The gentlemen went away together, and Gilbert, grasping her hand,
gave way to one of his effusions of affection--'So kind to come to
him--he knew he had her to trust to, whatever happened'--and he leant
his cheek on his hand in a melancholy mood.
'Don't be so piteous, Gibbie,' she said. 'You were quite right to
tell us you were not well, only you need not have been so very
doleful, I don't like papa to be frightened.'
'I thought it was no use to go on in this way,' said Gilbert, with a
cough: 'it was the old thing over again, and nobody would believe I
had anything the matter with me.'
And he commenced a formidable catalogue of symptoms which satisfied
her that Maurice would think him fully justified. Just at a point
where it was not easy to know what next to say, the kitten began to
play tricks with her mother's tail, and a happy diversion was made;
Gilbert began to exhibit the various drolleries of the animals, to
explain the friendship between dog and cat, and to leave off coughing
as he related anecdotes of their sagacity; and finally, when the
gentlemen returned, laughing was the first sound they heard, and Mrs.
Kendal was found sitting on the floor at play with the livestock.
They had come to fetch her to see the church and schools, and on
going out, she found that Mr. Ferrars had moved and carried that
Gilbert should be taken home at once, and, on the way, be shown to a
physician at the county town.
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