Early in the morning the physician arrived at Cherbury. It remained for him only to approve of the remedies which had been pursued. No material change, however, had occurred in the state of Venetia: she had not slept, and still she seemed unconscious of what was occurring. The gracious interposition of Nature seemed the only hope. When the medical men had withdrawn to consult in the terrace-room, Lady Annabel beckoned to Pauncefort, and led her to the window of Venetia’s apartment, which she would not quit.

‘Pauncefort,’ said Lady Annabel, ‘Venetia has been in her father’s room.’

‘Oh! impossible, my lady,’ burst forth Mistress Pauncefort; but Lady Annabel placed her finger on her lip, and checked her. ‘There is no doubt of it, there can be no doubt of it, Pauncefort; she entered it yesterday; she must have passed the morning there, when you believed she was in the park.’

‘But, my lady,’ said Pauncefort, ‘how could it be? For I scarcely left your la’ship’s room a second, and Miss Venetia, I am sure, never was near it. And the key, my lady, the key is in the casket. I saw it half an hour ago with my own eyes.’

‘There is no use arguing about it, Pauncefort,’ said Lady Annabel, with decision. ‘It is as I say. I fear great misfortunes are about to commence at Cherbury.’

‘Oh! my lady, don’t think of such things,’ said Pauncefort, herself not a little alarmed. ‘What can happen?’

‘I fear more than I know,’ said Lady Annabel; ‘but I do fear much. At present I can only think of her.’

‘Well! my lady,’ said poor Mistress Pauncefort, looking bewildered, ‘only to think of such a thing! and after all the pains I have taken! I am sure I have not opened my lips on the subject these fifteen years; and the many questions I have been asked too! I am sure there is not a servant in the house —’

‘Hush! hush!’ said Lady Annabel, ‘I do not blame you, and therefore you need not defend yourself. Go, Pauncefort, I must be alone.’ Pauncefort withdrew, and Lady Annabel resumed her seat by her daughter’s side.

On the fourth day of her attack the medical attendants observed a favourable change in their patient, and were not, of course, slow in communicating this joyful intelligence to her mother. The crisis had occurred and was past: Venetia had at length sunk into slumber. How different was her countenance from the still yet settled features they had before watched with such anxiety! She breathed lightly, the tension of the eyelids had disappeared, her mouth was slightly open. The physician and his colleague declared that immediate danger was past, and they counselled Lady Annabel to take repose. On condition that one of them should remain by the side of her daughter, the devoted yet miserable mother quitted, for the first time her child’s apartment. Pauncefort followed her to her room.
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