by Anonymous
CHAPTER X.
SUNDAY EVENING.
Where I was, why I was where I was, and what time of the day or night itmight happen to be--were questions which presented themselves to my mindin hazy succession, as, roused from my slumbers by the hum of voices, Iwoke slowly to the consciousness that, though I had been asleep, I wasnot in bed. It was only by a very gradual process of recollection thatthe past came back upon me almost like a fresh story, and I was at leasta minute rubbing my eyes, and collecting my thoughts, before I took inall the familiar objects in the room, from the sofa on which I foundmyself reposing, to the fire-place at which, with their backs turned tome, my father and Dr. Wilson were in close conversation. My father'svoice was low and serious, and at the moment when, having finished theprocess of awakening, I was going to speak, his words came slowly anddistinctly to my ears, and sank down into my heart:--
"The thought of his parents' grief on hearing of the death--such adeath, too!--of their only child, has been almost more than I couldbear."
Aleck was dead!--there was no hope left! I thought; and with a piteousexclamation of grief, I turned round and hid my face in my hands,leaning up against the sofa.
In another moment my father was at my side. I felt his arm encircling meas he drew me towards him, and bending down, whispered softly,--
"It is no time for grief now, Willie; I was speaking of what _might_have been; let us give God thanks, for the danger is over--Aleck isspared to us."
I slowly drew back my hands from my face. The relief was so great Icould scarcely believe in it; and I must have appeared--as I certainlyfelt--utterly bewildered, whilst I tried to find words, and only at lastsucceeded in repeating my father's mechanically:
"The danger is over--Aleck is spared to us."
"To be sure he is," said Dr. Wilson, in his cheeriest tones. He had gotup from his chair, and was standing with his back to the fire looking atus. "Yes, he'll be quite well again by-and-by; and all the more prudent,we'll hope, for the trouble he's been putting us in during these lastfew days. He's had a lesson that ought to last for some time to come;but boys never learn their lessons, do what one will to make them."
There was a moment's pause after this discouraging general statementwith reference to boys; and then the doctor added, as if thinking tohimself, in quite a different tone:
"Poor boy! poor boy! it's been a very near thing. By the help of God,we've brought him through. May it be a life worth the saving--a lifegiven back to God!"
"Amen!" ejaculated my father, earnestly; and then, at his suggestion, weknelt together, and, in a few heartfelt words, he offered thanks to theheavenly Father for his goodness to us, and turned kind Dr. Wilson'saspiration into a prayer, that the life given back to my cousin mightbe by him given back to God.
I knew, as I knelt there by my father's side, for the first time in mylife, the feeling of a deep and speechless thankfulness, for which allwords would be too poor.
It was very late--past ten o'clock--but I was not allowed to go up tobed at once. Supper was ready, my father said, and I should come intothe dining-room, and have it with him and Dr. Wilson. Accordingly, inspite of all remonstrances of nurse, who put in her appearance, andthought fit to reflect upon the utter impropriety of such late hours, Iwent to supper; and felt, moreover, greatly refreshed and strengthenedby it, sitting there close by my father's side, and rejoicing everymoment of the time in the feeling as of a great deliverance.
So it came to pass that my second night did not begin until eleveno'clock.