Hedidnotcoughonceinthecourseofanhour，smiled，kissedKitty’shand，thankingherwithtears，andsaidhewascomfortable，freefrompain，andthathefeltstrongandhadanappetite。Heevenraisedhimselfwhenhissoupwasbrought，andaskedforacutletaswell。Hopelesslyillashewas，obviousasitwasatthefirstglancethathecouldnotrecover，LevinandKittywereforthathourbothinthesamestateofexcitement，happy，thoughfearfulofbeingmistaken。
`Ishebetter？’-`Yes，much。’-`It’swonderful。’-`There’snothingwonderfulinit。’-`Anyway，he’sbetter，’-theysaidinawhisper，smilingtooneanother。
Thisself-deceptionwasnotoflongduration。Thesickmanfellintoaquietsleep，buthewaswakeduphalfanhourlaterbyhiscough。
Andallatonceeveryhopevanishedinthoseabouthimandinhimself。
TherealityofhissufferingcrushedallhopesinLevinandKitty，andinthesickmanhimself，leavingnodoubt，nomemoryevenofpasthopes。