The Soldier's Wife — page 118: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

& SOLDIER'S WIFE 99 In a few moments tl.e patient moved in his|creature fell forwar] upon the couch—and eouch, and gave a prolonged gasp. Anna/with a low moan reimained motionless, with siarted from her seat, and hastened to bend {her face on the breast of the corpse. Lucy and over him, in an agony of terror lest he should|the physician hastened to raise her: but te be no more, and that this was his last sigh|their unspeakable horror they beheld a little which she had: heard. But it was not so.{pool of blood upon the shirt of Captain Courte Courtenay was yet alive: and the physician,jnay; and the glance which they threw at pouriug a few drops of some colorless liguidjAnna’s countenance, revealed to them the sad from a little pial into a wine-glass half-filled|truth in a moment. The poor girl was dead! with water, forced the contents down his|She had burst a blood-vessel: the tide of life throat. had poured forth trom between her lps: it “Will that revive him?” was Anna’s eagerjmight literally be said that her heart had sud- but whispered question. denly broken. “TI fear, Mrs. Seagrave,” responded the phy-| Thanks to the generosity of the Lonsdales, sician, “that its effect will be slight—I dare|Courtenay and the unfortunate Anna were laid. not tell you otherwise.” side by side in the cemetery without the walls “Oh! if he could only recognise me,” mur-|of Calais; and the English Protestant minister mured Anna: and now she covered his ghastly}who was established in the town, performed cheeks wit!. the most passionate kisses,—kisses|the funeral rites. Lonsdale then communicated in *vhich all the immensity of her love and the|to the British Consul the secret of the deceased wildness of her affliction appeared to be blent,|gentlemau’s real name, in order that his friends —kisses, which, if the tenderest demonstrations |might be written to and apprised of his death. -of woman’s holy affection could infuse lite into the dying, would have proved ten thousand times more effective than the subtle essence which the medical man had just administered CHAPTER XXIIL » ~ in the wine-glass. For the next half-hour Courtenay continued Hye to lie motionless, his eyes wandering slightly,|Ts1s tragical circumstance produced ‘a very and his lips every now and then opening te|painful etfect upon the minds of both Frederick give forth a prolonged and painful gasy. Alljand Lucy—more especially upon that of the this while Anna continued to bend over him, jlatter, who had been an eye-witness of the lavishing her caresses upon that countenance;closing scene. ‘They however had the satisfac ’ where the clammy chill of death was already|tion of knowing that they had done all they fast gathering. Presently his lips, Sem could for the departed—and far more than unfolding, remained apart altegether—and most other persons in the world would have then there came up from his thrvat a low half-|performed, especially under the circumstances, whistling, half-gurgling sound which did not}which tended to throw out our hero’s charac subside. For two or three minutes Anna listened |ter in such noble colors. in dumb and statue-like suspense. It was a} Christmas Day passed: the month of De sound that evidently came ominously upon her|cember was drawing to a close, conducting ears; and when she perceived that it did not}with it the year to which it belonged into the leave off, but that it increased into a kind of |grave of Time ;—and Lucy began to fear that rattle, as of water and of wind meeting and|her father would not answer her letter. But agitating together in the throat,—she threw a]one morning the postman called at the Lons- wild glance of terror upon the physician, de-|dales’ house; and an epistle, bearing the Eng- manding quickly, “ What is that?” lish postmark, but the address of which was “My dear young lady,” was the medical|written in a female hand, was delivered to cur man’s solemn response, “ you would do well to/heroine, being directed to Mfrs. Robinson. She leave the rvom with your friend.” hastened to tear it open, and found its contents “No, no,” murmured the wretched being; “I|to be as follows :— understand it now! I will remain until the “ Paris Hotel, Dover. last !”—and her veeth again chattered with the “December 29th, 1834 mtensity of her agony. “My dear Lucy, - Yes—it was indeed the death-rattle now in| “For in this style will you permit me to ad the throat of the dying man: and Lucy, feeling!dress you, considering the position in which we more than ever at that instant a boundless|stand relative to each other. Your father eompassion for the young lady, could not re-|received your letter, which was indeed most strain her tears and her sobs. Tor two or three|welcome to him. For some time past he had minutes, that ominous, awful sound continued, | been led to the reflection that his conduct might —while Anna’s moans mingled with the caress-|possibly have been too harsh and too severe es as she bent over the departing one. Atjtowards you. I will not altogether take credit length the rattling appeared to subside—it|to myself for having induced these feelings in ceased—and a wild piercing shriek, thrilling|your father’s breast; but you will at least give forth from Anna’s lips, indicated that all was|me credit for having fostered them; for I assure over. She started up asif suddenly galvanized |you that from the very day on which I became as she gave vent to that scream: then she/your mother-in-law, I have exerted myself to appeared to stagger back a pace or two: Lucy|promote a reconciliation between my husband sprang forward to save her from falling—but/and his daughter. Therefore, months and at the selfsame moment the unfortunate young|months ago, had he kuown where to find you, THE LETTER. $$$ ‘ CONNIE OOOKS.e€©)