oppressed air, as if the faculties were deadened and burnt up, though
her hand was cold and trembling. Her hair, still in its elaborate
arrangement, hung loose, untidy, untouched; her collar and sleeves
were soiled and tumbled; her dress, with its inconvenient machinery
of inflation, looked wretched from its incongruity, and the stains on
the huge hanging sleeves. Not a moment could have been given to the
care of her own person, since the sole burthen of nursing had so
grievously and suddenly descended on her.

Mary's first instinct was to pour out some warm water, and bringing
it with a sponge, to say, 'Would not this refresh you?'

Averil moved petulantly; but the soft warm stream was so grateful to
her burning brow, that she could not resist; she put her head back,
and submitted like a child to have her face bathed, saying, 'Thank
you.'

Mary then begged to remove her tight heavy dress, and make her
comfortable in her dressing-gown.

'Oh, I can't! Then I could not go back.'

'Yes, you could; this is quite a dress; besides, one can move so much
more quietly without crinoline.'

'I didn't think of that;' and she stood up, and unfastened her hooks.
'Perhaps Dr. May would let me go back now!' as a mountain of mohair
and scarlet petticoat remained on the floor, upborne by an over-grown
steel mouse-trap.