It was not so very long, and yet it seemed hours before Miss Mewlstone came down to her.
"Are you here, my dear?" she asked, in a loud whisper, for the room was dark. "Ah, just so. We must have lights, and I must give you a glass of wine or a nice hot cup of coffee." And, notwithstanding Phillis's protest that she never took wine and was not in need of anything, Miss Mewlstone rang the bell, and desired the footman to bring in the lamp. "And tell Bishop to send up some nice hot coffee and sandwiches as soon as possible. For young people never know what they want, and you are just worried and tired to death with all you have gone through,--not being an old woman and seasoned to it like me," went on the good creature, and she patted Phillis's cheek encouragingly as she spoke.
"But how is she? Oh, thank God, the storm has lulled at last!" exclaimed the girl, breathlessly.
"Oh, yes; the storm is over. We have reason to dread storms in this house," returned Miss Mewlstone, gravely. "She was quite exhausted, and let Charlotte and me help her to bed. Now she has had her composing-draught, and Charlotte will sit by her till I go up. I always watch by her all night after one of these attacks."
"Is it a nervous attack?" asked Phillis, timidly, for she felt she was treading on delicate ground.
"I believe Dr. Parkes calls it hysteria," replied Miss Mewlstone, hesitating a little. "Ah, we have sad times with her. You heard what she said, poor dear: she has been sorely tried."
"I am sure he meant to be kind," returned Miss Mewlstone, sorrowfully, "for he loved her dearly; but he was passionate and masterful, and was one that would have his way. As long as it was only courtship, he worshipped the ground she walked upon, as the saying is. But poor Magdalene was not a good wife. She was cold when she ought to have been caressing, stubborn when she might have yielded; and sarcasm never yet healed a wound. Ah, here comes your coffee! Thank you, Evans. Now, my dear, you must just eat and drink, and put some color into those pale cheeks. Scenes like these are not good for young creatures like you. But when Magdalene is in these moods, she would not care if the whole world listened to her. To-morrow she will be herself, and remember and be ashamed; and then you must not mind if she be harder and colder than ever. She will say bitter things all the more, because she is angered at her own want of self-control."