hard cash-第69章

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　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；　don't；　don't；　don'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：　〃don'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　stabwith　a　one…edged　knife。〃

There　was　a　simultaneous　cry　of　horror。

〃Don'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　distinctlywords　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　bewhere；　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　can