"Where are you going, Aubrey?"
"Back to my office."
"Is there any message which you would like for me to deliver to her, if she should recover consciousness? You may trust me, young man."
"Thank you; I have no message to send. I merely called to ask after her. I trust she will yet recover. Good night."
He walked on rapidly till he reached the door of his office. The gas was burning brightly over his desk, and red tape and legal-cap beckoned him in; but fathomless blue eyes, calm as mid-ocean, looked up at him, and, without entering, he turned, and went through the cold and darkness to the cemetery, to his mother's tomb. She had been his comfort in boyish sorrows, and habit was strong; he went to her grave for it still.
When Russell left him, Dr. Arnold carefully weighed out the powder and rode back to the Hill. He could perceive no change, unless it were a heightening of the carmine on cheeks and lips, and an increased twitching of the fingers, which hunted so pertinaciously about the bed-clothes.
"That everlasting picking, picking at everything is such an awful bad sign!" said poor Nellie, who was crying bitterly at the foot of the bed; and she covered her face with her apron to shut out the sight.
"You 'pick' yourself off to bed, Nellie! I don't want you snubbing and groaning around day and night."
"I am afraid to leave her a minute. I am afraid when my poor baby shuts her eyes she will never open 'em again till she opens 'em in heaven."
"Oh, go along to sleep! you eternal old stupid. I will wake you up, I tell you, if she gets worse."