human
Well, I don’t know, returned his sister dubiously.
gpt
It was only a warning, the doctors said, and I suppose Uncle Richard thinks he is all right now with care; and there’s a wheel within a wheel there, Gorham. Didn’t you notice to-day, lowering her voice dramatically,
human
I dare say, returned the other.
gpt
The Bryants must have known that he was very much cut up by his father’s marriage.
human
Oh, they did; or the girls did. The mother never was allowed to know. I became very well acquainted with this child Mildred in the few days I stayed at Pearfield, but she told me nothing. Aunt Love told me the whole story, for Mrs. Van Tassel had confided in her. Aunt Love is perfectly devoted to Uncle Richard’s wife.
gpt
Humph!
human
They have been through a great deal in a year. I suppose you heard through Jack, though I knew nothing about it, that Mrs. Van Tassel’s little brother and sister took scarlet fever and died in the same week.
gpt
Yes, I knew that. Jack felt it deeply. I am sure he must have written home very kindly about it. It occurred only about a month after the wedding.
human
Very likely he did. I don’t know. Then Mrs. Bryant grew weaker and weaker through the winter. They took her South, and surrounded her with every luxury, but in April she died.
gpt
No. I didn’t know that.
human
Yes, she died very peacefully and happily; but she had not been gone a fortnight when Uncle Richard had that stroke.
gpt
What a procession of calamities!
human
I should think so. Well, Aunt Love says the worst part of it is, that Mrs. Van Tassel seems to connect all this misfortune with Jack’s anger at her. Something on the old idea of a curse, I suppose.
gpt
I saw very little of Mrs. Van Tassel myself, continued his voluble sister.
human
Uncle Richard’s head was very easily tired. He had to keep very quiet, and she was with him constantly. You never saw such devotion.
gpt
No doubt, said Page ambiguously.
human
I can easily believe that she will not allow him out of her sight. It looks to me as if it were our duty to inform Jack of his father’s condition.
gpt
No, no. I saw enough of Uncle Richard to discover his wishes about that. He does not want to have Jack hurried. He does not consider his condition in the least alarming.
human
So Mrs. Van Tassel is to succeed in keeping Jack at a distance,
gpt
I don’t think it is her doing.
human
Of course it is, said Page without heat.
gpt
Uncle Richard must know the circumstances.
human
He may suspect something, of course, replied Hilda,
gpt
Wise Uncle Richard! He knew better. Page shook his head.
human
It is a bad business.
gpt
I do not know that it is such a bad business for Uncle Richard to have gained such a devoted nurse. He needs it now. As for Miss Bryant, I pitied the girl, cooped up there in that lonely, monotonous village, and begged Mrs. Van Tassel to allow her to stay with me a week or two. She consented very willingly, even gladly. I wanted to give people a chance to look at her. I’m a philanthropist. The sight of her will do a weakly person as much good as the sea air; and she was