You will soon be better.' He held her by the hand.
'No, no, no!' she said, with a stare.

'O, how can this be ?' Nicholas was alarmed and perplexed, but the disclosure was not long delayed.

When she had sat up, and by degrees made the stunning event known to him, he stood as if transfixed.
'Ah--is it so ?' said he.

Then, becoming quite meek, 'And why was he so cruel as to--delay his return till now ?' She dutifully recited the explanation her husband had given her through the messenger; but her mechanical manner of telling it showed how much she doubted its truth.

It was too unlikely that his arrival at such a dramatic moment should not be a contrived surprise, quite of a piece with his previous dealings towards her.
'But perhaps it may be true--and he may have become kind now--not as he used to be,' she faltered.