Chapter XVI

hinkitwilllast—alreadyIfeelasifI’dbeentorturedforever,anditseemsendless.” “Oh,it’llsoonbeovernow,Ihope.” “I’msureI’mgoingtodie,”shewhispered“Ifeelthatlifeisbeinggraduallydrawnoutofme—Ishouldn’tmindifitweren’tforEddie.He’llbesocutup.” “Whatnonsense!”saidthenurse,“youallsayyou’regoingtodie.” Edward—dear,manly,calm,andpure-mindedfellowashewas—wenttobedquietlyandsoonwasfastasleep.Buthisslumbersweresomewhattroubled:generallyheenjoyedtheheavydreamlesssleepofthemanwhohasnonervesandplentyofexercise.To-night,however,hedreamt.Hedreamtnotonlythatonecowwassick,butthatallhiscattlehadfallenill—thecowsstoodaboutwithgloomyeyesandhumpbacks,surlyanddangerous,evidentlywiththeirliverstotallyderangedtheoxenwere“blown,”andlayontheirbackswithlegskickingfeeblyintheair. “Youmustsendthemalltothebutcher’s,”saidthevet.“there’snothingtobedonewiththem.” “GoodLorddeliverus,”saidEdward“Ishan’tgetfourbobastoneforthem.” Buthisdreamwasdisturbedbyaknockatthedoor,andEdwardawoketofindDr.Ramsayshakinghim. “Wakeup,man—getupanddressquickly.” “What’sthematter?”criedEdward,jumpingoutofbedandseizinghisclothes.“What’sthetime?” “It’shalf-pastfour....IwantyoutogointoTercanburyforDr.SpocrefBerthaisverybad.” “Allright,I’llbringhimbackwithme.”Edwardrapidlydressedhimself. “I’llgoroundandwakeupthemantoputthehorsein.” “No,I’lldothatmyselfit’lltakemehalfthetime.”Hemethodicallylacedhisboots. “Berthaisinnoimmediatedanger.ButImusthaveaconsultation.Istillhopeweshallbringherthroughit.” “ByJove,”saidEdward,“Ididn’tknowitwassobadasthat.” “Youneednotgetalarmedyet—thegreatthingisforyoutokeepcalmandbringSpocrefalongasquicklyaspossible.It’snothopelessyet.” Edward,withallhiswitsabouthim,wassoonreadyandwithequalrapiditysettoharnessingthehorsehecarefullylitthelamps,astheproverb,morehaste,lessspeed,passedthroughhismind.Intwominuteshewasonthemainroad,andwhippedupthehorse.Hewentwithaquick,steadytrotthroughthesilentnight. Dr.Ramsay,returningtothesick-room,thoughtwhatasplendidobjectwasamanwhocouldbereliedupontodoanything,whoneverlosthisheadnorgotexcited.HisadmirationforEdwardwasgrowingbyleapsandbounds.