Part 110 (1/2)

”What's he doing now?” thought Jem-y-Lord, craning his neck at the door.

”Shall I call for somebody?”

Pete had picked up from the floor the lock of hair that had been lying under his foot, and he was putting it back into Philip's breast.

”Nothing but me between them,” he thought, ”nothing but me.”

”Sit down, sir,” cried the unconscious man. It was only the last outbreak of Philip's delirium, but Pete trembled and shrank back.

Then Philip groaned and his blue lips quivered. He opened his eyes. They wandered about the room for a moment, and afterwards fixed themselves on Pete in a long and haggard gaze. Pete's own eyes were too full of tears to be full of sight, but he could see that the change had come. He panted with expectation, and looked down at Philip with doglike delight.

There was a moment's silence, and then, in a voice as faint as a breath, Philip murmured. ”What's----where's----is it Pete?”

At that Pete uttered a shout of joy. ”He's himself! He's himself! Thank G.o.d!”

”Eh?” said Philip helplessly.

”Don't you be bothering yourself now,” cried Pete. ”Lie quiet, boy; you're in your own room, and as nice as nice.”

”But,” said Philip, ”will you not kindly----”

”Not another word, Phil. It's nothing. You're all serene, and about as right as ninepence.”

”Your Honour has been delirious,” said Jem-y-Lord.

”Chut!” said Pete behind his hand, and then, with another joyful shout, ”Is it a beefsteak you'll be having, Phil, or a dish of tay and a herring?”

Philip looked perplexed. ”But could you not help me----” he faltered.

”You fainted in the Court-house, sir,” said Jem-y-Lord.

”Ah!” It had all come back.

”Hould your whisht, you gawbie,” whispered Pete, and he made a furtive kick at Jemmy's s.h.i.+ns.

Pete was laughing and crying in one breath. In the joyful reflux from evil pa.s.sions the great fellow was like a boy. He poked the fire into a blaze, snuffed the candle with his fingers, sang out ”My gough!” when he burnt them, and then hopped about the floor and cut as many capers as a swallow after a shower of rain.

Philip looked at him and relapsed into silence. It seemed as if he had been on a journey and something had happened in his absence. The secret which he had struggled so long to confess had somehow been revealed.

Jem-y-Lord was beating out his pillows. ”Does he know?” said Philip.-- ”Yes,” whispered Jemmy.

”Everything!”

”Everything. You have been delirious.”

”Delirious!” said Philip, with alarm.

Then he struggled to rise. ”Help me up. Let me go away. Why did you bring me here?”

”I couldn't help it, sir. I tried to prevent----”

”I cannot face him,” said Philip. ”I am afraid. Help me, help me.”