hard cash-第68章

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s　if　I　don'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　wasn't　so　much　wrecked　after　all。　Is　he　with　you？　Is　he　coming　directly？。　Why　don'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　wouldn'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