When I told Herbert what had passed within the house, he was for our

immediately going before a magistrate in the town, late at night as it

was, and getting out a warrant. But, I had already considered that such

a course, by detaining us there, or binding us to come back, might

be fatal to Provis. There was no gainsaying this difficulty, and we

relinquished all thoughts of pursuing Orlick at that time. For the

present, under the circumstances, we deemed it prudent to make rather

light of the matter to Trabb's boy; who, I am convinced, would have been

much affected by disappointment, if he had known that his intervention

saved me from the limekiln. Not that Trabb's boy was of a malignant

nature, but that he had too much spare vivacity, and that it was in his

constitution to want variety and excitement at anybody's expense. When

we parted, I presented him with two guineas (which seemed to meet his

views), and told him that I was sorry ever to have had an ill opinion of

him (which made no impression on him at all).

Wednesday being so close upon us, we determined to go back to London

that night, three in the post-chaise; the rather, as we should then be

clear away before the night's adventure began to be talked of. Herbert

got a large bottle of stuff for my arm; and by dint of having this stuff

dropped over it all the night through, I was just able to bear its pain

on the journey. It was daylight when we reached the Temple, and I went

at once to bed, and lay in bed all day.

My terror, as I lay there, of falling ill, and being unfitted for

tomorrow, was so besetting, that I wonder it did not disable me of

itself. It would have done so, pretty surely, in conjunction with the

mental wear and tear I had suffered, but for the unnatural strain upon

me that to-morrow was. So anxiously looked forward to, charged with such

consequences, its results so impenetrably hidden, though so near.

No precaution could have been more obvious than our refraining

from communication with him that day; yet this again increased my

restlessness. I started at every footstep and every sound, believing

that he was discovered and taken, and this was the messenger to tell

me so. I persuaded myself that I knew he was taken; that there was

something more upon my mind than a fear or a presentiment; that the fact

had occurred, and I had a mysterious knowledge of it. As the days wore

on, and no ill news came, as the day closed in and darkness fell,

my overshadowing dread of being disabled by illness before to-morrow

morning altogether mastered me. My burning arm throbbed, and my burning

head throbbed, and I fancied I was beginning to wander. I counted up to

high numbers, to make sure of myself, and repeated passages that I knew

in prose and verse. It happened sometimes that in the mere escape of a

fatigued mind, I dozed for some moments or forgot; then I would say to

myself with a start, "Now it has come, and I am turning delirious!"




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