'You, that have not been near me all day, and wouldn't have been if I was dying!' 'My dear Martha--' said Gabriel.
Mrs Varden turned over to the next page; then went back again to the bottom line over leaf to be quite sure of the last words; and then went on reading with an appearance of the deepest interest and study.
'My dear Martha,' said the locksmith, 'how can you say such things, when you know you don't mean them?
If you were dying! Why, if there was anything serious the matter with you, Martha, shouldn't I be in constant attendance upon you ?' 'Yes!' cried Mrs Varden, bursting into tears, 'yes, you would.

I don't doubt it, Varden.

Certainly you would.

That's as much as to tell me that you would be hovering round me like a vulture, waiting till the breath was out of my body, that you might go and marry somebody else.' Miggs groaned in sympathy--a little short groan, checked in its birth, and changed into a cough.

It seemed to say, 'I can't help it.