,agitated
face
flew
to
her
.
She
held
out
both
hands
piteously
to
him
:
“
O
Alfred
!
”
“
Good
news
!
”
he
panted
.
“
He
is
alive
—
Maxley
has
seen
him
—
I
have
seen
him
—
he
will
be
here
directly
—
my
own
love
,
dry
your
eyes
—
calm
your
fears
—
he
is
safe
—
he
is
well
:
hurrah
!
hurrah
!
”
The
girl
's
pale
face
flushed
red
with
hope
,
then
pale
again
with
emotion
,
then
rosy
red
with
transcendent
joy
.
“
Oh
,
bless
you
!
bless
you
!
”
she
murmured
,
in
her
sweet
gurgle
so
full
of
heart
:
then
took
his
head
passionately
with
both
her
hands
,
as
if
she
was
going
to
kiss
him
:
uttered
a
little
inarticulate
cry
of
love
and
gratitude
over
him
,
then
turned
and
flew
up
the
stairs
,
crying
“
Mamma
!
mamma
!
”
and
burst
into
her
mother
's
room
.
When
two
such
Impetuosities
meet
as
Alfred
and
Julia
,
expect
quick
work
.
What
happened
in
Mrs.
Dodd
's
room
may
be
imagined
:
and
soon
both
ladies
came
hastily
out
to
Alfred
,
and
he
found
himself
in
the
drawing-room
seated
between
them
,
and
holding
a
hand
of
each
,
and
playing
the
man
delightfully
,
soothing
and
assuring
them
.
Julia
believed
him
at
a
word
,
and
beamed
with
unmixed
delight
and
anticipation
of
the
joyful
meeting
.
Mrs.
Dodd
cost
him
more
trouble
:
her
soft
hand
trembled
still
in
his
,
and
she
put
question
upon
question
.
But
when
he
told
her
he
with
his
own
eyes
had
seen
Captain
Dodd
talking
to
Maxley
,
and
gathered
from
Maxley
he
had
been
shipwrecked
on
the
coast
of
France
,
and
lost
his
chronometer
and
his
sextant
,
these
details
commanded
credit
.
Bells
were
rung
:
the
Captain
's
dressing-room
ordered
to
be
got
ready
;
the
cook
put
on
her
mettle
,
and
Alfred
invited
to
stay
and
dine
with
the
long-expected
one
:
and
the
house
of
mourning
became
the
house
of
joy
.
“
And
then
it
was
he
who
brought
the
good
news
,
”
whispered
Julia
to
her
mother
,
“
and
that
is
so
sweet
.
”
“
Yes
,
dear
,
”
said
Mrs.
Dodd
,
“
he
will
make
even
me
love
him
.
The
14
,
000l
.
!
I
hope
that
was
not
lost
in
the
wreck
.
”
“
Oh
,
mamma
!
who
cares
when
his
own
dear
,
sweet
,
precious
life
has
been
in
danger
,
and
is
mercifully
preserved
?
Why
does
he
not
come
?
I
shall
scold
him
for
keeping
us
waiting
.
You
know
I
am
not
a
bit
afraid
of
him
,
though
he
is
papa
.
Indeed
,
I
am
ashamed
to
say
I
govern
him
with
a
rod
of
—
no
matter
what
.
Do
,
do
,
do
let
us
all
three
put
on
our
bonnets
,
and
run
and
meet
him
.
I
want
him
so
to
love
somebody
the
very
first
day
.
”
Mrs.
Dodd
said
,
“
Well
,
wait
a
few
minutes
,
and
then
,
if
he
is
not
here
,
you
two
shall
go
.
I
dare
hardly
trust
myself
to
meet
my
darling
husband
in
the
open
street
.
”
Julia
ran
to
Alfred
:
“
If
he
does
not
come
in
ten
minutes
,
you
and
I
may
go
and
meet
him
.
”
“
You
are
an
angel
,
”
murmured
Alfred
.
“
You
are
another
,
”
said
Julia
haughtily
.
“
Oh
,
dear
,
I
ca
n't
sit
down
,
and
I
do
n't
want
flattery
:
I
want
papa
.
A
waltz
!
a
waltz
!
then
one
can
go
mad
with
joy
without
startling
propriety
.
I
ca
n't
answer
for
the
consequences
if
I
do
n't
let
off
a
little
,
little
happiness
.
”
“
That
I
will
,
”
said
Mrs.
Dodd
;
“
for
I
am
as
happy
as
you
,
and
happier
.
”
She
played
a
waltz
.
Julia
's
eyes
were
a
challenge
:
Alfred
started
up
and
took
her
ready
hand
,
and
soon
the
gay
young
things
were
whirling
round
,
the
happiest
pair
in
England
.
But
in
the
middle
of
the
joyous
whirl
,
Julia
's
quick
ear
,
on
the
watch
all
the
time
,
heard
the
gate
swing
to
:
she
glided
like
an
eel
from
Alfred
's
arm
and
ran
to
the
window
.
Arrived
there
,
she
made
three
swift
vertical
bounds
like
a
girl
with
a
skipping
rope
,
only
her
hands
were
clapping
in
the
air
at
the
same
time
;
then
down
the
stairs
,
screaming
,
“
His
chest
his
chest
!
he
is
coming
,
coming
,
come
!
”
Alfred
ran
after
her
.
Mrs.
Dodd
,
unable
to
race
with
such
antelopes
,
slipped
quietly
out
into
the
little
balcony
.
Julia
had
seen
two
men
carrying
a
trestle
with
a
tarpauling
over
it
,
and
a
third
walking
beside
.
Dodd
's
heavy
sea-chest
had
been
more
than
once
carried
home
this
way
.
She
met
the
men
at
the
door
,
and
overpowered
them
with
questions
:
—
“
Is
it
his
clothes
?
Then
he
was
n't
so
much
wrecked
after
all
.
Is
he
with
you
?
Is
he
coming
directly
?
Why
do
n't
you
tell
me
?
”
The
porters
at
first
wore
the
stolid
impassive
faces
of
their
tribe
;
but
when
this
bright
young
creature
questioned
them
,
brimming
over
with
ardour
and
joy
,
their
countenances
fell
and
they
hung
their
heads
.
The
little
sharp-faced
man
,
who
was
walking
beside
the
others
stepped
forward
to
reply
to
Julia
.
He
was
interrupted
by
a
terrible
scream
from
the
balcony
.
Mrs.
Dodd
was
leaning
wildly
over
it
,
with
dilating
eyes
and
quivering
hand
,
that
pointed
down
to
the
other
side
of
the
trestle
:
“
Julia
!
!
Julia
!
!
”
Julia
ran
round
,
and
stood
petrified
,
her
pale
lips
apart
,
and
all
her
innocent
joy
frozen
in
a
moment
.
The
tarpauling
was
scanty
there
,
and
a
man
's
hand
and
part
of
his
arm
dangled
helpless
out
.
The
hand
was
blanched
,
and
wore
a
well-known
ring
.
CHAPTER
XXI
IN
the
terror
and
confusion
no
questions
were
then
asked
:
Alfred
got
to
David
's
head
,
and
told
Skinner
to
take
his
feet
;
Mrs.
Dodd
helped
,
and
they
carried
him
up
and
laid
him
on
her
bed
.
The
servant
girls
cried
and
wailed
,
and
were
of
little
use
:
Mrs.
Dodd
hurried
them
off
for
medical
aid
,
and
she
and
Julia
,
though
pale
as
ghosts
,
and
trembling
in
every
limb
,
were
tearless
and
almost
silent
,
and
did
all
for
the
best
.
They
undid
a
shirt
button
that
confined
his
throat
:
they
set
his
head
high
,
and
tried
their
poor
little
eau-de-Cologne
and
feminine
remedies
;
and
each
of
them
held
an
insensible
hand
in
both
hers
,
clasping
it
piteously
and
trying
to
hold
him
tight
,
so
that
Death
should
not
take
him
away
from
them
.
