'Shall I light a candle?' Julia asked before leaving.
'No, thank you.'
'Shall I send you up some soup?'
'No; I could not touch it.'
'You are not going to remain in the dark? Let me light a night-light?'
'No, thank you; I like the dark.'
XVIII
Hubert and Mrs. Bentley stood by the chimney-piece in the drawing-room,
waiting for the doctor; they had left him with Emily, and stood facing each
other absorbed in thought, when the door opened, and the doctor entered.
Hubert said--
'What do you think, Doctor? Is she seriously ill?'
'There is nothing, so far as I can make out, organically the matter with
her, but the system is running down. She is very thin and weak. I shall
prescribe a tonic, but----'
'But what, doctor?'
'She seems to be suffering from extreme depression of spirits. Do you know
of any secret grief--any love affair? At her age, anything of that sort
fills the entire mind, and the consequences are often grave.'
'And supposing it were so, what would be your advice? Change of air and
scene?'
'Certainly.'
'Have you spoken to her on the subject?'
'Yes; but she says she will not leave Ashwood.'
'We cannot send her away by force. What would you advise us to do?'
'There's nothing to be done.
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