It does not do to shake hour-glasses at his age, and though he had been acclimated here by an eleven years' residence, still--well; there was nothing for it but to keep him here.
He sighs a little still that it 'does not agree with him,' and that Florence is a 'very ugly town,' and so on; but still he is evidently much stronger than when he went to Siena, can walk for an hour together (instead of failing at the end of the street), and looks quite vigorous with his snow-white beard and moustache, through which the carnivorous laugh runs and rings.

He doesn't know yet we are going away.

He will miss Robert dreadfully.

Robert's goodness to him has really been apostolical.

And think of the effect of a goodness which can quote at every turn of a phrase something from an author's book! Isn't it more bewitching than other goodnesses?
To certain authors, that is....
Dearest Fanny, keep up your spirits, _do_.