Those　words　were　spoken　with　a　calm　certainty　of　conviction　that
  was　terrible　to　hear。　〃I　have　no　more　to　say；〃　she　added；　after　a
  moment；　and　rose　to　return　to　the　house。　Mrs。　Crayford　caught　her
  by　the　hand；　and　forced　her　to　take　her　seat　again。
  〃Don't　look　at　me；　don't　speak　to　me；　in　that　horrible　manner！〃
  she　exclaimed。　〃Clara！　it　is　unworthy　of　a　reasonable　being；　it
  is　doubting　the　mercy　of　God；　to　say　what　you　have　just　said。
  Look　at　the　newspaper　again。　See！　They　tell　you　plainly　that
  their　information　is　not　to　be　depended　onthey　warn　you　to　wait
  for　further　particulars。　The　very　words　at　the　top　of　the　list
  show　how　little　they　knew　of　the　truth　'Dead　_or_　Missing！'　On
  their　own　showing；　it　is　quite　as　likely　that　Frank　is　missing　as
  that　Frank　is　dead。　For　all　you　know；　the　next　mail　may　bring　a
  letter　from　him。　Are　you　listening　to　me？〃
  〃Yes。〃
  〃Can　you　deny　what　I　say？〃
  〃No。〃
  〃'Yes！'　'No！'　Is　that　the　way　to　answer　me　when　I　am　so
  distressed　and　so　anxious　about　you？〃
  〃I　am　sorry　I　spoke　as　I　did；　Lucy。　We　look　at　some　subjects　in
  very　different　ways。　I　don't　dispute；　dear；　that　yours　is　the
  reasonable　view。〃
  〃You　don't　dispute？〃　retorted　Mrs。　Crayford；　warmly。　〃No！　you　do
  what　is　worseyou　believe　in　your　own　opinion；　you　persist　in
  your　own　conclusionwith　the　newspaper　before　you！　Do　you；　or　do
  you　not；　believe　the　newspaper？〃
  〃I　believe　in　what　I　saw　last　night。〃
  〃In　what　you　saw　last　night！　You；　an　educated　woman；　a　clever
  woman；　believing　in　a　vision　of　your　own　fancya　mere　dream！　I
  wonder　you　are　not　ashamed　to　acknowledge　it！〃
  〃Call　it　a　dream　if　you　like；　Lucy。　I　have　had　other　dreams　at
  other　timesand　I　have　known　them　to　be　fulfilled。〃
  〃Yes！〃　said　Mrs。　Crayford。　〃For　once　in　a　way　they　may　have　been
  fulfilled；　by　chanceand　you　notice　it；　and　remember　it；　and　pin
  your　faith　on　it。　Come；　Clara；　be　honest！What　about　the
  occasions　when　the　chance　has　been　against　you；　and　your　dreams
  have　not　been　fulfilled？　You　superstitious　people　are　all　alike。
  You　conveniently　forget　when　your　dreams　and　your　presentiments
  prove　false。　For　my　sake；　dear；　if　not　for　your　own；〃　she
  continued；　in　gentler　and　tenderer　tones；　〃try　to　be　more
  reasonable　and　more　hopeful。　Don't　lose　your　trust　in　the　future；
  and　your　trust　in　God。　God；　who　has　saved　my　husband；　can　save
  Frank。　While　there　is　doubt；　there　is　hope。　Don't　embitter　my
  happiness；　Clara！　Try　to　think　as　I　thinkif　it　is　only　to　show
  that　you　love　me。〃
  She　put　her　arm　round　the　girl's　neck；　and　kissed　her。　Clara
  returned　the　kiss；　Clara　answered；　sadly　and　submissively；
  〃I　do　love　you；　Lucy。　I　_will_　try。〃
  Having　answered　in　those　terms；　she　sighed　to　herself；　and　said
  no　more。　It　would　have　been　plain；　only　too　plain；　to　far　less
  observant　eyes　than　Mrs。　Crayford's　that　no　salutary　impression
  had　been　produced　on　her。　She　had　ceased　to　defend　her　own　way　of
  thinking；　she　spoke　of　it　no　morebut　there　was　the　terrible
  conviction　of　Frank's　death　at　Wardour's　hands　rooted　as　firmly
  as　ever　in　her　mind！　Discouraged　and　distressed；　Mrs。　Crayford
