'Ah! wherefore did you leave him? Why not stay at least to see the event?'
'Because he so earnestly desired that his sister might know of his situation, and that I only might acquaint her with it and press her to go to him.'
'She will need no entreaties. Poor, poor Delamere!'—sighing deeply, Emmeline again became silent.
They were to mount a small hill, which was between the wood they had left and the grounds immediately surrounding St. Alpin, which was extremely steep and rugged. Before she reached the top, she was quite exhausted.
'I believe,' said she, 'I must again rest before I can proceed.'
She sat down on a bank formed by the roots of the trees which sustained the earth, on the edge of the narrow path.
Godolphin, excessively alarmed at her weakness and dejection, which he still attributed to the anguish she felt for Delamere, sat by her, hardly daring to breathe himself, while he listened to her short respiration, and fancied he heard the violent palpitation of her heart.
'And how long do you think,' said she, again recurring to Delamere—'how long may he linger before the event will be known?'
'I really hope, and I think I am not too sanguine, that the fever will have left him before we see him again.'
'The fever!' repeated Emmeline—'has he a fever then?'