Page:The Tenant of Wildfell Hall (emended first edition), Volume 1.djvu/262

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THE TENANT

And my seeing about it, was to send Fergus next morning, with my mother's compliments, to make the requisite enquiries; for, of course, my going was out of the question—or sending a message, either. He brought back intelligence that the young squire was laid up with the complicated evils of a broken head and certain contusions (occasioned by a fall—of which he did not trouble himself to relate the particulars—and the subsequent misconduct of his horse), and a severe cold, the consequence of lying on the wet ground in the rain; but there were no broken bones, and no immediate prospects of dissolution.

It was evident then, that, for Mrs. Graham's sake, it was not his intention to criminate me.