"I don't know!" said Elizabeth bending down her head while tears began to run fast, — "I don't know anything about sickness — I never was with anybody before —"
She had felt one other time the gentle kind hands which, while her own eyes were blinded with tears, led her and placed her on the sofa. Elizabeth took the sofa cushion in both arms and laid her head upon it, turning her face from her companion; and her whole frame was racked and shaken with terrible agitation.
In a few minutes this violent expression of feeling came to an end. She took her arms from the pillow and sat up and spoke again to the friend at her side; who meanwhile had been perfectly quiet, offering neither to check nor to comfort her. Elizabeth went back to a repetition of her last remark, as if for an excuse.
"I never even tried to nurse anybody before — and the doctor couldn't stay with me this morning —"
"I will do both now," said Winthrop.
"What?" — said Elizabeth looking at him bewilderedly.
"Stay with you, and take care of Mr. Haye."
"Oh no! you must not!" she said with a sort of eager seriousness; — "I shouldn't like to have you."
"I have seen something of the disease," he said smiling slightly, "and I am not afraid of it. — Are you?"
"Oh yes! — oh yes!!"