An hour later Jacob woke in delirium. He shouted loudly and they hastened to him.
Fever had peopled the little chamber with monsters based on the real.
"Drive 'em out—where they belong! Drive 'em out—that flock of little women, with black wings and white faces and eyes as hard as stone! They're women—not birds, though they do fly and make the wind whistle, like a flock of starlings. A starling isn't much of a gentleman, but he'll get into heaven before they do—before the little women, because they're all on the pattern of Judith Huxam, the damned. You didn't know she was damned—did you? But I know it and hell knows it."
"Hush, Jacob—don't you talk foolishness," begged Billy; but the sick man knew him not. He turned to Auna.
"Can't you help me? Can't you do anything? If I move a finger it's like dipping it in molten fire. I'm burning alive, and my own wife won't put the flame out. God do so to you, Margery!"
William sighed.
"Us be going to have a parlous night with the poor man," he said. "When do he take his physic again?"
"Half after seven, Mr. Marydrew."
"Well, see if he'll lap a drop of milk. Thank God your dear father won't be violent except in words, Auna, because it hurts him a darned sight too much to move. We've got him there."
Jacob shouted and they saw that he was drowned in sweat. They ministered to him and presently he grew calmer again. After he had drunk the medicine, William stopped with him and Auna went down to prepare a meal. In another hour Jacob had become unconscious again and the girl and old man ate hastily together below.