“
My
son
,
where
is
my
son
?
”
sighed
Mrs.
Dodd
.
Alfred
threw
his
arm
round
her
neck
:
“
You
have
one
son
here
:
what
shall
I
do
?
”
The
next
minute
he
was
running
to
the
telegraph
office
for
her
.
At
the
gate
he
found
Skinner
hanging
about
,
and
asked
him
hurriedly
how
the
calamity
had
happened
.
Skinner
said
Captain
Dodd
had
fallen
down
senseless
in
the
street
,
and
he
had
passed
soon
after
,
recognised
him
,
and
brought
him
home
:
“
I
have
paid
the
men
,
sir
;
I
would
n't
let
them
ask
the
ladies
at
such
a
time
.
”
“
Oh
,
thank
you
!
thank
you
,
Skinner
!
I
will
repay
you
;
it
is
me
you
have
obliged
.
”
And
Alfred
ran
off
with
the
words
in
his
mouth
.
Skinner
looked
after
him
and
muttered
:
“
I
forgot
him
.
It
is
a
nice
mess
.
Wish
I
was
out
of
it
.
”
And
he
went
back
,
hanging
his
head
,
to
Alfred
's
father
.
Mr.
Osmond
met
him
.
Skinner
turned
and
saw
him
enter
the
villa
.
Mr.
Osmond
came
softly
into
the
room
,
examined
Dodd
's
eye
,
felt
his
pulse
,
and
said
he
must
be
bled
at
once
.
Mrs.
Dodd
was
averse
to
this
.
“
Oh
,
let
us
try
everything
else
first
,
”
said
she
.
But
Osmond
told
her
there
was
no
other
remedy
:
“
All
the
functions
we
rely
on
in
the
exhibition
of
medicines
are
suspended
.
”
Dr.
Short
now
drove
up
,
and
was
ushered
in
.
Mrs.
Dodd
asked
him
imploringly
whether
it
was
necessary
to
bleed
.
But
Dr.
Short
knew
his
business
too
well
to
be
entrapped
into
an
independent
opinion
where
a
surgeon
had
been
before
him
.
He
drew
Mr.
Osmond
apart
,
and
inquired
what
he
had
recommended
:
this
ascertained
,
he
turned
to
Mrs.
Dodd
and
said
,
“
I
advise
venesection
or
cupping
.
”
“
Oh
,
Dr.
Short
,
pray
have
pity
and
order
something
less
terrible
.
Dr.
Sampson
is
so
averse
to
bleeding
.
”
“
Sampson
?
Sampson
?
never
heard
of
him
.
”
“
It
is
the
chronothermal
man
,
”
said
Osmond
.
“
Oh
,
ah
!
but
this
is
too
serious
a
case
to
be
quacked
.
Coma
with
stertor
,
and
a
full
,
bounding
pulse
,
indicates
liberal
bloodletting
.
I
would
try
venesection
;
then
cup
,
if
necessary
,
or
leech
the
temple
.
I
need
not
say
,
sir
,
calomel
must
complete
the
cure
.
The
case
is
simple
,
and
,
at
present
,
surgical
:
I
leave
it
in
competent
hands
.
”
And
he
retired
,
leaving
the
inferior
practitioner
well
pleased
with
him
and
with
himself
;
no
insignificant
part
of
a
physicians
art
.
When
he
was
gone
,
Mr.
Osmond
told
Mrs.
Dodd
that
however
crotchety
Dr.
Sampson
might
be
,
he
was
an
able
man
,
and
had
very
properly
resisted
the
indiscriminate
use
of
the
lancet
:
the
profession
owed
him
much
.
“
But
in
apoplexy
the
leech
and
the
lancet
are
still
our
sheet-anchor
.
”
Mrs.
Dodd
utter
a
faint
shriek
:
“
Apoplexy
!
Oh
,
David
!
Oh
,
my
darling
,
have
you
come
home
for
this
?
”
Osmond
assured
her
apoplexy
was
not
necessarily
fatal
;
provided
the
cerebral
blood-vessels
were
relieved
in
time
by
depletion
.
The
fixed
eye
and
terrible
stertorous
breathing
on
the
one
hand
,
and
the
promise
of
relief
on
the
other
,
overpowered
Mrs.
Dodd
's
reluctance
.
She
sent
Julia
out
of
the
room
on
a
pretext
,
and
then
consented
with
tears
to
David
's
being
bled
.
But
she
would
not
yield
to
leave
the
room
.
No
;
this
tender
woman
nerved
herself
to
see
her
husband
's
blood
flow
,
sooner
than
risk
his
being
bled
too
much
by
the
hard
hand
of
custom
.
Let
the
peevish
fools
,
who
make
their
own
troubles
in
love
,
compare
their
slight
and
merited
pangs
with
this
:
she
was
his
true
lover
and
his
wife
,
yet
there
she
stood
with
eye
horror-stricken
yet
unflinching
,
and
saw
the
stab
of
the
little
lancet
,
and
felt
it
deeper
than
she
would
a
javelin
through
her
own
body
,
and
watched
the
blood
run
that
was
dearer
to
her
than
her
own
.
At
the
first
prick
of
the
lancet
David
shivered
,
and
,
as
the
blood
escaped
,
his
eye
unfixed
,
and
the
pupils
contracted
and
dilated
,
and
once
he
sighed
.
“
Good
sign
that
!
”
said
Osmond
.
“
Oh
,
that
is
enough
,
sir
,
”
said
Mrs.
Dodd
:
“
we
shall
faint
if
you
take
any
more
.
”
Osmond
closed
the
vein
,
observing
that
a
local
bleeding
would
do
the
rest
.
When
he
had
staunched
the
blood
,
Mrs.
Dodd
sank
half
fainting
in
her
chair
.
By
some
marvellous
sympathy
it
was
she
who
had
been
bled
,
and
whose
vein
was
now
closed
.
Osmond
sprinkled
water
on
her
face
;
she
thanked
him
,
and
said
sweetly
,
“
You
see
I
could
not
have
lost
any
more
.
”
When
it
was
over
she
came
to
tell
Julia
;
she
found
her
sitting
on
the
stairs
crying
and
pale
as
marble
.
She
suspected
.
And
there
was
Alfred
hanging
over
her
,
and
in
agony
at
her
grief
:
out
came
his
love
for
her
in
words
and
accents
unmistakable
,
and
this
in
Osmond
's
hearing
and
the
maid
's
.
“
Oh
,
hush
!
hush
!
”
cried
poor
Mrs.
Dodd
,
and
her
face
was
seen
to
burn
through
her
tears
.
And
this
was
the
happy
,
quiet
,
little
villa
of
my
opening
chapters
.
Ah
!
Richard
Hardie
!
Richard
Hardie
!
The
patient
was
cupped
on
the
nape
of
the
neck
by
Mr.
Osmond
,
and
,
on
the
glasses
drawing
,
showed
signs
of
consciousness
,
and
the
breathing
was
relieved
.
These
favourable
symptoms
were
neither
diminished
nor
increased
by
the
subsequent
application
of
the
cupping
needles
.
“
We
have
turned
the
corner
.
”
said
Mr.
Osmond
cheerfully
.
Rap
!
rap
!
rap
!
came
a
telegraphic
message
from
Dr.
Sampson
,
and
was
brought
up
to
the
sick-room
.
“
Out
visiting
patients
when
yours
came
.
In
apoplexy
with
a
red
face
and
stertorous
breathing
,
put
the
feet
in
mustard
bath
and
dash
much
cold
water
on
the
head
from
above
.
On
revival
give
emetic
:
cure
with
sulphate
of
quinine
.
In
apoplexy
with
a
white
face
,
treat
as
for
a
simple
faint
:
here
emetic
dangerous
.
In
neither
apoplexy
bleed
.
Coming
down
by
train
.
”
This
message
added
to
Mrs.
Dodd
's
alarm
;
the
whole
treatment
varied
so
far
from
what
had
been
done
.
