"And does Mr. Henry," I said with a smile, "approve of your long visits to the hospital, and your walks in the square, and all your solitary proceedings? He must be rather lonely at home all the morning without you?"
"He gets up late," answered Alice, "and always goes out immediately after breakfast."
"And then at dinner, or in the evening, I suppose, you give him an account of the proceedings of the day?"
"No, Mr. Henry does not care for birds and flowers, or children. He is very kind to poor people; twice, when I have asked him, he has given me some money for them, but he does not like to hear about them."
"Mrs. Middleton wishes very much to see you to-day, Alice."
"Does she? I shall be so glad to see her. When may I go to her? Is she like Mr. Henry?"
"In some ways she is, but you will find that she does care for birds and flowers" (I was going to add children, but something at my heart stopped me). "Come, dear Alice, put on your bonnet, and we will go to her immediately if you will come with me."
While she was tying on her bonnet, I went up to the book-case, and, looking over it said, "I do not see any new books here. I should have thought you would have added to your stock in London?"
"Mr. Henry has plenty of books in his study," answered Alice; "and when I was first married, as he had given me leave to take them when I liked, I read some of them."
"And liked them?"