Towards night-time the lady roused up a little. She had been so wearied out, before that, by the convulsions, that she never stirred hand or foot, or spoke a word to anybody. She moved in the bed now, and stared about her at the room and us in it. She must have been a nice-looking lady when well, with light hair, and blue eyes and all that. Her rest was troubled at night -- at least so I heard from my mistress, who sat up alone with her. I only went in once before going to bed to see if I could be of any use, and then she was talking to herself in a confused, rambling manner.
She seemed to want sadly to speak to somebody who was absent from her somewhere.
I couldn't catch the name the first time, and the second time master knocked at the door, with his regular mouthful of questions, and another of his trumpery nosegays.
When I went in early the next morning, the lady was clean worn out again, and lay in a kind of faint sleep. Mr Goodricke brought his partner, Mr Garth, with him to advise. They said she must not be disturbed out of her rest on any account. They asked my mistress many questions, at the other end of the room, about what the lady's health had been in past times, and who had attended her, and whether she had ever suffered much and long together under distress of mind. I remember my mistress said ‘Yes' to that last question. And Mr Goodricke looked at Mr Garth, and shook his head; and Mr Garth looked at Mr Goodricke, and shook his head. They seemed to think that the distress might have something to do with the mischief at the lady's heart. She was but a frail thing to look at, poor creature! Very little strength at any time, I should say -- very little strength.
Later on the same morning, when she woke, the lady took a sudden turn, and got seemingly a great deal better. I was not let in again to see her, no more was the housemaid, for the reason that she was not to be disturbed by strangers. What I heard of her being better was through my master. He was in wonderful good spirits about the change, and looked in at the kitchen window from the garden, with his great big curly-brimmed white hat on, to go out.
‘Good Mrs Cook,' says he, ‘Lady Glyde is better. My mind is more easy than it was, and I am going out to stretch my legs with a sunny little summer walk. Shall I order for you, shall I market for you, Mrs Cook? What are you ****** there? A nice tart for dinner? Much crust, if you please -- much crisp crust, my dear, that melts and crumbles delicious in the mouth.' That was his way. He was past sixty, and fond of pastry. Just think of that!
The doctor came again in the forenoon, and saw for himself that Lady Glyde had woke up better. He forbid us to talk to her, or to let her talk to us, in case she was that way disposed, saying she must be kept quiet before all things, and encouraged to sleep as much as possible. She did not seem to want to talk whenever I saw her, except overnight. when I couldn't make out what she was saying -- she seemed too much worn down. Mr Goodricke was not nearly in such good spirits about her as master. He said nothing when he came downstairs, except that he would call again at five o'clock.
About that time (which was before master came home again) the bell rang hard from the bedroom, and my mistress ran out into the landing, and called to me to go for Mr Goodricke, and tell him the lady had fainted. I got on my bonnet and shawl, when, as good luck would have it, the doctor himself came to the house for his promised visit.
I let him in, and went upstairs along with him. ‘Lady Glyde was just as usual,' says my mistress to him at the door; ‘she was awake, and looking about her in a strange, forlorn manner, when I heard her give a sort of half cry, and she fainted in a moment.' The doctor went up to the bed, and stooped down over the sick lady. He looked very serious, all on a sudden, at the sight of her, and put his hand on her heart.
My mistress stared hard in Mr Goodricke's face. ‘Not dead!' says she, whispering, and turning all of a tremble from head to foot.
‘Yes,' says the doctor, very quiet and grave. ‘Dead. I was afraid it would happen suddenly when I examined her heart yesterday.' My mistress stepped back from the bedside while he was speaking, and trembled and trembled again. ‘Dead!' she whisPers to herself; ‘dead so suddenly! dead so soon!
What will the Count say?' Mr Goodricke advised her to go downstairs, and quiet herself a little. ‘You have been sitting up all night,' says he, ‘and your nerves are shaken. This person,' says he, meaning me, ‘this person will stay in the room till I can send for the necessary assistance.' My mistress did as he told her. ‘I must prepare the Count,' she says. ‘I must carefully prepare the Count.' And so she left us, shaking from head to foot, and went out.
‘Your master is a foreigner,' says Mr Goodricke, when my mistress had left us. ‘Does he understand about registering the death?' ‘I can't rightly tell, sir,' says I, ‘but I should think not.' The doctor considered a minute, and then says he, ‘I don't usually do such things,' says he, ‘but it may save the family trouble in this case if I register the death myself. I shall pass the district office in half an hour's time, and I can easily look in. Mention, if you please, that I will do so,' ‘Yes, sir,' says I, ‘with thanks, I'm sure, for your kindness in thinking of it.' ‘You don't mind staying here till I can send you the proper person?' says he. ‘No, sir,' says I; ‘I'll stay with the poor lady till then. I suppose nothing more could be done, sir, than was done?' says I. ‘No,' says he, ‘nothing; she must have suffered sadly before ever I saw her -- the case was hopeless when I was called in.' ‘Ah, dear me! we all come to it, sooner or later, don't we, sir?' says I. He gave no answer to that -- he didn't seem to care about talking. He said, ‘Good-day,' and went out.
