Читать книгу On the Brink of a Chasm: A record of plot and passion онлайн

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“Yes, sir. I have waited to speak to you. I should like to say a word before I go.”

“All right, I can attend to you now. Good night, Miss Evershed. I hope you will go to bed and have a good sleep. Nurse Hester can look after the patient. There is nothing to be alarmed about in her condition—she is suffering from shock and fever. These symptoms will soon pass off.”

Barbara reentered the room, and Nurse Ives and Dr. Tarbot walked down the passage together.

“So you have quite made up your mind to go?” he said to her.

“Yes, I leave to-night. I thought I ought to tell you that I had the coffin screwed up.”

“Indeed! Is that not rather soon?”

“Unmistakable signs of mortification have already set in.”

“Then in that case you did right.”

“I thought you ought to know,” said the nurse, dropping her eyes.

“Certainly. You acted with discretion. It would never do, were such the case, for Miss Evershed to be bending over the child’s body. Girls have so much false sentiment in a thing of that kind. The poor little fellow is now far beyond the reach of any sympathy which earth can give him.”