This was
sad news and marred the happiness of their meeting, since both of them
were far too unworldly to consider its effect upon their own prospects,
or that it would make easy that which had hitherto seemed impossible.
"Are you nursing him?" she asked.
"Yes, more or less. I took him to the South of England for two months,
but it did no good."
"I am glad the thing is not catching," she remarked, glancing at him.
"Oh, no," he replied carelessly, "I never heard that it was catching,
though some people say it runs in families. I hope not, I am sure, as
the poor old chap insists upon my sleeping in his room whenever I am at
home, as we used to do when we were boys."
Then their talk wandered elsewhere, for they had so much to say to each
other that it seemed doubtful if they would ever get to the end of it
all. Anthony was particularly anxious to learn what blessed circumstance
had caused Barbara's sudden re-appearance at Eastwich. She fenced for a
while, then told him all the truth.
"So you gave up this brilliant marriage for me, a fellow with scarcely a
half-penny and a very few prospects," he exclaimed, staring at her.
"Of course. What would you have expected me to do--marry one man while
I love another? As for the rest it must take its chance," and while the
words were on her lips, for the first time it came into Barbara's mind
that perhaps Anthony had no need to trouble about his worldly fortunes.
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