She
faltered
her
misgivings
.
Osmond
reassured
her
.
“
Not
bleed
in
apoplexy
!
”
said
he
superciliously
;
“
why
,
it
is
the
universal
practice
.
Judge
for
yourself
.
You
see
the
improvement
.
”
Mrs.
Dodd
admitted
it
.
“
Then
as
to
the
cold
water
,
”
said
Osmond
,
“
I
would
hardly
advise
so
rough
a
remedy
.
And
he
is
going
on
so
well
.
But
you
can
send
for
ice
;
and
meantime
give
me
a
good-sized
stocking
.
”
He
cut
and
fitted
it
adroitly
to
the
patient
's
head
,
then
drenched
it
with
eau-de-Cologne
,
and
soon
the
head
began
to
steam
.
By-and-bye
,
David
muttered
a
few
incoherent
words
,
and
the
anxious
watchers
thanked
God
aloud
for
them
.
At
length
Mr.
Osmond
took
leave
with
a
cheerful
countenance
,
and
left
them
all
grateful
to
him
,
and
with
a
high
opinion
of
his
judgment
and
skill
,
especially
Julia
.
She
said
Dr.
Sampson
was
very
amusing
to
talk
to
,
but
she
should
be
sorry
to
trust
to
that
rash
,
reckless
,
boisterous
man
in
time
of
danger
.
About
two
in
the
morning
a
fly
drove
rapidly
up
to
the
villa
,
and
Sampson
got
out
.
He
found
David
pale
and
muttering
,
and
his
wife
and
children
hanging
over
him
in
deep
distress
.
He
shook
hands
with
them
in
silence
,
and
eyed
the
patient
keenly
.
He
took
the
nightcap
off
,
removed
the
pillows
,
lowered
his
head
,
and
said
quietly
,
“
This
is
the
cold
fit
come
on
:
we
must
not
shut
our
eyes
on
the
pashint
.
Why
,
what
is
this
?
he
has
been
cupped
!
”
And
Sampson
changed
colour
and
his
countenance
fell
.
Mrs.
Dodd
saw
and
began
to
tremble
.
“
I
could
not
hear
from
you
;
and
Dr.
Short
and
Mr.
Osmond
felt
quite
sure
:
and
he
seems
better
.
Oh
,
Dr.
Sampson
,
why
were
you
not
here
?
We
have
bled
him
as
well
.
Oh
,
do
n't
,
do
n't
,
do
n't
say
it
was
wrong
!
He
would
have
died
;
they
said
so
.
Oh
,
David
!
David
!
your
wife
has
killed
you
.
”
And
she
knelt
and
kissed
his
hand
and
implored
his
pardon
,
insensible
.
Julia
clung
sobbing
to
her
mother
,
in
a
vain
attempt
to
comfort
her
.
Sampson
groaned
.
“
No
,
no
,
”
said
he
:
“
do
n't
go
on
so
,
my
poor
soul
;
you
did
all
for
the
best
;
and
now
we
must
make
the
best
of
what
is
done
.
Hartshorn
!
brandy
!
and
caution
!
For
those
two
assassins
have
tied
my
hands
.
”
While
applying
these
timid
remedies
,
he
inquired
if
the
cause
was
known
.
They
told
him
they
knew
nothing
;
but
that
David
had
been
wrecked
on
the
coast
of
France
,
and
had
fallen
down
senseless
in
the
street
:
a
clerk
of
Mr.
Hardie
's
had
recognised
him
,
and
brought
him
home
:
so
Alfred
said
.
“
Then
the
cause
is
mintil
,
”
said
Sampson
,
“
unless
he
got
a
blow
on
the
hid
in
bein
'
wrecked
.
”
'
He
then
examined
David
's
head
carefully
,
and
found
a
long
scar
.
“
But
this
is
not
it
,
”
said
he
;
“
this
is
old
.
”
Mrs.
Dodd
clasped
her
hands
,
and
assured
him
it
was
new
to
her
:
her
David
had
no
scar
there
when
he
left
her
last
.
Pursuing
his
examination
,
Sampson
found
an
open
wound
in
his
left
shoulder
.
He
showed
it
them
;
and
they
were
all
as
pale
as
the
patient
in
a
moment
.
He
then
asked
to
see
his
coat
,
and
soon
discovered
a
corresponding
puncture
in
it
,
which
he
examined
long
and
narrowly
.
“
It
is
a
stab
—
with
a
one-edged
knife
.
”
There
was
a
simultaneous
cry
of
horror
.
“
Do
n't
alarm
yourselves
for
that
,
”
said
Sampson
;
“
it
is
nothing
:
a
mere
flesh-wound
.
It
is
the
vein-wound
that
alarms
me
.
This
school
knows
nothing
about
the
paroxysms
and
remissions
of
disease
.
They
have
bled
and
cupped
him
for
a
passing
fit
.
It
has
passed
into
the
cold
stage
,
but
no
quicker
than
it
would
have
done
without
stealing
a
drop
of
blood
.
To-morrow
,
by
disease
's
nature
,
he
will
have
another
hot
fit
in
spite
of
their
bleeding
.
Then
those
ijjits
would
leech
his
temples
;
and
on
that
paroxysm
remitting
by
the
nature
of
the
disease
,
would
fancy
their
leeches
had
cured
it
.
”
The
words
were
the
old
words
,
but
the
tone
and
manner
was
so
different
:
no
shouting
,
no
anger
:
all
was
spoken
low
and
gently
,
and
with
a
sort
of
sad
and
weary
and
worn-out
air
.
He
ordered
a
kettle
of
hot
water
and
a
quantity
of
mustard
,
and
made
his
preparations
for
the
hot
fit
,
as
he
called
it
,
maintaining
the
intermittent
and
febrile
character
of
all
disease
.
The
patient
rambled
a
good
deal
,
but
quite
incoherently
,
and
knew
nobody
.
But
about
eight
o'clock
in
the
morning
he
was
quite
quiet
and
apparently
sleeping
:
so
Mrs.
Dodd
stole
out
of
the
room
to
order
some
coffee
for
Sampson
and
Edward
.
They
were
nodding
,
worn
out
with
watching
.
Julia
,
whose
high-strung
nature
could
dispense
with
sleep
on
such
an
occasion
,
was
on
her
knees
praying
for
her
father
.
Suddenly
there
came
from
the
bed
,
like
a
thunder-clap
,
two
words
uttered
loud
and
furiously
—
“
HARDIE
!
VILLAIN
!
”
Up
started
the
drowsy
watchers
,
and
rubbed
their
eyes
.
They
had
heard
the
sound
,
but
not
the
sense
.
Julia
rose
from
her
knees
bewildered
and
aghast
:
she
had
caught
the
strange
words
distinctly
—
words
that
were
to
haunt
her
night
and
day
.
They
were
followed
immediately
by
a
loud
groan
,
and
the
stertorous
breathing
recommenced
,
and
the
face
was
no
longer
pale
,
but
flushed
and
turgid
.
On
this
Sampson
hurried
Julia
from
the
room
,
and
,
with
Edward
's
help
,
placed
David
on
a
stool
in
the
bath
,
and
getting
on
a
chair
,
discharged
half
a
bucket
of
cold
water
on
his
head
:
the
patient
gasped
:
another
,
and
David
shuddered
,
stared
wildly
,
and
put
his
hand
to
his
head
;
a
third
,
and
he
staggered
to
his
feet
.
At
this
moment
Mrs.
Dodd
coming
hastily
into
the
room
,
he
looked
steadily
at
her
,
and
said
,
“
Lucy
!
”
She
ran
to
throw
her
arms
round
him
,
but
Sampson
interfered
.
“
Gently
!
gently
!
”
said
he
;
“
we
must
have
no
violent
emotions
.
”
“
Oh
,
no
!
I
will
be
prudent
.
”
And
she
stood
quiet
with
her
arms
still
extended
,
and
cried
for
joy
.