  left　her；　and　walked　back　toward　the　house。
  Chapter　15。
  At　the　drawing…room　window　of　the　villa　there　appeared　a　polite
  little　man；　with　bright　intelligent　eyes；　and　cheerful　sociable
  manners。　Neatly　dressed　in　professional　black；　he　stood；
  self…proclaimed；　a　prosperous　country　doctorsuccessful　and
  popular　in　a　wide　circle　of　patients　and　friends。　As　Mrs。
  Crayford　approached　him；　he　stepped　out　briskly　to　meet　her　on
  the　lawn；　with　both　hands　extended　in　courteous　and　cordial
  greeting。
  〃My　dear　madam；　accept　my　heartfelt　congratulations！〃　cried　the
  doctor。　〃I　have　seen　the　good　news　in　the　paper；　and　I　could
  hardly　feel　more　rejoiced　than　I　do　now　if　I　had　the　honor　of
  knowing　Lieutenant　Crayford　personally。　We　mean　to　celebrate　the
  occasion　at　home。　I　said　to　my　wife　before　I　came　out；　'A　bottle
  of　the　old　Madeira　at　dinner　to…day；　mind！to　drink　the
  lieutenant's　health；　God　bless　him！'　And　how　is　our　interesting
  patient？　The　news　is　not　altogether　what　we　could　wish；　so　far　as
  she　is　concerned。　I　felt　a　little　anxious；　to　tell　you　the　truth；
  about　the　effect　of　it；　and　I　have　paid　my　visit　to…day　before　my
  usual　time。　Not　that　I　take　a　gloomy　view　of　the　news　myself。　No！
  There　is　clearly　a　doubt　about　the　correctness　of　the
  information；　so　far　as　Mr。　Aldersley　is　concernedand　that　is　a
  point；　a　great　point　in　Mr。　Aldersley's　favor。　I　give　him　the
  benefit　of　the　doubt；　as　the　lawyers　say。　Does　Miss　Burnham　give
  him　the　benefit　of　the　doubt　too？　I　hardly　dare　hope　it；　I
  confess。〃
  〃Miss　Burnham　has　grieved　and　alarmed　me；〃　Mrs。　Crayford
  answered。　〃I　was　just　thinking　of　sending　for　you　when　we　met
  here。〃
  With　those　introductory　words；　she　told　the　doctor　exactly　what
  had　happened；　repeating　not　only　the　conversation　of　that　morning
  between　Clara　and　herself；　but　also　the　words　which　had　fallen
  from　Clara；　in　the　trance　of　the　past　night。
  The　doctor　listened　attentively。　Little　by　little；　its　easy
  smiling　composure　vanished　from　his　face；　as　Mrs。　Crayford　went
  on；　and　left　him　completely　transformed　into　a　grave　and
  thoughtful　man。
  〃Let　us　go　and　look　at　her；〃　he　said。
  He　seated　himself　by　Clara's　side；　and　carefully　studied　her
  face；　with　his　hand　on　her　pulse。　There　was　no　sympathy　here
  between　the　dreamy　mystical　temperament　of　the　patient　and　the
  downright　practical　character　of　the　doctor。　Clara　secretly
  disliked　her　medical　attendant。　She　submitted　impatiently　to　the
  close　investigation　of　which　he　made　her　the　object。　He
  questioned　herand　she　answered　irritably。　Advancing　a　step
  further　（the　doctor　was　not　easily　discouraged）　he　adverted　to
  the　news　of　the　Expedition；　and　took　up　the　tone　of　remonstrance
  which　had　been　already　adopted　by　Mrs。　Crayford。　Clara　declined
  to　discuss　the　question。　She　rose　with　formal　politeness；　and
  requested　permission　to　return　to　the　house。　The　doctor　attempted
  no　further　resistance。　〃By　all　means；　Miss　Burnham；〃　he　answered；
  resignedlyhaving　first　cast　a　look　at　Mrs。　Crayford　which　said
