Vashti's Fate — page 87: what you’re looking at

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

«+4, . f *, 7 4 - \ 7° 1 ae 7} 82 A GRAPPLE WITH DEATH. I’m off for a rest. Philip will relieve you, or help you, whenever it is necessary. ” The door closed upon the physician softly, and Leon found himself alone and in a somewhat novel situation. All was quiet—so quiet that he could hear the crackle of the fire from the next room, and the faint rustle of the falling leaves outside. The silence and the close room oppressed him. He rose, to vary the tedium of the time with a slow walk to and fro, but the air of the room seemed to him tainted, and approaching the sash he threw it open and sat down beside it. It was a sunny day for the season, even warm; the tap, tap, tap, of the woodpecker echoed among the almost leaf- less aisles, and the oaks tossed their giant branches in fear less strength against the autumn sky. The door of the sick-room opened; Elise put her head through, and seeing the open window, looked aghast with consternation. ‘Tt must be shut instantly,” she said, under her breath, as she came into the room, shutting the door after her carefully, and herself closing the window in the face of Leon’s remonstrance. ‘‘She is awake,” she continued, ‘tossing, but middling calm, considering ; she is asking for you, and looks sort of natural. Will you come in, sir?” He followed her silently, almost gasping for breath, as the close, stifling atmosphere struck him, laden with the odor of drugs. Margery Gresham was restless, her eyes fiery, her lips parched, her face scarlet hot, her heavy, unbound hair trailing over the pillow. There was a fire on the hearth, but it was the only cheerful thing there. - The windows were ~ % 2