Part 66 (1/2)
”Indeed you should come down, sir,” the man was saying, ”there is quite a dew falling.”
”You want to make out that I am dying, I suppose, but I have plenty of strength, I can tell you, and will be ordered by no one!”
”Well, then, you will hasten your end, I tell you so plainly,” said the doctor sternly.
The man's face altered as he spoke, a kind of fear came over him, as he rose to follow the doctor without a word. As he pa.s.sed near the young Highlander, he glanced at him and shuddered, ”He's young to die, and have done with everything.”
”He would tell you he is just going to begin with everything,” said Mr.
Cameron, who had heard the words, and came forward just then. ”Doctor, I suppose we need not move him,” he added, glancing at the dying lad, ”you see he is going fast.”
”No, nothing can harm him now, poor young fellow. I will go and speak to the captain--will you help Mr. Grossman to his cabin?”
As they reached the state-room door, Mr. Cameron said, ”Friend, when your time comes, may you too know the peace that is filling the heart of yon lad.”
”He is believing in a lie, I fear,” said the other.
”And yet, when you were in pain the other day, I heard you call loudly, 'G.o.d help me!'”
”Oh, well, I suppose it is a kind of instinct--a habit one gets into, like any other exclamation.”
”I think not,” said the old man. ”I believe that in your inmost, soul is a conviction that there is a G.o.d. Don't you remember hearing that Voltaire, with almost his last breath, said, 'Et pourtant, il y a un Dieu!'”
Returning on deck, Mr. Cameron took his watch beside the young Highlander. There was no return of consciousness, and very soon the happy spirit freed itself from its earthly tenement without a struggle.
Next morning they consigned all that was mortal of him to the deep, in sure and certain hope that he shall rise again. G.o.d knows where to find His own, whether in the quiet leafy ”G.o.d's acre,” or in the depths of the sea.
The year was advancing. It was towards the end of February. At Gibraltar great excitement prevailed in the house perched on the side of the ”Rock.” Major Somerset and his wife were expected! Norah paused suddenly to look out over the blue expanse of sea, to-day ruffled with a slight breeze--and then exclaimed:
”Children! children! come, a steamer with the British flag is coming in!
Hurry and get on your things.”
There was no need for urging them to haste--the outdoor wrappings were on in no time, and they ran down to the landing-stage just as the s.h.i.+p had cast anchor. Numerous boats were already making their way out to her. They soon learnt that the s.h.i.+p was from Malta, though she was not the _Minerva_ they had expected.
How Norah's heart beat as she eagerly, breathlessly, watched the pa.s.sengers descend the ladder and take their places in the different boats. A keen breeze had got up, and even in the harbour there were waves already.
[Sidenote: ”There is Mamma!”]
”There is mamma!” exclaimed little Ethel--”see her, Nory, in the white hat! Oh, my pretty mamma!” she exclaimed, dancing with glee as the boat came nearer and nearer.
Then came exclamations, hugs and kisses, intermingled with the quick vivacious chattering of the boatmen bargaining over their fares. A perfect Babel of sound! Several pa.s.sengers were landing--so a harvest was being reaped by these small craft.
The children clung to their parents, and Norah followed behind, feeling a little lonely, and out of it all--would there ever come a time of joy for her--a time when she too would be welcoming a dear one?--or should she just have to go on living the life of an outsider in other people's lives--having no joys or sorrows of her own, she who might have been so blessed and so happy? How long those five years had seemed, a lifetime in themselves, since she had last heard her husband's voice! Well, he had not come, that was clear.
That evening as Norah was preparing to go to bed, a knock came to her door, and Mrs. Somerset came in.
”I thought I might come in, Norah dear; I wanted to tell you how pleased my husband and I are with the improvement in the children, they look so well, and are so much more obedient. You have managed them very well, and we are very grateful,” and Mrs. Somerset bent forward and kissed her. ”Now, dear, we want you to accept a small present from us--it is very commonplace--but there is little variety where we are stationed.”
Norah undid the cedar box put into her hand and drew out a most lovely gold bracelet of Indian workmans.h.i.+p.
”Oh, how very good of you, it is far too pretty!” she exclaimed, returning Mrs. Somerset's embrace. ”But, indeed, I have only done my duty by the children: they are very good, and I love them dearly.”