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           Tohissurprisehercolourrose,reluctantlyandduskily.Shelookeddownatthemother-of-pearlopera-glassinhersmoothlyglovedhands,andsaid,afterapause:"WhatdoyoudowhileMayisaway?""Isticktomywork,"heanswered,faintlyannoyedbythequestion.Inobediencetoalong-establishedhabit,theWellandshadleftthepreviousweekforSt.Augustine,where,outofregardforthesupposedsusceptibilityofMr.Welland’sbronchialtubes,theyalwaysspentthelatterpartofthewinter.Mr.Wellandwasamildandsilentman,withnoopinionsbutwithmanyhabits.Withthesehabitsnonemightinterfere;andoneofthemdemandedthathiswifeanddaughtershouldalwaysgowithhimonhisannualjourneytothesouth.Topreserveanunbrokendomesticitywasessentialtohispeaceofmind;hewouldnothaveknownwherehishair-brusheswere,orhowtoprovidestampsforhisletters,ifMrs.Wellandhadnotbeentheretotellhim.Asallthemembersofthefamilyadoredeachother,andasMr.Wellandwasthecentralobjectoftheiridolatry,itneveroccurredtohiswifeandMaytolethimgotoSt.Augustinealone;andhissons,whowerebothinthelaw,andcouldnotleaveNewYorkduringthewinter,alwaysjoinedhimforEasterandtravelledbackwithhim.ItwasimpossibleforArchertodiscussthenecessityofMay’saccompanyingherfather.ThereputationoftheMingotts’familyphysicianwaslargelybasedontheattackofpneumoniawhichMr.Wellandhadneverhad;andhisinsistenceonSt.Augustinewasthereforeinflexible.