With new interests and
new emotions to agitate him, the attempt would be simply useless.
And yet, knowing this, I cannot find it in my heart to disappoint her. I
must try if I can discover some new arrangement, before post-time, which
will allow me to say Yes to Miss Verinder, without damage to the service
which I have bound myself to render to Mr. Franklin Blake.
Two o'clock.--I have just returned from my round of medical visits;
having begun, of course, by calling at the hotel.
Mr. Blake's report of the night is the same as before. He has had some
intervals of broken sleep, and no more. But he feels it less to-day,
having slept after yesterday's dinner. This after-dinner sleep is the
result, no doubt, of the ride which I advised him to take. I fear I
shall have to curtail his restorative exercise in the fresh air. He must
not be too well; he must not be too ill. It is a case (as a sailor would
say) of very fine steering.
He has not heard yet from Mr. Bruff. I found him eager to know if I had
received any answer from Miss Verinder.
I told him exactly what I was permitted to tell, and no more. It was
quite needless to invent excuses for not showing him the letter.
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