The three ladies brought the wounded
hero all manner of good things that sick people are supposed to like or
to be allowed to eat and drink, and Wilkinson was in a _dolce far
niente_ elysium. Little Marjorie, having knocked timidly at the door,
came in with some square gaudily-covered books under her arm, and asked
if Mr. Wilks would like her to read to him. She offered the victim his
choice of "Puss in Boots," "Mother Goose," and "Nursery Rhymes"; but
Miss Du Plessis, who, at the sufferer's request, was looking up in
Wordsworth that cheerful theme, The Churchyard in "The Excursion,"
interposed, saying, some other day, when Mr. Wilkinson had grown
stronger, he might perhaps be able to make a selection from her juvenile
library. Marjorie told her cousin that she was sure, if it had been her
Eugene who was sick, he would have liked her to stay and read to him.
She had told Eugene to marry Cecile, but she would never do so any more;
she would give him all to cousin Marjorie.
The three squires sat in council, and agreed to dismiss the nominal
captives on condition of their promising to appear when wanted as
witnesses.
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