"Oh! what is the matter? What has happened?" she cried, wringing her
hands, while her face blanched to a deathly paleness.
"Don't be frightened," returned Claire, smiling feebly. "It was only a
slight fainting fit. I'm over it now."
"That's all, madam," said the men who had brought him home. "He merely
fainted. Don't be alarmed. It's all over."
After receiving the thanks of Claire and his assurances that he needed
nothing further from their kindness, the men retired, and Edward then
made every effort in his power to calm down the feelings of his wife,
who continued weeping. This was no easy task, particularly as he was
unable long to hide the many evidences of serious illness from which
he was suffering. Against his remonstrance, so soon as she saw how
it was with him, Mrs. Claire sent off the domestic for their family
physician; who on learning the causes which led to the condition in
which he found his patient, hesitated not to say that he must, as he
valued his life, give up the night tasks he had imposed upon himself.
"Other men," said Claire, in answer to this, "devote quite as many
hours to business."
"All men are not alike in constitution," returned the physician. "And
even the strongest do not make overdrafts upon the system, without
finding, sooner or later, a deficit in their health-account.
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