They
got
David
to
bed
again
,
anti
Sampson
told
Mrs.
Dodd
there
was
no
danger
now
from
the
malady
,
but
only
from
the
remedies
.
And
in
fact
David
fell
into
a
state
of
weakness
and
exhaustion
,
and
kept
muttering
unintelligibly
.
Dr.
Short
called
in
the
morning
,
and
was
invited
to
consult
with
Dr.
Sampson
.
He
declined
.
“
Dr.
Sampson
is
a
notorious
quack
:
no
physician
of
any
eminence
will
meet
him
in
consultation
.
”
“
I
regret
that
resolution
,
”
said
Mrs.
Dodd
quietly
,
“
as
it
will
deprive
me
of
the
advantage
of
your
skill
.
”
Dr.
Short
bowed
stifly
.
“
I
shall
be
at
your
service
,
madam
,
when
that
empiric
has
given
the
patient
up
.
”
And
he
drove
away
.
Osmond
,
finding
Sampson
installed
,
took
the
politic
line
;
he
contrived
to
glide
by
fine
gradations
into
the
empiric
's
opinions
,
without
recanting
his
own
,
which
were
diametrically
opposed
.
Sampson
,
before
he
shot
back
to
town
,
asked
him
to
provide
a
good
reliable
nurse
.
He
sent
a
young
woman
of
iron
.
She
received
Sampson
's
instructions
,
and
assumed
the
command
of
the
sick-room
,
and
was
jealous
of
Mrs.
Dodd
and
Julia
,
looked
on
them
as
mere
rival
nurses
,
amateurs
,
who
,
if
not
snubbed
,
might
ruin
the
professionals
.
She
seemed
to
have
forgotten
in
the
hospitals
all
about
the
family
affections
and
their
power
of
turning
invalids
themselves
into
nurses
.
The
second
night
she
got
the
patient
all
to
herself
for
four
hours
,
from
eleven
till
two
.
The
ladies
having
consented
to
this
arrangement
its
order
to
recruit
themselves
for
the
work
they
were
not
so
mad
as
to
intrust
wholly
to
a
hireling
,
nurse
's
feathers
smoothed
themselves
perceptibly
.
At
twelve
the
patient
was
muttering
and
murmuring
incessantly
about
wrecks
,
and
money
,
and
things
:
of
which
vain
babble
nurse
showed
her
professional
contempt
by
nodding
.
At
12.30
she
slept
At
1.20
she
snored
very
loud
,
and
woke
instantly
at
the
sound
.
She
took
the
thief
out
of
the
candle
,
and
went
like
a
good
sentinel
to
look
at
her
charge
.
He
was
not
there
.
She
rubbed
her
eyes
,
and
held
the
candle
over
the
place
where
he
ought
to
be
—
where
,
in
fact
,
he
must
be
;
for
he
was
far
too
weak
to
move
.
She
tore
the
bedclothes
down
:
she
beat
and
patted
the
clothes
with
her
left
hand
,
and
the
candle
began
to
shake
violently
in
her
right
.
The
bed
was
empty
.
Mrs.
Dodd
was
half
asleep
when
a
hurried
tap
came
to
her
door
:
she
started
up
in
a
moment
and
great
dread
fell
on
her
;
was
David
sinking
?
“
Ma'am
!
Ma'am
!
Is
he
here
?
”
“
He
!
Who
?
”
cried
Mrs.
Dodd
,
bewildered
.
“
Why
,
him
!
He
ca
n't
be
far
off
”
In
a
moment
Mrs.
Dodd
had
opened
the
door
,
and
her
tongue
and
the
nurse
's
seemed
to
dash
together
,
so
fast
came
the
agitated
words
from
each
in
turn
;
and
crying
,
“
Call
my
son
!
Alarm
the
house
!
”
Mrs.
Dodd
darted
into
the
sickroom
.
She
was
out
again
in
a
moment
,
and
up
in
the
attics
rousing
the
maids
,
while
the
nurse
thundered
at
Edward
's
door
and
Julia
's
,
and
rang
every
bell
she
could
get
at
.
The
inmates
were
soon
alarmed
,
and
flinging
on
their
clothes
:
meantime
Mrs.
Dodd
and
the
nurse
scoured
the
house
and
searched
every
nook
in
it
down
to
the
very
cellar
:
they
found
no
David
.
But
they
found
something
.
The
street
door
ajar
.
It
was
a
dark
drizzly
night
.
Edward
took
one
road
,
Mrs.
Dodd
and
Elizabeth
another
.
They
were
no
sooner
gone
,
than
Julia
drew
the
nurse
into
a
room
apart
and
asked
her
eagerly
if
her
father
had
said
nothing
.
“
Said
nothing
,
Miss
?
Why
he
was
a-talking
all
the
night
incessant
.
”
“
Did
he
say
anything
particular
?
think
now
.
”
“
No
,
Miss
:
he
went
on
as
they
all
do
just
before
a
change
.
I
never
minds
'
em
;
I
hear
so
much
of
it
.
”
“
Oh
,
nurse
!
nurse
!
have
pity
on
me
;
try
and
recollect
.
”
“
Well
,
Miss
,
to
oblige
you
then
;
it
was
mostly
fights
this
time
—
and
wrecks
—
and
villains
—
and
bankers
—
and
sharks
.
”
“
Bankers
?
?
!
”
asked
Julia
eagerly
.
“
Yes
,
Miss
,
and
villains
,
they
come
once
or
twice
,
but
most
of
the
time
it
was
sharks
,
and
ships
,
and
money
,
and
—
hotch-potch
I
call
it
the
way
they
talk
.
Bless
your
heart
,
they
know
no
better
:
everything
they
ever
saw
,
or
read
,
or
heard
tell
of
—
it
all
comes
out
higgledy-piggledy
just
before
they
goes
off
.
We
that
makes
it
a
business
never
takes
no
notice
of
what
they
says
,
Miss
,
and
never
repeats
it
out
of
one
sick
house
into
another
,
that
you
may
rely
on
.
”
Julia
scarcely
heard
this
:
her
hands
were
tight
to
her
brow
as
if
to
aid
her
to
think
with
all
her
force
.
The
result
was
,
she
told
Sarah
to
put
on
her
bonnet
and
rushed
upstairs
.
She
was
not
gone
three
minutes
,
but
in
that
short
interval
the
nurse
's
tongue
and
Sarah
's
clashed
together
swiftly
and
incessantly
.
Julia
heard
them
.
She
came
down
with
a
long
cloak
on
,
whipped
the
hood
over
her
head
,
beckoned
Sarah
quickly
,
and
darted
out
.
Sarah
followed
instinctively
,
but
ere
they
had
gone
many
yards
from
the
house
,
said
,
“
Oh
,
Miss
,
nurse
thinks
you
had
much
better
not
go
.
”
“
Nurse
thinks
!
Nurse
thinks
!
What
does
she
know
of
me
and
my
griefs
?
”
“
Why
,
Miss
,
she
is
a
very
experienced
woman
,
and
she
says
—
Oh
,
dear
!
oh
,
dear
!
And
such
a
dark
cold
night
for
you
to
be
out
!
”
“
Nurse
?
Nurse
?
What
did
she
say
?
”
“
Oh
,
I
have
n't
the
heart
to
tell
you
:
if
you
would
but
come
back
home
with
me
!
She
says
as
much
as
that
poor
master
's
troubles
will
be
over
long
before
we
can
get
to
him
.
”
And
with
this
Sarah
burst
out
sobbing
.
“
Come
quicker
,
”
cried
Julia
despairingly
.
But
after
a
while
she
said
,
“
Tell
me
;
only
do
n't
stop
me
.
”
“
Miss
,
she
says
she
nursed
Mr.
