The shake he had
received appeared to have damaged his temper strangely. He became so
irritable that several of his servants left him; and to his wife he
repined; and his childless condition, which had been hitherto only a
deep disappointment, became in his eyes a calamity that outweighed his
many blessings. He had now narrowly escaped dying without an heir, and
this seemed to sink into his mind, and, co-operating with the
concussion his brain had received, brought him into a morbid state. He
brooded on it, and spoke of it, and got back to it from every other
topic, in a way that distressed Lady Bassett unspeakably. She consoled
him bravely; but often, when she was alone, her gentle courage gave
way, and she cried bitterly to herself.
Her distress had one effect she little expected; it completed what her
invariable kindness had begun, and actually won the heart of a servant.
Those who really know that tribe will agree with me that this was a
marvelous conquest. Yet so it was; Mary Wells conceived for her a real
affection, and showed it by unremitting attention, and a soft and
tender voice, that soothed Lady Bassett, and drew many a silent but
grateful glance from her dove-like eyes.
Mary listened, and heard enough to blame Sir Charles for his
peevishness, and she began to throw out little expressions of
dissatisfaction at him; but these were so promptly discouraged by the
faithful wife that she drew in again and avoided that line.
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