CHAPTER VII.
A MISDIRECTED PASSION.
_7th October._ Dear Paul, I take part in your grief from the bottom of my heart.

Allow me, however, to assure you, from the very details of your own letter that your dear mother's illness offers no alarming symptoms whatever.

It is one of those painful but harmless crises which the approach of winter brings back upon her almost invariably every year, as you know.

Patience therefore, and courage, I beseech you.
It requires, my friend, the formal expression of your wishes to induce me to venture upon mingling my petty troubles with your grave solicitude.

As you anticipated in your wisdom and in your kind friendship, it was consolation and not advice that I stood in need of when I received your letter.