Vashti's Fate — page 273: what you’re looking at

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

R08 DT get I OE Pa PR oe: Fe, * Ed ee Go ies a a ON oy ae ets ef Sie a ee EY oes q ro ; . p r r : te « tae 7 j » A 268 BANKRUPT. BODY AND SOUL. Brighten up yourselves and the room. Pile on more wood, coal, something—and throw open that window. Whata damp, musty old charnel-house Everleigh is, to be sure.” They opened the window, and heaped high the fire, and tried to look cheerful, but it-was a mockery of brightness, that was worse than the previous dreary expression. It was impossible to seem cheerful, in the face of that dread and fear of death, that Frank could not keep out of his eyes, and that all his efforts at unconcern and disbelief only made more apparent. ‘Toward night he grew more and more rest- less, and seemed nervously apprehensive of being left alone. Nora never left his side, and he clung to her hand like a frightened child. It had not. been dark more than two hours, when he began to exclaim : ‘‘How long the night is. Will it never, never be morn- ing? Will it never, never be morning again?” He slept at intervals only, and in his chair, for it was im- possible for him to lie down, with Nora’s hand clasped tightly in his all night. They brought a lounge in for her, but she had no disposition to sleep, even if that passionate clasp of her hand had loosened, which it did not. Margery Gresham kept the dreary watch with her, that first night, but though he liked her in the room, he would never suffer Nora away from him. About midnight, he had a very wakeful spell, and would talk half to himself and half to his sister. His mind ran altogether on dreary subjects. ‘‘Nora, am I going to die? Did Dr, Gracie say so?” he suddenly asked. She put her arms round his neck, and held him silently to her. He burst into tears on her shoulder, con ‘ &\ 4 ‘ ¥ . rs : od% ne 7 7m Me