Campbell
,
the
young
curate
that
died
last
harvest-time
but
one
,
you
know
;
and
he
lay
just
like
master
,
and
she
expecting
a
change
every
hour
:
and
oh
,
Miss
,
she
met
him
coming
down-stairs
in
his
nightgown
:
and
he
said
,
'
Nurse
,
I
am
all
right
now
,
'
says
he
,
and
died
momently
in
her
arms
at
the
stair-foot
.
And
she
nursed
an
old
farmer
that
lay
as
weak
as
master
,
and
just
when
they
looked
for
him
to
go
,
lo
!
and
behold
him
dressed
and
out
digging
potatoes
,
and
fell
down
dead
before
they
could
get
hands
on
him
mostly
:
and
nurse
have
a
friend
,
that
have
seen
more
than
she
have
,
which
she
is
older
than
nurse
,
and
says
a
body
's
life
is
all
one
as
a
rushlight
,
flares
up
strong
momently
just
before
it
goes
out
altogether
.
Dear
heart
!
where
ever
are
we
going
to
in
the
middle
of
the
night
?
”
“
Do
n't
you
see
?
To
the
quay
.
”
“
Oh
,
do
n't
go
there
,
Miss
,
whatever
!
I
ca
n't
abide
the
sight
of
the
water
when
a
body
's
in
trouble
.
”
Here
a
drunken
man
confronted
them
,
and
asked
then
if
they
wanted
a
beau
;
and
on
their
slipping
past
him
in
silence
,
followed
them
,
and
offered
repeatedly
to
treat
them
.
Julia
moaned
and
hurried
faster
.
“
Oh
,
Miss
,
”
said
Sarah
,
“
what
could
you
expect
,
coming
out
at
this
time
of
night
?
I
'm
sure
the
breath
is
all
out
of
me
,
you
do
tear
along
so
.
”
“
Tear
?
we
are
crawling
.
Ah
!
Sarah
,
you
are
not
his
daughter
.
There
,
follow
me
!
I
cannot
go
so
slow
.
”
And
she
set
off
to
run
.
Presently
she
passed
a
group
of
women
standing
talking
at
a
corner
of
the
street
,
and
windows
were
open
with
nightcapped
heads
framed
in
them
.
She
stopped
a
moment
to
catch
the
words
;
they
were
talking
about
a
ghost
which
was
said
to
have
just
passed
down
the
street
,
and
discussing
whether
it
was
a
real
ghost
or
a
trick
to
frighten
people
.
Julia
uttered
a
low
cry
and
redoubled
her
speed
,
and
was
soon
at
Mr.
Richard
Hardie
's
door
;
but
the
street
was
deserted
,
and
she
was
bewildered
,
and
began
to
think
she
had
been
too
hasty
in
her
conjecture
.
A
chill
came
over
her
impetuosity
.
The
dark
,
drizzly
,
silent
night
,
the
tall
masts
,
the
smell
of
the
river
—
how
strange
it
all
seemed
:
and
she
to
be
there
alone
at
such
an
hour
!
Presently
she
heard
voices
somewhere
near
.
She
crossed
over
to
a
passage
that
seemed
to
lead
towards
them
;
and
then
she
heard
the
voices
plainly
,
and
among
them
one
that
did
not
mingle
with
the
others
,
for
it
was
the
voice
she
loved
.
She
started
back
and
stood
irresolute
.
Would
he
be
displeased
with
her
?
Feet
came
trampling
slowly
along
the
passage
.
His
voice
came
with
them
.
She
drew
back
and
looked
round
for
Sarah
.
While
she
stood
fluttering
,
the
footsteps
came
close
,
and
there
emerged
from
the
passage
into
the
full
light
of
the
gas-lamp
Alfred
and
two
policemen
carrying
a
silent
senseless
figure
in
a
night-gown
,
with
a
great-coat
thrown
over
part
of
him
.
It
was
her
father
,
mute
and
ghastly
.
The
policemen
still
tell
of
that
strange
meeting
under
the
gaslight
by
Hardie
's
Bank
;
and
how
the
young
lady
flung
her
arms
round
her
father
's
head
,
and
took
him
for
death
,
and
kissed
his
pale
cheeks
,
and
moaned
over
him
;
and
how
the
young
gentleman
raised
her
against
her
will
,
and
sobbed
over
her
;
and
how
they
,
though
policemen
,
cried
like
children
.
And
to
them
I
must
refer
the
reader
:
I
have
not
the
skill
to
convey
the
situation
.
They
got
more
policemen
to
help
,
and
carried
him
to
Albion
Villa
.
On
the
way
something
cold
and
mysterious
seemed
to
have
come
between
Julia
and
Alfred
.
They
walked
apart
in
gloomy
silence
,
broken
only
by
foreboding
sighs
.
I
pass
over
the
tempest
of
emotions
under
which
that
sad
burden
entered
Albion
Villa
,
and
hurry
to
the
next
marked
event
.
Next
day
the
patient
had
lost
his
extreme
pallor
,
and
wore
a
certain
uniform
sallow
hue
;
and
at
noon
,
just
before
Sampson
's
return
,
he
opened
his
eyes
wide
,
and
fixed
them
on
Mrs.
Dodd
and
Julia
,
who
were
now
his
nurses
.
They
hailed
this
with
delight
,
and
held
their
breath
to
hear
him
speak
to
them
the
first
sweet
words
of
reviving
life
and
love
.
But
soon
,
to
their
surprise
and
grief
,
they
found
he
did
not
know
them
.
They
spoke
to
him
,
each
in
turn
,
and
told
him
piteously
who
they
were
,
and
implored
him
with
tears
to
know
them
and
speak
to
them
.
But
no
;
he
fixed
a
stony
gaze
on
them
that
made
them
shudder
,
and
their
beloved
voices
passed
over
him
like
an
idle
wind
.
Sampson
,
when
he
came
,
found
the
ladies
weeping
by
the
bedside
.
They
greeted
him
with
affection
,
Julia
especially
:
the
boisterous
controversialist
had
come
out
a
gentle
,
zealous
artist
in
presence
of
a
real
danger
.
Dr.
Sampson
knew
nothing
of
what
had
happened
in
his
absence
.
He
stepped
to
the
bedside
cheerfully
,
and
the
ladies
'
eyes
were
bent
keenly
on
his
face
in
silence
.
He
had
no
sooner
cast
eyes
on
David
than
his
countenance
fell
,
and
his
hard
but
expressive
features
filled
with
concern
.
That
was
enough
for
Mrs.
Dodd
.
“
And
he
does
not
know
me
,
”
she
cried
:
“
he
does
not
know
my
voice
.
His
voice
would
call
me
back
from
the
grave
itself
.
He
is
dying
.
He
will
never
speak
to
me
again
.
Oh
,
my
poor
orphan
girl
!
”
“
No
!
no
!
”
said
Samson
,
“
you
are
quite
mistaken
:
he
will
not
die
.
But
—
—
”
His
tongue
said
no
more
.
His
grave
and
sombre
face
spoke
volumes
.
CHAPTER
XXII
To
return
to
the
bank
.
Skinner
came
back
from
the
Dodds
'
that
miserable
afternoon
in
a
state
of
genuine
agitation
and
regret
.
He
was
human
,
and
therefore
mixed
,
and
their
desolation
had
shocked
him
.
The
footman
told
him
Mr.
Hardie
was
not
at
home
;
gone
to
London
,
he
believed
.
Skinner
walked
away
dejected
.
What
did
this
mean
?
Had
he
left
the
country
?
He
smiled
at
his
fears
,
and
felt
positive
Mr.
Hardie
had
misled
the
servants
,
and
was
quietly
waiting
for
him
in
the
bank
parlour
.
It
was
now
dusk
:
he
went
round
to
that
little
dark
nook
of
the
garden
the
parlour
window
opened
on
,
and
tapped
:
there
was
no
reply
;
the
room
looked
empty
.
He
tried
the
sash
:
it
yielded
.
Mr.
