He sat and conversed with her about a quarter of an hour, and then left her.
"Pray, Sir," said Mrs. Holmes, "what is your opinion?"
"She is very ill, Madam."
"Do you think it is a confirmed consumption?"
"I do. I fear the disease has made great progress."
"Do you think that a longer continuance in the country will prove beneficial to the dear sufferer?"
"To be candid, Madam, I do not think that it is in the power of human means to arrest the progress of the disease, though a judicious course of management may greatly alleviate her sufferings."
"Do you think, Sir, she can be removed without much inconvenience to herself?"
"She may, in the course of a few days, when her strength rallies; but I am clearly of opinion, that if you wait much longer, it will be impossible to remove her."
This information came as a death-blow to the hopes of all the family. Mrs. Holmes, with Jane and Emma, sobbed aloud. A more silent though not less poignant grief marked the countenances of her father and Mr. Reed. "If she must die," said her father, "she had better be taken home to die." "My Louisa die! My dear Louisa die!" said Alfred, clasping his hands in an intensity of anguish, "And must she die? and must she be taken from me?" At length he became more composed, when informed by Mrs. Holmes that Louisa had just awaked out of a sweet sleep, much revived, and wished to see him. The family sat conversing together the whole of the evening, and arranged the plan for returning to the Elms, whither they determined to proceed immediately.