the heir of redclyffe-第110节

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husband　to　like　to　wait　even　to　hear　that　Philip's　opinion　_had_　

altered。　　It　required　much　self…command　not　to　hurry；　even　by　manner；　

her　cousin's　tardy；　languid　movements；　but　she　had　been　well　trained　by　

Charles　in　waiting　on　sick　breakfasts。



When　at　length　she　was　able　to　escape；　she　found　that　Guy　had　

undressed；　and　gone　to　bed　again。　　He　said　he　was　more　comfortable；　and　

desired　her　to　go　and　take　her　own　breakfast　before　coming　back　to　him；　

and　she　obeyed　as　well　as　she　could；　but　very　soon　was　again　with　him。　　

He　looked　flushed　and　oppressed；　and　when　she　put　her　cool　hand　across　

his　forehead；　she　was　frightened　at　the　increased　throbbing　of　his　

temples。



'Amy；'　said　he；　looking　steadily　at　her；　'this　is　the　fever。'



Without　answering；　she　drew　his　hand　into　hers；　and　felt　his　pulse；　

which　did　indeed　plainly　respond　fever。　　Each　knew　that　the　other　was　

recollecting　what　he　had　said；　on　Sunday；　of　the　doctor's　prediction；　

and　Amy　knew　he　was　thinking　of　death；　but　all　that　passed　was　a　

proposal　to　send　at　once　for　the　French　physician。　　Amabel　wrote　her　

note　with　steadiness；　derived　from　the　very　force　of　the　shock。　　She　

could　not　think；　she　did　not　know　whether　she　feared　or　hoped。　　To　act　

from　one　moment　to　another　was　all　she　attempted；　and　it　was　well　that　

her　imagination　did　not　open　to　be　appalled　at　her　own　situationso　

young；　alone　with　the　charge　of　two　sick　men　in　a　foreign　country；　her　

cousin；　indeed；　recovering；　but　helpless；　and　not　even　in　a　state　to　

afford　her　counsel；　her　husband　sickening　for　this　frightful　fever；　and　

with　more　than　ordinary　cause　for　apprehension；　even　without　the　

doctor's　prophecy；　when　she　thought　of　his　slight　frame；　and　excitable　

temperament；　and　that　though　never　as　yet　tried　by　a　day's　illness；　he　

certainly　had　more　spirit　than　strength；　while　all　the　fatigue　he　had　

been　undergoing　was　likely　to　tell　upon　him　now。　　She　did　not　look　

forward；　she　did　not　look　round；　she　did　not　hope　or　fear；　she　

_trusted_；　and　did　her　best　for　each；　as　she　was　wanted；　trying　not　to　

make　herself　useless　to　both；　by　showing　that　she　wished　to　be　in　two　

places　at　once。



It　was　a　day　sufficiently　distressing　in　itself　had　there　been　no　

further　apprehension；　for　there　was　the　restlessness　of　illness；　

working　on　a　character　too　active　and　energetic　to　acquiesce　without　a　

trial　in　the　certainty　that　there　was　no　remedy　for　present　discomfort。　　

There　was　no　impatience　nor　rebellion　against　the　illness　itself；　but　a　

wish　to　try　one　after　another　the　things　that　had　been　effective　in　

relieving　Philip　during　his　recovery。　　At　the　same　time；　he　could　not　

bear　that　Amabel　should　do　anything　to　tire　herself；　and　was　very　

anxious　that　Philip　should　not　be　neglected。　　He　tossed　from　one　side　

to　the　other　in　burning　oppression　or　cold　chills；　Amy　saw　him　looking　

wistful；　suggested　something　by　way　of　alleviation；　then　found　he　had　

been　wishing　for　it；　but　refraining　from　asking　in　order　to　spare　her；　

and　that　he　was　sorry　when　she　procured　it。　　Again　and　again　this　

happened；　she　smoothed　the　coverings；　and　shook　up　the　pillow：　he　would　

thank　her；　look　at　her　anxiously；　beg　her　not　to　exert　herself；　but　

soon　grew　restless；　and　the　whole　was　repeated。



At　last；　as　she　was　trying　to　arrange　the　coverings；　he　exclaimed；



'I　see　how　it　is。　　This　is　impatience。　　Now；　I　will　not　stir　for　an　

hour；'　and　as　he　made　the　resolution；　he　smiled　at　treating　himself　so　

like　a　child。　　His　power　of　self…restraint　came　to　his　aid；　and　long　

before　the　hour　was　over　he　had　fallen　asleep。



This　was　a　relief；　yet　that　oppressed；　flushed；　discomposed　slumber；　

and　heavy　breathing　only　confirmed　her　fears　that　the　fever　had　gained　

full　possession　of　him。　　She　had　not　the　heart　to　write　such　tidings；　

at　least　till　the　physician　should　have　made　them　too　certain；　nor　

could　she　even　bear　to　use　the　word　'feverish；'　in　her　answers　to　the　

anxious　inquiries　Philip　made　whenever　she　went　into　his　room；　though　

when　he　averted　his　face　with　a　heavy　sigh；　she　knew　his　conclusion　was　

the　same　as　her　own。



The　opinion　of　the　physician　was　the　only　thing　wanting　to　bring　home　

the　certainty；　and　that　fell　on　her　like　lead　in　the　evening；　with　one　

comfort；　however；　that　he　thought　it　a　less　severe　case　than　the　former　

one。　　It　was　a　great　relief；　too；　that　there　was　no　wandering　of　mind；　

only　the　extreme　drowsiness　and　oppression；　and　when　Guy　was　roused　by　

the　doctor's　visit；　he　was　as　clear　and　collected　as　possible；　making　

inquiries　and　remarks；　and　speaking　in　a　particularly　calm　and　quiet　

manner。　　As　soon　as　the　doctor　was　gone；　he　looked　up　to　Amabel；　

saying；　with　his　own　smile；　only　very　dim；



'It　would　be　of　no　use；　and　it　would　not　be　true；　to　say　I　had　rather　

you　did　not　nurse　me。　　The　doctor　hopes　there　is　not　much　danger　of　

infection；　and　it　is　too　late　for　precautions。'



