Whenallthishadbeendoneshebecamemoreeasyinhermind。Shetalkedprincipallyabouthernephew。“Don’tscoldhim。”shesaid，“ifheisvolatile，andcontinuallytakesthingsuponlytothrowthemdownagain。Howcanhefindouthisstrengthorweaknessotherwise？Aman’sprofession。”shesaid，andhereshegaveoneofherwickedlittlelaughs，“isnotlikehiswife，whichhemusttakeonceforall，forbetterforworse，withoutproofbeforehand。Lethimgohereandthere，andlearnhistruestlikingbyfindingoutwhat，afterall，hecatcheshimselfturningtomosthabitually——thenlethimsticktothis；butIdaresayErnestwillbefortyorfiveandfortybeforehesettlesdown。ThenallhispreviousinfidelitieswillworktogethertohimforgoodifheistheboyI
hopeheis。
“Aboveall。”shecontinued，“donotlethimworkuptohisfullstrength，exceptonceortwiceinhislifetime；nothingiswelldonenorworthdoingunless，takeitallround，ithascomeprettyeasily。TheobaldandChristinawouldgivehimapinchofsaltandtellhimtoputitonthetailsofthesevendeadlyvirtues；“——hereshelaughedagaininheroldmanneratoncesomockingandsosweet——
“IthinkifhelikespancakeshehadperhapsbettereatthemonShroveTuesday，butthisisenough。”Thesewerethelastcoherentwordsshespoke。Fromthattimeshegrewcontinuallyworse，andwasneverfreefromdeliriumtillherdeath——whichtookplacelessthanafortnightafterwards，totheinexpressiblegriefofthosewhoknewandlovedher。
LettershadbeenwrittentoMissPontifex’sbrothersandsisters，andoneandallcamepost-hastetoRoughborough。Beforetheyarrivedthepoorladywasalreadydelirious，andforthesakeofherownpeaceatthelastIamhalfgladsheneverrecoveredconsciousness。