Death was troubled at his treatment of him. He on his part showed him all
the old attention, using every equine blandishment he knew; but having
met with no response, he too turned slowly away, and walked to his
stable, Dr. Southwell would gladly have bought him, but neither John nor
I would hear of parting with him: he was almost a portion of his master!
My uncle might come to himself any moment: how could we look him in the
face if Death was gone from us! Besides, we loved the horse for his own
sake as well as my uncle's, and John would be but too glad to ride him!
My uncle would wander over the house, up and down, but seemed to prefer
the little drawing-room: I made it my special business to keep a good
fire there. He never went to the study; never opened the door in the
chimney-corner. He very seldom spoke, and seldomer to me than to any
other. It _was_ a dreary time! Our very souls had longed for him back,
and thus he came to us!
Sorely I wept over the change that had passed upon the good man. He must
have received some terrible shock! It was just as if his mother, John
said, had got hold of him, and put a knife in his heart! It was well,
however, that he was not wandering about the heath, exposed to the
elements! and there was yet time for many a good thing to come! Where one
_must_ wait, one _can_ wait.
John had to learn this, for, say what he would, the idea of marrying
while my uncle remained in such plight, was to me unendurable.
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