I was frightened when I heard her name; but you see
we've got through it without much harm."
A week passed by, and still the Duke was living. But now he was too
weak to be moved from one room to another, and Madame Goesler passed
two hours each day sitting by his bedside. He would lie with his hand
out upon the coverlid, and she would put hers upon it; but very few
words passed between them. He grumbled again about the Trumpeton
Woods, and Lord Chiltern's interference, and complained of his
nephew's indifference. As to himself and his own condition, he seemed
to be, at any rate, without discomfort, and was certainly free from
fear. A clergyman attended him, and gave him the sacrament. He took
it,--as the champagne prescribed by Sir Omicron, or the few mouthfuls
of chicken broth which were administered to him by the old lady with
the smart cap; but it may be doubted whether he thought much more of
the one remedy than of the other. He knew that he had lived, and that
the thing was done. His courage never failed him.
Pages:
397
398
399
400
401
402
403
404
405
406
407
408
409
410
411
412
413
414
415
416
417
418
419
420
421