  plainly；　〃Stay　here　with　me。〃　Clara　bowed　her　acknowledgments　in
  co　ld　silence；　and　left　them　together。　The　doctor's　bright　eyes
  followed　the　girl's　wasted；　yet　still　graceful　figure　as　it
  slowly　receded　from　view；　with　an　expression　of　grave　anxiety
  which　Mrs。　Crayford　noticed　with　grave　misgiving　on　her　side。　He
  said　nothing；　until　Clara　had　disappeared　under　the　veranda　which
  ran　round　the　garden…side　of　the　house。
  〃I　think　you　told　me；〃　he　began；　〃that　Miss　Burnham　has　neither
  father　nor　mother　living？〃
  〃Yes。　Miss　Burnham　is　an　orphan。〃
  〃Has　she　any　near　relatives？〃
  〃No。　You　may　speak　to　me　as　her　guardian　and　her　friend。　Are　you
  alarmed　about　her？〃
  〃I　am　seriously　alarmed。　It　is　only　two　days　since　I　called　here
  last；　and　I　see　a　marked　change　in　her　for　the　worsephysically
  and　morally；　a　change　for　the　worse。　Don't　needlessly　alarm
  yourself！　The　case　is　not；　I　trust；　entirely　beyond　the　reach　of
  remedy。　The　great　hope　for　us　is　the　hope　that　Mr。　Aldersley　may
  still　be　living。　In　that　event；　I　should　feel　no　misgivings　about
  the　future。　Her　marriage　would　make　a　healthy　and　a　happy　woman
  of　her。　But　as　things　are；　I　own　I　dread　that　settled　conviction
  in　her　mind　that　Mr。　Aldersley　is　dead；　and　that　her　own　death　is
  soon　to　follow。　In　her　present　state　of　health　this　idea
  （haunting　her　as　it　certainly　will　night　and　day）　will　have　its
  influence　on　her　body　as　well　as　on　her　mind。　Unless　we　can　check
  the　mischief；　her　last　reserves　of　strength　will　give　way。　If　you
  wish　for　other　advice；　by　all　means　send　for　it。　You　have　my
  opinion。〃
  〃I　am　quite　satisfied　with　your　opinion；〃　Mrs。　Crayford　replied。
  〃For　God's　sake；　tell　me；　what　can　we　do？〃
  〃We　can　try　a　complete　change；〃　said　the　doctor。　〃We　can　remove
  her　at　once　from　this　place。〃
  〃She　will　refuse　to　leave　it；〃　Mrs。　Crayford　rejoined。　〃I　have
  more　than　once　proposed　a　change　to　herand　she　always　says　No。〃
  The　doctor　paused　for　a　moment；　like　a　man　collecting　his
  thoughts。
  〃I　heard　something　on　my　way　here；〃　he　proceeded；　〃which　suggests
  to　my　mind　a　method　of　meeting　the　difficulty　that　you　have　just
  mentioned。　Unless　I　am　entirely　mistaken；　Miss　Burnham　will　not
  say　No　to　the　change　that　I　have　in　view　for　her。〃
  〃What　is　it？〃　asked　Mrs。　Crayford；　eagerly。
  〃Pardon　me　if　I　ask　you　a　question；　on　my　part；　before　I　reply；〃
  said　the　doctor。　〃Are　you　fortunate　enough　to　possess　any
  interest　at　the　Admiralty？〃
  〃Certainly。　My　father　is　in　the　Secretary's　office；　and　two　of
  the　Lords　of　the　Admiralty　are　friends　of　his。〃
  〃Excellent！　Now　I　can　speak　out　plainly　with　little　fear　of
  disappointing　you。　After　what　I　have　said；　you　will　agree　with
  me；　that　the　only　change　in　Miss　Burnham's　life　which　will　be　of
  any　use　to　her　is　a　change　that　will　alter　the　present　tone　of
  her　mind　on　the　subject　of　Mr。　Aldersley。　Place　her　in　a　position
  to　discovernot　by　reference　to　her　own　distempered　fancies　and
  visions；　but　by　reference　to　actual　evidence　and　actual
  factwhether　Mr。　Aldersley　is；　or　is　not；　a　living　man；　and
  there　will　be　an　end　of　the　hyste