they will exclaim when they see me . But it is not everybody who has a wife as clever as mine . ' Meanwhile the other wife was not idle . As soon as her husband entered she looked at him with such a look of terror that the poor man was quite frightened . ` Why do you stare at me so ? Is there anything the matter ? ' asked he . ` Oh ! go to bed at once , ' she cried ; ` you must be very ill indeed to look like that ! ' The man was rather surprised at first , as he felt particularly well that evening ; but the moment his wife spoke he became quite certain that he had something dreadful the matter with him , and grew quite pale . ' I dare say it would be the best place for me , ' he answered , trembling ; and he suffered his wife to take him upstairs , and to help him off with his clothes . ` If you sleep well during the might there MAY be a chance for you , ' said she , shaking her head , as she tucked him up warmly ; ` but if not -- ' And of course the poor man never closed an eye till the sun rose . ` How do you feel this morning ? ' asked the woman , coming in on tip-toe when her house-work was finished . ` Oh , bad ; very bad indeed , ' answered he ; ' I have not slept for a moment . Can you think of nothing to make me better ? ' ' I will try everything that is possible , ' said the wife , who did not in the least wish her husband to die , but was determined to show that he was more foolish that the other man . ' I will get some dried herbs and make you a drink , but I am very much afraid that it is too late . Why did you not tell me before ? ' ' I thought perhaps the pain would go off in a day or two ; and , besides , I did not want to make you unhappy , ' answered the man , who was by this time quite sure he had been suffering tortures , and had borne them like a hero .
` Of course , if I had had any idea how ill I really was , I should have spoken XXXXX once . '
as at before besides by if of till to with