In the latter connection he was also reminded of that unhappy victim of unrequited affection, Edward Silk.
It was early to go indoors, and the house was dull.

He turned and retraced his steps, and, his thoughts reverting to his sick partner, smiled as he remembered remarks which that irresponsible person had made at various times concerning the making of his last will and testament.
Then he came to a sudden standstill as a wild, forlorn-hope kind of idea suddenly occurred to him.

He stood for some time thinking, then walked a little way, and then stopped again as various difficulties presented themselves for solution.

Finally, despite the lateness of the hour, he walked back in some excitement to the house he had quitted over half an hour before with the intention of speaking to the invalid concerning a duty peculiarly incumbent upon elderly men of means.
The nurse, who came out of the sick room, gently closing the door after her, demurred a little to this second visit, but, receiving a promise from the visitor not to excite the invalid, left them together.

The odour of the abominable physic was upon the air.
"Well ?" said the invalid.
"I have been thinking that I was rather uncivil a little while ago," said Hardy.
"Ah!" said the other.