“Miss Miskin was prevailed upon to leave her room at the last, I suppose?”
“Scarcely. Poor Nanny was supporting her mistress’s head when I went in; and she said, with tears, that there was no depending on any one but us. They both looked glad enough to see me: but then, nothing would satisfy Mrs Howell but that I should warm myself, and be seated.”
“To the last! and she offered you some cherry-bounce, I suppose.”
“Yes; just as usual. Then she told me that it would be as well to mention now, in case she should grow worse, and be in any danger, that she should be gratified if you and I would select each a rug or screen pattern from her stock, and worsteds to work it with: and she gave a broad hint that there was one with a mausoleum and two weeping willows, which she hoped one of us would choose; and that perhaps her name might fill up the space on the tomb. Poor Nanny began to cry; and this affected Mrs Howell; and she begged earnestly to see Miss Miskin.”
“And then she came, I suppose.”
“Not she! She would not come till her friend sent a message threatening to haunt her if she did not.”
“Did you carry the message?”
“No; but Nanny did; and, I thought, with hearty good will; Miss Miskin came trembling, but too much frightened to cry. She would not approach nearer than the doorway, and there fell down on her knees, and so remained the whole time she was receiving directions about the shop and the stock,—‘in case,’ as the poor soul again said, ‘of my getting worse, so as to be in any danger.’ And yet Dr Levitt thought he had told her, plainly enough, what he thought of her state this morning.”
“And was she aware at last? or did she go off unconsciously?”
“I think she was aware; I think so from her last words—‘Oh, my poor dear Howell!’ I sat behind the curtain while she was speaking to Miss Miskin—sometimes so faintly that Nanny had to repeat her words, to make them heard as far as the door.”