'I　am　very　glad；'　said　Amy。



'But　you　must　be　wise；　and　not　hurt　yourself。　　Will　you　promise　me　not　

to　sit　up？'



'It　is　very　kind　of　you　to　tell　me　nothing　worse；'　said　she；　with　a　sad　

submissiveness。



He　smiled　again。　　'I　am　very　sorry　for　you；'　he　said；　looking　very　

tenderly　at　her。　　'To　have　us　both　on　your　hands　at　once！　　But　it　comes　

straight　from　Heaven；　that　is　one　comfort；　and　you　made　up　your　mind　to　

such　things　when　you　took　me。'



Sadness　in　his　eye；　a　sweet　smile　on　his　lip；　and　serenity　on　his　brow；　

joined　with　the　fevered　cheek；　the　air　of　lassitude；　and　the　panting；　

oppressed　breath；　there　was　a　strange；　melancholy　beauty　about　him；　and　

while　Amy　felt　an　impulse　of　ardent；　clinging　affection　to　one　so　

precious　to　her；　there　was　joined　with　it　a　sort　of　awe　and　veneration　

for　one　who　so　spoke；　looked；　and　felt。　　She　hung　over　him；　and　

sprinkled　him　with　Eau…de…Cologne；　then　as　his　hair　teased　him　by　

falling　into　his　eyes；　he　asked　her　to　cut　the　front　lock　off。　　There　

was　something　sad　in　doing　this；　for　that　'tumble…down　wave；'　as　

Charlotte　called　it；　was　rather　a　favourite　of　Amy's；　it　always　seemed　

to　have　so　much　sympathy　with　his　moods；　and　it　was　as　if　parting　with　

it　was　resigning　him　to　a　long　illness。　　However；　it　was　too　

troublesome　not　to　go；　and　he　looked　amused　at　the　care　with　which　she　

folded　up　the　glossy；　brown　wave；　and　treasured　it　in　her　dressing…

case；　then　she　read　to　him　a　few　verses　of　a　psalm；　and　he　soon　fell　

into　another　doze。



There　was　little　more　of　event；　day　after　day。　　The　fever　never　ran　as　

high　as　in　Philip's　case；　and　there　was　no　delirium。　　There　was　almost　

constant　torpor；　but　when　for　any　short　space　he　was　thoroughly　

awakened；　his　mind　was　perfectly　clear；　though　he　spoke　little；　and　

then　only　on　the　subject　immediately　presented　to　him。　　There　he　lay　

for　one　quiet　hour　after　another；　while　Amy　sat　by　him；　with　as　little　

consciousness　of　time　as　he　had　himself；　looking　neither　forward　nor　

backward；　only　to　the　present；　to　give　him　drink；　bathe　his　face　and　

hands；　arrange　his　pillows；　or　read　or　repeat　some　soothing　verse。　　It　

always　was　a　surprise　when　meal　times　summoned　her　to　attend　to　Philip；　

when　she　was　asked　for　the　letters　for　the　post；　when　evening　twilight　

gathered　in；　or　when　she　had　to　leave　the　night…watch　to　Arnaud；　and　go　

to　bed　in　the　adjoining　room。



This　was　a　great　trial；　but　he　would　not　allow　her　to　sit　up；　and　her　

own　sense　showed　her　that　if　this　was　to　be　a　long　illness；　it　would　

not　do　to　waste　her　strength。　　She　knew　he　was　quiet　at　night；　and　her　

trustful　temper　so　calmed　and　supported　her；　that　she　was　able　to　

sleep；　and　thus　was　not　as　liable　to　be　overworked　as　might　have　been　

feared；　and　as　Philip　thought　she　must　be。



She　always　appeared　in　his　room　with　her　sweet　face　mournful　and　

anxious；　but　never　ruffled；　or　with　any　air　of　haste　or　discomfiture；　

desirous　as　she　was　to　return　to　her　husband；　for；　though　he　frequently　

sent　her　to　take　care　of　herself　or　of　Philip；　she　knew　that　while　she　

was　away　he　always　grew　more　restless　and　uncomfortable；　and　his　look　

of　relief　at　her　re…entrance　said　as　much　to　her　as　a　hundred　

complaints　of　her　absence　would　have　done。



Philip　was　in　the　meantime　sorely　tried　by　being　forced　to　be　entirely　

inactive　and　dependent；　while　he　saw　Amabel　in　such　need　of　assistance；　

and　so　far　from　being　able　to　requite　Guy's　care；　he　could　only　look　on　

himself　as　the　cause　of　their　distress；　and　an　addition　to　ita　

burthen　instead　of　a　help。　　If　he　had　been　told　a　little　while　ago　what　

would　be　the　present　state　of　things；　he　would　almost　have　laughed　the　

speaker　to　scorn。　He　would　never　have　thought　a　child　as　competent　as　

Amy　to　the　sole　management　of　two　sick　persons；　and　he　not　able　either　

to　advise　or　cheer　her。　　Yet　he　could　not　see　anything　went　wrong　that　

depended　on　her。　　His　comforts　were　so　cared　for；　that　he　w