'
She would receive this by the first post to-morrow, Saturday, and
doubtless would let him hear in reply some time in the afternoon.
Impatience allowed him little sleep, and the next day was a long
weariness of waiting. The evening he would have to spend at the
hospital; if there came no reply before the time of his leaving
home, he knew not how he should compel himself to the ordinary
routine of work. Yet the hour came, and he had heard nothing. He
was tempted to go at once to Westbourne Park, but reason
prevailed with him. When he again entered the house, having
walked at his utmost speed from the City Road, the letter lay
waiting for him; it had been pushed beneath his door, and when he
struck a match he found that one of his feet was upon the white
envelope.
Amy wrote that she would be at home at eleven to-morrow morning.
Not another word.
In all probability she knew of the offer that had been made to
him; Mrs Carter would have told her. Was it of good or of ill
omen that she wrote only these half-dozen words? Half through the
night he plagued himself with suppositions, now thinking that her
brevity promised a welcome, now that she wished to warn him
against expecting anything but a cold, offended demeanour.
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