Allherhelpfulnesswassoontobeneeded。Thedisease，whichhadlingeredmorethanusualintheearlystages，suddenlyapproachedacrisis。ThatnightMrs。MaynardgrewsomuchworsethatGracesentLibbyatdaybreakforDr。Mulbridge；andtheyoungman，afterleadingouthisownmaretoseeifherlamenesshadabated，ruefullyputherbackinthestable，andsetofftoCorbitantwiththesplay-footatarateofspeedunparalleled，probably，intheanimal’srecollectionofalongandusefullife。Inthetwoanxiousdaysthatfollowed，LibbyandGracewereassociatedinthefreedomofacommoninterestoutsideofthemselves；
shewenttohimforhelpandsuggestion，andhegavethem，asifnothinghadpassedtorestrictorembarrasstheirrelations。Therewasthat，infact，intheaweofthetimeandaninvoluntarydisoccupationofhersthatthrewthemtogetherevenmoreconstantlythanbefore。Dr。Mulbridgeremainedwithhispatientwellintotheforenoon；intheafternoonhecameagain，andthatnighthedidnotgoaway。HesupersededGraceasanursenolesscompletelythanhehaddisplacedherasaphysician。Heletherrelievehimwhenheflunghimselfdownforafewminutes’sleep，orwhenhewentoutforthehugemealswhichhedevoured，preferringtheunwholesomethingswithadepravityshockingtothetenderphysicalconsciencesoftheladieswholookedon；butwhenhereturnedtohischarge，heshowedhimselfjealousofallthatGracehaddoneinvolvingtheexerciseofmorethanaservilediscretion。Whensheaskedhimonceiftherewerenothingelsethatshecoulddo，hesaid，\"fires，keepthosewomenandchildrenquiet，\"inatonethatclassedherwithboth。ShelongedtoaskhimwhathethoughtofMrs。Maynard’scondition；butshehadnotthecouragetoinvoketheintelligencethatignoredhersocompletely，andshestruggledinsilencewithsuchdishearteningauguriesashertheoreticalscienceenabledhertomake。
ThenextdaywasaSunday，andtheSabbathhushwhichalwayshungoverJocelyn’swasintensifiedtothesenseofthosewhoachedbetweenhopeandfearforthelifethatseemedtowaverandflickerinthatstillair。
Dr。Mulbridgewatchedbesidehispatient，notingeverychangewithawaryintelligencewhichnofactescapedandnoanxietyclouded；alert，gentle，prompt；sufferingnoquestion，andabsolutelysilentastoallimpressions。HeallowedGracetoremainwithhimwhensheliked，andletherdohisbiddinginminormatters；butwhenfromtimetotimesheescapedfromtheintolerabletensioninwhichhisreticenceandherownfearheldher，hedidnotseemtoseewhethershewentorcame。TowardnightfallshemethimcomingoutofMrs。Maynard’sroom，asshedrewnearinthenarrowcorridor。
\"Whereisyourfriend——theyoungman——theonewhosmokes？\"heasked，asifnothingunusualhadoccupiedhim。\"Iwanthimtogivemeacigar。\"