Meanwhile Mrs. Brown had reached the Vicarage, and asked to see Eliza. The housemaid looked surprised at such a request being made so early.
"She is not going out to-day, is she, Mrs. Brown?" she asked.
"Oh no. I shall not hinder her more than a few minutes, if she is busy. The Vicar has gone out, I suppose," added the visitor.
"I don't think he has gone yet," replied the servant. "Would you like to see him?" she added, for she knew that Nurse would not be pleased if Eliza was fetched away from her work just now, no matter who might want her.
So she went to see if the Vicar was disengaged, and came back in a minute and took Mrs. Brown to the room where her master received his parishioners.
"Good morn—"
But Mrs. Brown was too eager to tell her news to wait for the usual greeting.
"Oh, sir, I am glad you are at home, for I wanted to tell you. My girl, my Fanny, is not dead. She is not, indeed, sir. It is all a mistake."
The Vicar looked at her in astonishment, and then he said—
"How did you hear this, Mrs. Brown?"