student—who—"

"I perceive, my dear lady. I do not wish to pry into any private matter: that medical student, I perceive, was a villain."

"No, thank heaven! She is virtuous, sir—pure as an angel! And he, I believe, was virtuous, too. But having—I do not say intentionally—I do not believe that the slightest blame can attach to him—but having fascinated my dear child, she saw him no more."

"Was he aware of the fact of his having made this impression?"

"I think not: and even assuming that he was, he, perhaps, acted wisely in the view of the world, for he was young—very young; while my child was then in a position far, very far, below the sphere in which she had been accustomed to move."

"Did she write to him at all?"

"She, unfortunately, knew not where to write. She made every possible effort to ascertain—not with the view of being importunate, but merely in order to see him once more—but, alas! she could gain no intelligence of him. There was one student at the hospital who knew him; but, although she applied to him frequently, all that she could learn from him was, that he had left. She then began to fade and pine, and has been pining ever since. She remained in the situation she occupied then, until she became too weak to perform its duties, and now, sir, although once a lovely girl, she is as you have seen her."

"Did he leave her unkindly?"

"Unhappily, no, sir. Had he been unkind, her pride would have sustained her. But he was, on the contrary, most kind and courteous. You probably perceived that she wore bracelets. Those bracelets were his gift. She wears them constantly: she would not part with them for worlds!"

"I wish that I knew where to find him. You, of course, know his name?"

"His name we could never learn: my child never heard more than his christian name mentioned."

"That's very unfortunate: very."

"I do believe, sir, that if she could but see him once again, her recovery even now would be almost immediate."

"Well, then, let us hope that she will again see him."

"I fear that that is hopeless."

"Things apparently more impossible have occurred."

"Very true, sir: very true."