Hardie
had
been
too
occupied
with
embezzling
another
's
property
to
take
common
precautions
in
defence
of
his
own
;
never
in
his
life
before
had
he
neglected
to
fasten
the
iron
shutters
with
his
own
hand
,
and
to-day
he
had
left
the
very
window
unfastened
.
This
augured
ill.
“
He
is
off
:
he
has
done
me
along
with
the
rest
,
”
thought
Skinner
.
He
stepped
into
the
room
,
found
a
lucifer-box
,
shut
the
shutters
,
lighted
a
candle
,
and
went
peering
about
amongst
the
banker
's
papers
,
to
see
if
he
could
find
a
clue
to
his
intentions
;
and
,
as
he
pottered
and
peered
,
he
quaked
as
well
:
a
detector
by
dishonest
means
feels
thief-like
,
and
is
what
he
feels
.
He
made
some
little
discoveries
that
guided
him
in
his
own
conduct
;
he
felt
more
and
more
sure
his
employer
would
outwit
him
if
he
could
,
and
resolved
it
should
be
diamond
cut
diamond
.
The
church
clock
struck
one
.
He
started
at
the
hour
,
crept
out
and
closed
the
window
softly
,
then
away
by
the
garden
gate
.
A
light
was
still
burning
in
Alfred
's
room
,
and
at
this
Skinner
had
another
touch
of
compunction
.
“
There
is
one
wo
n't
sleep
this
night
along
of
our
work
,
”
thought
he
.
At
three
next
afternoon
Mr.
Hardie
reappeared
.
He
had
gone
up
to
town
to
change
the
form
of
the
deposit
:
—
He
took
care
to
think
of
it
as
a
deposit
still
,
the
act
of
deposit
having
been
complete
,
the
withdrawal
incomplete
,
and
by
no
fault
of
his
,
for
he
had
offered
it
back
;
but
Fate
and
Accident
had
interposed
.
He
had
converted
the
notes
into
gold
direct
,
and
the
bills
into
gold
through
notes
;
this
was
like
going
into
the
river
to
hide
his
trail
.
Next
process
:
he
turned
his
gold
into
500l
.
notes
,
and
came
flying
home
with
them
.
His
return
was
greeted
by
Skinner
with
a
sigh
of
relief
.
Hardie
heard
it
,
interpreted
it
aright
,
and
sent
for
him
into
the
parlour
,
and
there
told
him
with
a
great
affectation
of
frankness
what
he
had
done
,
then
asked
significantly
if
there
was
any
news
at
Albion
Villa
.
Skinnier
in
reply
told
Mr.
Hardie
of
the
distress
he
had
witnessed
up
at
Albion
Villa
:
“
And
,
sir
,
”
said
he
,
lowering
his
voice
,
“
Mr.
Alfred
helped
carry
the
body
upstairs
.
It
is
a
nice
mess
altogether
,
sir
,
when
you
come
to
think
.
”
“
Ah
!
all
the
better
,
”
was
the
cool
reply
:
“
he
will
be
useful
to
let
us
know
what
we
want
;
he
will
tell
Jane
,
and
Jane
me
.
You
do
n't
think
he
will
live
,
do
you
?
”
“
Live
!
no
:
and
then
who
will
know
the
money
is
here
?
”
“
Who
should
know
?
Did
not
he
say
he
had
just
landed
,
and
been
shipwrecked
?
Shipwrecked
men
do
not
bring
fourteen
thousand
pounds
ashore
.
”
The
speaker
's
eyes
sparkled
:
Skinner
watched
him
demurely
.
“
Skinner
,
”
said
he
solemnly
,
“
I
believe
my
daughter
Jane
is
right
,
and
that
Providence
really
interferes
sometimes
in
the
affairs
of
this
world
.
You
know
how
I
have
struggled
to
save
my
family
from
disgrace
and
poverty
:
those
struggles
have
failed
in
a
great
degree
:
but
Heaven
has
seen
them
,
and
saved
this
money
from
the
sea
,
and
dropped
it
into
my
very
hands
to
retrieve
my
fortunes
with
.
I
must
be
grateful
:
spend
a
portion
of
it
in
charity
,
and
rear
a
noble
fortune
on
the
rest
.
Confound
it
all
!
”
And
his
crestfallen
countenance
showed
some
ugly
misgiving
had
flashed
on
him
quite
suddenly
.
“
What
sir
?
what
?
”
asked
Skinner
eagerly
.
“
The
receipt
!
”
CHAPTER
XXIII
“
THE
receipt
?
Oh
,
is
that
all
?
You
have
got
that
,
”
said
Skinner
very
coolly
.
“
What
makes
you
think
so
?
”
inquired
the
other
keenly
.
He
instantly
suspected
Skinner
of
having
it
.
“
Why
,
sir
,
I
saw
it
in
his
hand
.
”
“
Then
it
has
got
to
Albion
Villa
,
and
we
are
ruined
.
”
“
No
,
no
,
sir
;
you
wo
n't
hear
me
:
I
am
sure
I
saw
it
fall
out
of
his
hand
when
he
was
taken
ill
;
and
I
think
,
but
I
wo
n't
be
sure
,
he
fell
on
it
.
Anyway
,
there
was
nothing
in
his
hands
when
I
delivered
him
at
Albion
Villa
;
so
it
must
be
here
.
I
daresay
you
have
thrown
it
into
a
drawer
or
somewhere
,
promiscuously
.
”
“
No
,
no
,
Skinner
,
”
said
Mr.
Hardie
,
with
increasing
alarm
:
“
it
is
useless
for
us
to
deceive
ourselves
.
I
was
not
three
minutes
in
the
room
,
and
thought
of
nothing
but
getting
to
town
and
cashing
the
bills
.
”
He
rang
the
bell
sharply
,
and
on
Betty
coming
in
,
asked
her
what
she
had
done
with
that
paper
that
was
on
the
floor
.
“
Took
it
up
and
put
it
on
the
table
,
sir
.
This
was
it
,
I
think
.
”
And
she
had
her
finger
upon
a
paper
.
“
No
!
no
!
”
said
Mr.
Hardie
.
“
The
one
I
mean
was
much
smaller
than
that
.
”
“
What
”
said
she
,
with
that
astonishing
memory
for
trifles
people
have
who
never
read
,
“
was
it
a
little
crumpled
up
paper
lying
by
the
basket
?
”
“
Yes
!
yes
!
that
sounds
like
it
.
”
“
Oh
,
I
put
that
into
the
basket
.
”
Mr.
Hardie
's
eye
fell
directly
on
the
basket
,
but
it
was
empty
.
She
caught
his
glance
,
and
told
him
she
had
emptied
it
in
the
dust-hole
as
usual
.
Mr.
Hardie
uttered
an
angry
exclamation
.
Betty
,
an
old
servant
of
his
wife
's
,
resented
it
with
due
dignity
by
tossing
her
head
as
she
retired
.
“
There
is
no
help
for
it
,
”
said
Mr.
Hardie
bitterly
;
“
we
must
go
and
grub
in
the
dust-hole
now
.
”
“
Why
,
sir
,
your
name
is
not
on
it
,
after
all
.
”
“
What
does
that
matter
?
A
man
is
bound
by
the
act
of
his
agent
;
besides
,
it
is
my
form
,
and
my
initials
on
the
back
.
Come
,
let
us
put
a
good
face
on
the
thing
.
”
And
he
led
the
way
to
the
kitchen
,
and
got
up
a
little
laugh
,
and
asked
the
scullery-maid
if
she
could
show
Mr.
Skinner
and
him
the
dust-hole
.
She
stared
,
but
obeyed
,
and
the
pair
followed
her
,
making
merry
.
The
dust-hole
was
empty
.
The
girl
explained
:
“
It
is
the
dustman
's
day
:
he
came
at
eleven
o'clock
in
the
morning
and
carried
all
the
dust
away
:
and
grumbled
at
the
paper
and
the
bones
,
he
did
.
