After a few preliminary words on either side, Mr. Merrick sent the
landlady into the bedroom to see if his patient was awake or asleep.
The woman returned, and said she was "betwixt the two, light in the
head again, and burning hot." The doctor went at once into the bedroom,
telling the landlady to follow him, and to close the door behind her.
A weary time passed before he came back into the front room. When he
re-appeared, his face spoke for him, before any question could be asked.
"Is it a serious illness?" said Kirke his voice sinking low, his eyes
anxiously fixed on the doctor's face.
"It is a _dangerous_ illness," said Mr. Merrick, with an emphasis on the
word.
He drew his chair nearer to Kirke and looked at him attentively.
"May I ask you some questions which are not strictly medical?" he
inquired.
Kirke bowed.
"Can you tell me what her life has been before she came into this house,
and before she fell ill?"
"I have no means of knowing. I have just returned to England after a
long absence."
"Did you know of her coming here?"
"I only discovered it by accident."
"Has she no female relations? No mother? no sister? no one to take care
of her but yourself?"
"No one--unless I can succeed in tracing her relations.
Pages:
1132
1133
1134
1135
1136
1137
1138
1139
1140
1141
1142
1143
1144
1145
1146
1147
1148
1149
1150
1151
1152
1153
1154
1155
1156