Dorcas set down little Bessie, and went away.  The three other children, including young Daniel in his smock-frock, were standing opposite to Mr. Gilfil, watching him still more shyly now they were without their mother’s countenance.  He drew little Bessie towards him, and set her on his knee.  She shook her yellow curls out of her eyes, and looked up at him as she said,—­’Zoo tome to tee ze yady?  Zoo mek her peak?  What zoo do to her?  Tiss her?’

‘Do you like to be kissed, Bessie?’

‘Det,’ said Bessie, immediately ducking down her head very low, in resistance to the expected rejoinder.

‘We’ve got two pups,’ said young Daniel, emboldened by observing the gentleman’s amenities towards Bessie.  ’Shall I show ’em yer?  One’s got white spots.’

‘Yes, let me see them.’

Daniel ran out, and presently reappeared with two blind puppies, eagerly followed by the mother, affectionate though mongrel, and an exciting scene was beginning when Dorcas returned and said,—­’There’s niver any difference in her hardly.  I think you needn’t wait, sir.  She lies very still, as she al’ys does.  I’ve put two candle i’ the room, so as she may see you well.  You’ll please t’ excuse the room, sir, an’ the cap as she has on; it’s one o’ mine.’

Mr. Gilfil nodded silently, and rose to follow her up-stairs.  They turned in at the first door, their footsteps making little noise on the plaster floor.  The red-checkered linen curtains were drawn at the head of the bed, and Dorcas had placed the candles on this side of the room, so that the light might not fall oppressively on Caterina’s eyes.  When she had opened the door, Dorcas whispered, ‘I’d better leave you, sir, I think?’

Mr. Gilfil motioned assent, and advanced beyond the curtain.  Caterina lay with her eyes turned the other way, and seemed unconscious that any one had entered.  Her eyes, as Dorcas had said, looked larger than ever, perhaps because her face was thinner and paler, and her hair quite gathered away under one of Dorcas’s thick caps.  The small hands, too, that lay listlessly on the outside of the bed-clothes were thinner than ever.  She looked younger than she really was, and any one seeing the tiny face and hands for the first time might have thought they belonged to a little girl of twelve, who was being taken away from coming instead of past sorrow.

When Mr. Gilfil advanced and stood opposite to her, the light fell full upon his face.  A slight startled expression came over Caterina’s eyes; she looked at him earnestly for a few moments, then lifted up her hand as if to beckon him to stoop down towards her, and whispered ‘Maynard!’

He seated himself on the bed, and stooped down towards her.  She whispered again—­’Maynard, did you see the dagger?’

He followed his first impulse in answering her, and it was a wise one.

‘Yes,’ he whispered, ’I found it in your pocket, and put it back again in the cabinet.’