So
I
told
him
beggars
mus
n't
be
choosers
:
just
like
his
impudence
!
when
he
gets
it
for
nothing
,
and
sells
it
for
a
mint
outside
the
town
.
”
The
unwonted
visitors
left
her
in
dead
silence
almost
before
she
had
finished
her
sentence
.
Mr.
Hardie
sat
down
in
his
parlour
thoroughly
discomposed
;
Skinner
watched
him
furtively
.
At
last
the
former
broke
out
:
“
This
is
the
devil
's
doing
:
the
devil
in
person
.
No
intelligence
nor
ability
can
resist
such
luck
.
I
almost
wish
we
had
never
meddled
with
it
:
we
shall
never
feel
safe
,
never
be
safe
.
”
Skinner
made
light
of
the
matter
,
treated
the
receipt
as
thrown
into
the
sea
.
“
Why
,
sir
,
”
said
he
,
“
by
this
time
it
will
have
found
its
way
to
that
monstrous
heap
of
ashes
on
the
London
Road
;
and
who
will
ever
look
for
it
there
,
or
notice
it
if
they
find
it
?
”
Hardie
shook
his
head
:
“
That
monstrous
heap
is
all
sold
every
year
to
the
farmers
.
That
receipt
,
worth
14
,
000l
.
to
me
,
will
be
strewed
on
the
soil
for
manure
;
then
some
farmer
's
man
,
or
some
farmer
's
boy
that
goes
to
the
Sunday-school
,
will
read
it
,
see
Captain
Dodd
's
name
,
and
bring
it
to
Albion
Villa
,
in
hopes
of
a
sixpence
:
a
sixpence
!
Heaven
help
the
man
who
does
a
doubtful
act
and
leaves
damnatory
evidence
on
paper
kicking
about
the
world
.
”
From
that
hour
the
cash
Hardie
carried
in
his
bosom
,
without
a
right
to
it
,
began
to
blister
.
He
thought
of
telling
the
dustman
he
had
lost
a
paper
,
and
setting
him
to
examine
the
mountain
of
ashes
on
the
London
Road
;
but
here
caution
stepped
in
:
how
could
he
describe
the
paper
without
awakening
curiosity
and
defeating
his
own
end
?
He
gave
that
up
.
It
was
better
to
let
the
sleeping
dog
lie
.
Finally
,
he
resolved
to
buy
security
in
a
world
where
after
all
one
has
to
buy
everything
:
so
he
employed
an
adroit
agent
,
and
quietly
purchased
that
mountain
,
the
refuse
of
all
Barkington
.
But
he
felt
so
ill-used
,
he
paid
for
it
in
his
own
notes
:
by
this
means
the
treaty
reverted
to
the
primitive
form
of
barter
—
ashes
for
rags
.
This
transaction
he
concealed
from
his
confederate
.
When
he
had
completed
it
he
was
not
yet
secure
;
for
another
day
had
passed
and
Captain
Dodd
alive
still
.
Men
often
recover
from
apoplexy
,
especially
when
they
survive
the
first
twenty-four
hours
.
Should
he
live
,
he
would
not
now
come
into
any
friendly
arrangement
with
the
man
who
had
so
nearly
caused
his
death
.
So
then
good-bye
to
the
matrimonial
combination
Hardie
had
at
first
relied
on
to
patch
his
debt
to
Alfred
and
his
broken
fortunes
.
Then
as
to
keeping
the
money
and
defying
Dodd
,
that
would
be
very
difficult
and
dangerous
.
Mercantile
bills
are
traceable
things
,
and
criminal
prosecutions
awkward
ones
.
He
found
himself
in
a
situation
he
could
not
see
his
way
through
by
any
mental
effort
;
there
were
so
many
objections
to
every
course
,
and
so
many
to
its
opposite
.
“
He
walked
among
fires
,
”
as
the
Latins
say
.
But
the
more
he
pondered
on
the
course
to
be
taken
should
Dodd
live
,
the
plainer
did
this
dilemma
stare
him
in
the
fade
:
either
he
must
refund
or
fly
the
country
with
another
man
's
money
,
and
leave
behind
him
the
name
of
a
thief
.
Parental
love
and
the
remains
of
self-respect
writhed
at
this
thought
;
and
with
these
combined
a
sentiment
less
genuine
,
but
by
no
means
feeble
:
the
love
of
reputation
.
So
it
was
with
a
reluctant
and
sick
heart
he
went
to
the
shipping
office
,
and
peered
at
the
posters
to
see
when
the
next
ship
sailed
for
the
United
States
.
Still
,
he
did
go
.
Intent
on
his
own
schemes
,
and
expecting
every
day
to
be
struck
in
front
,
he
did
not
observe
that
a
man
in
a
rusty
velveteen
coat
followed
him
,
and
observed
this
act
,
and
indeed
all
his
visible
acts
.
Another
perplexity
was
,
when
he
should
break
?
There
were
objections
to
doing
it
immediately
,
and
objections
to
putting
it
off
.
With
all
this
the
man
was
in
a
ferment
:
by
day
he
sat
waiting
and
fearing
,
by
night
he
lay
sleepless
and
thinking
;
and
,
though
his
stoical
countenance
retained
its
composure
,
the
furrows
deepened
in
it
,
and
the
iron
nerves
began
to
twitch
at
times
,
from
strain
of
mind
and
want
of
sleep
,
and
that
rack
,
suspense
.
Not
a
night
that
he
did
not
awaken
a
dozen
times
from
his
brief
dozes
with
a
start
,
and
a
dread
of
exposure
by
some
mysterious
,
unforeseen
means
.
It
is
remarkable
how
truths
sometimes
flash
on
men
at
night
in
hours
of
nervous
excitement
;
it
was
in
one
of
these
nightly
reveries
David
Dodd
's
pocket-book
flashed
back
upon
Mr.
Hardie
.
He
saw
it
before
his
eyes
quite
plain
,
and
on
the
inside
of
the
leather
cover
a
slip
of
paper
pasted
,
and
written
on
in
pencil
or
pale
ink
,
he
could
not
recall
which
.
What
was
that
writing
?
It
might
be
the
numbers
of
the
notes
,
the
description
of
the
bills
.
Why
had
he
not
taken
it
out
of
the
dying
man
's
pocket
?
“
Fool
!
fool
!
”
he
groaned
,
“
to
do
anything
by
halves
.
”
Another
night
he
got
a
far
severer
shock
.
Lying
in
his
bed
dozing
and
muttering
as
usual
,
he
was
suddenly
startled
out
of
that
uneasy
slumber
by
three
tremendous
knocks
at
the
street
door
.
He
sprang
out
of
bed
,
and
in
his
confusion
made
sure
the
officers
of
justice
were
come
for
him
:
he
began
to
huddle
on
his
clothes
with
a
vague
notion
of
flight
.
He
had
got
on
his
trousers
and
slippers
,
and
was
looking
under
his
pillow
for
the
fatal
Cash
,
when
he
heard
himself
called
loudly
and
repeatedly
by
name
;
but
this
time
the
sound
came
from
the
garden
into
which
his
bedroom
looked
.
He
opened
it
very
softly
,
in
trepidation
and
wonder
,
which
were
speedily
doubled
by
what
met
his
eyes
;
for
there
,
right
in
front
of
his
window
,
stood
an
unearthly
figure
,
corresponding
in
every
particular
to
that
notion
of
a
ghost
in
which
we
are
reared
,
and
which
,
when
our
nerves
are
healthy
,
we
can
ridicule
as
it
deserves
;
but
somehow
it
is
never
cleaned
out
of
our
imagination
so
thoroughly
as
it
is
out
of
our
judgment
.
The
figure
was
white
as
a
sheet
and
seemed
supernaturally
tall
;
and
it
cried
out
in
a
voice
like
a
wounded
lion
's
,
“
You
villain
!
you
Hardie
!
give
me
back
my
money
:
my
fourteen
thousand
pounds
.
