The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1858-11-11
CHAPTER XIlI-Continued.

IN some degree, to take his case under his
own consideration and his opinion, as well
as Sister Marys, was very encouraging to
himself and to Constance. 1t was further
confirmed by that of DR.. Coffin, the physician
who had been with him the night before in poor
1obbinss cabin, and who looked in upon him
IN the course of the morning, in great amaze
ment and some wrath, at seeing his late able,
active. and blooming assistant, so quickly turned
into a pallid, meek-faced, helpless patient He
Was much struck by the spectacle of Herman's
resignation, which certainly was most edifying
II. WAS exceedingly kind, and ready to do all
That he could but he was very busy and hur
Red. and his fingers were much bigger than
St-r Mary's, and his touch harder and heav-
Ter 50 that Herman was glad, on more accounts
than one. to hear him compliment her merrily
upon hor skill, and declare that she had done
and was doing all that was necessary, and that
unless the symptoms changed, or she desired a
consultation, he believed he need not NEEDLE
much further in the business, though he would
look in as often as he could get round that way
All that Herman required, all agreed, was good
nursing and quiet just now, and good feeding
presently. His good health and condition would
do all the rest for him !; and, for himself he was
afraid now only of getting well too fast.
He wanted no change. He would have liked
only to stop the clock, and make the earth stand
still What health was, or could be, like i'll
ness watched by Constance? She said little
She could do nothing but now and then bring
hun cool draughts, or keep the flies away, for
Ulster Mary left her nothing else to do She sal
for the most part with her eyes cast down, but
that gave him only the better chance to keep his
own fixed undeectcd on her face. He gazed ST.
leutly until, IN WEAKNESS and weakness, he could
gaze no longer, and the beautiful vision swan
away into dreams of her. He could not bear to
think Of losing one moment in her presence of
The sober certainty OF waking Bliss"
Bat when he awoke with a start, and looked to
see that she had not fled with his dreams,
amends was made him for his unwilling slum-
brrs for, before she had time to look away, he
found that she ia her turn was gazing upon him
aud thus, sometimes for an instant their chances
would meet. SO the bare I" best chamber"
with rs unpapered walls and floor painted ycl-
low, as narrow strip of blue carpet before the
hearth, and green carpet before the door, and
cialky plaster vases on the mante pieco, full OF
hectic apples and iaundiced oranges was, to one
of ITS tenants at least, an Elysium; and so the
hrst day passed, and the second.
But, on the third, the unhappy Herman could
not but perceive that he was better. What a
torment II Is sometimes to have a fine constitu-
uonl His trials bad begun with a particularly
good and long nights rest. In the morning, ne
could not keep himscffrom having an excellent
appetite for all the toast and tea that Sister Mary
would give him for breakfast; she would Civ;
HIM only quantity altogether too moderate to
afford him the smallest chance of getting up n
little more fever; and his pulse had run down
m the course of the night most unreasonably
lie hoped once iii the forenoon that it was
qackening again, but that was only because
Constance brought him some flowers; and, as
soon as she turned away, it was provoking
enough to beat only a sort of Dead March. He
Eas recovering about twice as fast as he had
expected, or as almost anybody else would have
dome IN his place and when Sister Mary. on
dressing his wound, reported accordingly, she
seemed To expect him to he glad of it. 1t was
all very hard, and could not be helped; but the
hardest and least to be helped of all was, that
Marshall, who had heard some rumor of what
had happened and been trying in vain to dis
cover his phereabOuts, did discover them. and
came To see him in the afternoon, and told him
That he should repeat his visit in the course OF
urec or Tour days, soon rs he could be re-
heved from his duty, stay with him until he was
well enough to travel, and then accompany him
at least a. far rs was necessary, on his return
10 Boston. He mentioned this plan before Sis
Ter Mary. She approved of ii highly, declaring
that the business of her mission required her
elsewhere and that, if Herman continued to
improve as fast as he had began, he would need
nothng, after the end of the week, but what his
lreud could easily do for him under the occasion
al direction of physician.
Poor Herman had nothing to say 1t was
Certainly the best arrangement that could be
made. Ned could not come for him. He was
gone TO the Adirondacks, where no summons
would reach him. Clara would and must soon
hear ct has situation and could hardly fail to be
much alarmed and distressed until she saw him.
Constance could not be expected to remain
wan hln, after the first exigency was passed.
ne SAM nothing accordingly; but he thought a
F''a many things, and among others made the
very improper reflection, that the most odious
lG"'uFe IN some arrangements is, that they are
the best y.
Marshall Vas again looking very i'll himself,
quite AS ut for patient as for a nurse. He
was 10 travel some weeks for his health. DIR.
baEou had given him a "sick certificate y
Herman did not have to tell him the end OF
poor little Sophys" story He made no inqui-
mes he had heard it already; and had had
Ile additional pain of great anxiety about his
u. a lad nb IA bod
sent to INN as soon as he was able to write it.
nan misearried; and he had only vaguely heard
mai he had been shot, whether MORALLY or no,
was not known. There was an expression OF
Ne,lairng, moody suffering about him, very
painful to wltuess or to think Of Time might
"'ugate At, OF aggravate. Remorse is dis
'"Se oi most uncertain course. There is but
Oie Speclhc for 1t, and that the sufferer is very
often unwilling to take. IN s.s
II herman could not sleep that night until late
iie was glad TO while away some tedious, rest
nourS' and drive away some unquiet and
lue'ihg thoughts, by making Sister Mary
o'i' with hm. He rather liked her. She had
quaint, queer mind with an odd mixture in
u shrewdness, subtlety, and simplicity, and
-'t seen much of life, both in her present vo
o"Joh and In her earlier days, as member OF
-i'her a fashionable family in Baltimore II
sue lad not been so formidable and insur
Nioul'able an obstacle to an immediate expla.
I"'on between himself and Constance. he
ne might even have grown fond of her
e'.i only lault as a nurse was, that she was too
'ai'hlul, She scarcely left him by night or day,
NNceit Tor few moments, when the hospitable
ms . Dobbs paid him one of her three or four
ua'y visits; when she always carried Con.
i1iAee oil with her. Sleep seemed to be with
iiOr rather an occasional indulgence than ne
S'sSity OF nature; and now having, as she did
esuiarly after the first night of danger and un
eI'Mhty, sent Sister Agnes Alexis off to
Iel at an early hour, she was, as usual, sitting
'0i' upright at his side, in plain old-fashioneG