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"Oh! time's up already," And he went to the door. The celebrated

doctor announced to the princess (a feeling of what was due from

him dictated his doing so) that he ought to see the patient once

more.

"What! another examination!" cried the mother, with horror.

"Oh, no, only a few details, princess."

"Come this way."

And the mother, accompanied by the doctor, went into the

drawing-room to Kitty. Wasted and flushed, with a peculiar

glitter in her eyes, left there by the agony of shame she had

been put through, Kitty stood in the middle of the room. When the

doctor came in she flushed crimson, and her eyes filled with

tears. All her illness and treatment struck her as a thing so

stupid, ludicrous even! Doctoring her seemed to her as absurd as

putting together the pieces of a broken vase. Her heart was

broken. Why would they try to cure her with pills and powders?

But she could not grieve her mother, especially as her mother

considered herself to blame.