Give
me
my
children
's
money
,
or
may
your
children
die
before
your
eyes
:
give
me
my
darlings
'
money
,
or
may
the
eternal
curse
of
God
light
on
you
and
yours
,
you
scoundrel
!
”
And
the
figure
kneeled
on
the
grass
,
and
repeated
the
terrible
imprecation
almost
in
the
same
words
,
with
such
energy
that
Hardie
shrank
back
,
and
,
resolute
as
he
was
,
cowered
,
with
superstitious
awe
.
But
this
sentiment
soon
gave
way
to
vulgar
fears
;
the
man
would
alarm
the
town
.
And
in
fact
Mr.
Hardie
,
in
the
midst
of
his
agitation
,
was
dimly
conscious
of
hearing
a
window
open
softly
not
very
far
from
him
.
But
it
was
a
dark
night
.
He
put
his
head
out
in
great
agitation
,
and
whispered
,
“
Hush
!
hush
!
I
'll
bring
it
you
down
directly
.
”
Internally
cursing
his
hard
fate
,
he
got
the
fatal
Cash
,
put
on
his
coat
,
hunted
for
the
key
of
the
bank
parlour
,
and
,
having
found
it
,
went
softly
down
the
stairs
,
unlocked
the
door
,
and
went
to
open
the
shutters
.
At
this
moment
his
ear
caught
a
murmur
,
a
low
buzzing
of
voices
in
the
garden
.
He
naturally
thought
that
Captain
Dodd
was
exposing
him
to
some
of
the
townspeople
.
He
was
puzzled
what
to
do
,
and
,
like
a
cautious
man
as
he
was
,
remained
passive
but
on
the
watch
.
Presently
the
voices
were
quiet
,
and
he
heard
footsteps
come
very
slowly
towards
the
window
at
which
he
stood
,
and
then
make
for
the
little
gate
.
On
this
he
slipped
into
the
kitchen
,
which
faced
the
street
and
got
to
a
window
there
,
and
listened
.
His
only
idea
was
to
catch
their
intentions
if
possible
,
and
meet
them
accordingly
.
He
dared
not
open
the
window
;
for
about
him
on
the
pavement
he
saw
a
female
figure
half
standing
,
half
crouching
:
but
soon
that
figure
rushed
wildly
out
of
his
sight
to
meet
the
footsteps
,
and
then
he
ventured
to
open
the
window
,
and
listening
,
heard
cries
of
despair
,
and
a
young
heart-broken
voice
say
her
father
was
dead
.
“
Ah
!
!
that
is
all
right
,
”
muttered
Hardie
.
Still
,
even
this
profound
egotist
was
not
yet
so
hardened
but
that
he
felt
one
chill
of
horror
at
himself
for
the
thought
—
a
passing
chill
.
He
listened
and
listened
,
and
by-and-bye
he
heard
the
slow
feet
recommence
their
journey
,
amidst
sobs
and
sights
;
and
those
sorrowful
feet
,
and
the
sobs
and
sighs
of
his
causing
,
got
fainter
,
and
fainter
,
retreated
,
and
left
him
in
quiet
possession
of
the
14
,
000l
.
he
had
brought
down
to
give
it
up
:
two
minutes
ago
it
was
not
worth
as
many
pence
to
him
.
He
drew
a
long
breath
of
relief
.
“
It
is
mine
;
I
am
to
keep
it
.
It
is
the
will
of
Heaven
.
”
Poor
Heaven
!
He
went
to
his
bed
again
,
and
by
a
resolute
effort
composed
himself
and
determined
to
sheep
.
And
in
fact
he
was
just
dropping
off
,
when
suddenly
he
started
wide
awake
again
:
for
it
recurred
to
him
vividly
that
a
window
in
his
house
had
opened
while
David
was
cursing
him
and
demanding
his
children
's
money
.
Whose
window
?
Half-a-dozen
people
and
more
slept
on
that
side
of
the
house
.
Whose
window
could
it
be
?
He
walked
among
fires
.
CHAPTER
XXIV
NOT
many
days
after
this
a
crowd
of
persons
stood
in
front
of
the
old
bank
,
looking
half
stupefied
at
the
shutters
,
and
at
a
piece
of
paper
pasted
on
them
announcing
a
suspension
,
only
for
a
months
or
so
,
and
laying
the
blame
on
certain
correspondents
not
specified
.
So
great
was
the
confidence
inspired
by
the
old
bank
,
that
many
said
it
would
come
round
,
it
must
come
round
in
a
month
:
but
other
of
Mr.
Hardie
's
unfortunate
clients
recognised
in
the
above
a
mere
formula
to
let
them
down
by
degrees
:
they
had
seen
many
statements
as
hopeful
end
in
a
dividend
of
sixpence
in
the
pound
.
Before
the
day
closed
,
the
scene
at
the
bank
door
was
heart-rending
:
respectable
persons
,
reduced
to
pauperism
in
that
day
,
kept
arriving
and
telling
their
fellow-sufferers
their
little
all
was
with
Hardie
,
and
nothing
before
them
but
the
workhouse
or
the
almshouse
:
ruined
mothers
came
and
held
up
their
ruined
children
for
the
banker
to
see
;
and
the
doors
were
hammered
at
,
and
the
house
as
well
as
the
bank
was
beleaguered
by
a
weeping
,
wailing
,
despairing
crowd
.
But
like
an
idle
wave
beating
on
a
rock
,
all
this
human
misery
dashed
itself
in
vain
against
the
banker
's
brick
walls
and
shutters
,
hard
to
them
as
his
very
heart
.
The
next
day
they
mobbed
Alfred
and
hissed
him
at
the
back-door
.
Jane
was
too
ashamed
and
too
frightened
to
stir
out
.
Mr.
Hardie
sat
calmly
putting
the
finishing
strokes
to
his
fabricated
balance-sheet
.
Some
innocent
and
excited
victims
went
to
the
mayor
for
redress
;
to
the
aldermen
,
the
magistrates
—
in
vain
.
Towards
afternoon
the
banker
's
cool
contempt
for
his
benefactors
,
whose
lives
he
had
darkened
,
received
a
temporary
check
.
A
heavy
stone
was
flung
at
the
bank
shutters
:
this
ferocious
blow
made
him
start
and
the
place
rattle
:
it
was
the
signal
for
a
shower
;
and
presently
tink
,
tink
,
went
the
windows
of
the
house
,
and
in
came
the
stones
,
starring
the
mirrors
,
upsetting
the
chairs
,
denting
the
papered
walls
,
chipping
the
mantelpieces
,
shivering
the
bell
glasses
and
statuettes
,
and
strewing
the
room
with
dirty
pebbles
,
and
painted
fragments
,
and
glittering
ruin
.
Hardie
winced
:
this
was
the
sort
of
appeal
to
touch
him
.
But
soon
he
recovered
his
sang
froid
.
“
Thank
you
,
”
said
he
,
“
I
'm
much
obliged
to
you
;
now
I
'm
in
the
right
and
you
are
in
the
wrong
.
”
And
he
put
himself
under
protection
of
the
police
;
and
fee
'd
them
so
royally
that
they
were
zealous
on
his
behalf
and
rough
and
dictatorial
even
with
those
who
thronged
the
place
only
to
moan
and
lament
and
hold
up
their
ruined
children
.
“
You
must
move
on
,
you
Misery
,
”
said
the
police
.
And
they
were
right
:
Misery
gains
nothing
by
stopping
the
way
;
nothing
by
bemoaning
itself
.
But
if
the
banker
,
naturally
egotistical
,
and
now
entirely
wrapped
in
his
own
plans
,
and
fears
,
and
well-earned
torments
,
was
deaf
to
the
anguish
of
his
clients
,
there
were
others
in
his
house
who
felt
it
keenly
and
deeply
.
Alfred
and
Jane
were
heart-broken
:
they
sat
hand
in
hand
in
a
little
room
,
drawn
closer
by
misfortune
,
and
heard
the
groans
at
their
door
;
and
the
