time visiting England, whither he advised them to journey whilst the weather continued favourable.
Isabella was somewhat relieved when her good friend had departed; for so much was she comforted by the presence of her husband, and so pleasantly did she perceive thoughts and feelings travelling on toward the haven she desired for her beloved sister, that she could scarcely bear to think of any change. In fact, "her soul had its content so absolute," whilst listening to her husband's description of what he had seen most remarkable in Sicily, or in witnessing his unwearied pains to gain the confidence of his child, and, having done so, play with him by the hour together, that, although both herself and sister had been wont to spend whole days in expatiating on the pleasures of returning to England, and again meeting those dear ones, from whom they had been so long separated, and, by some medium or other, helping mamma in those troubles which were sure to arise, that she now dreaded to speak of change, lest the happy rest which be longed to her situation should be revoked; she did not know that the delicacy of her own appearance was such as to render her husband and sister fearful of fatiguing her by removal, for she had been formerly of so very little estimation, she had no idea of the extent of her importance at present.
