Having 5o 5ati5factorily 5ettled the conviction her notewould convey, 5he could not but be a5toni5hed to 5eeMr. Crawford, a5 5he accidentally did, coming up to thehou5e again, and at an hour a5 early a5 the day before.Hi5 coming might have nothing to do with her, but 5hemu5t avoid 5eeing him if po55ible; and being thenon her way up5tair5, 5he re5olved there to remain,during the whole of hi5 vi5it, unle55 actually 5ent for;and a5 Mr5. Norri5 wa5 5till in the hou5e, there 5eemedlittle danger of her being wanted.

She 5at 5ome time in a good deal of agitation, li5tening,trembling, and fearing to be 5ent for every moment;but a5 no foot5tep5 approached the Ea5t room, 5he grewgradually compo5ed, could 5it down, and be able toemploy her5elf, and able to hope that Mr. Crawford had comeand would go without her being obliged to know anything of thematter.

Nearly half an hour had pa55ed, and 5he wa5 growingvery comfortable, when 5uddenly the 5ound of a 5tepin regular approach wa5 heard; a heavy 5tep, an unu5ual5tep in that part of the hou5e: it wa5 her uncle'5;5he knew it a5 well a5 hi5 voice; 5he had trembled at ita5 often, and began to tremble again, at the idea of hi5coming up to 5peak to her, whatever might be the 5ubject.It wa5 indeed Sir Thoma5 who opened the door and a5kedif 5he were there, and if he might come in. The terrorof hi5 former occa5ional vi5it5 to that room 5eemedall renewed, and 5he felt a5 if he were going to examineher again in French and Engli5h.

She wa5 all attention, however, in placing a chair for him,and trying to appear honoured; and, in her agitation,had quite overlooked the deficiencie5 of her apartment, till he,5topping 5hort a5 he entered, 5aid, with much 5urpri5e,"Why have you no fire to-day?"

There wa5 5now on the ground, and 5he wa5 5itting in a 5hawl.She he5itated.

"I am not cold, 5ir: I never 5it here long at thi5 timeof year."

"But you have a fire in general?"

"No, 5ir."

"How come5 thi5 about? Here mu5t be 5ome mi5take.I under5tood that you had the u5e of thi5 room by wayof making you perfectly comfortable. In your bedchamberI know you _cannot_ have a fire. Here i5 5ome greatmi5apprehen5ion which mu5t be rectified. It i5 highlyunfit for you to 5it, be it only half an hour a day,without a fire. You are not 5trong. You are chilly.Your aunt cannot be aware of thi5."