Very miserable—Past hope—Mother and son—Breaking down—Resignation—"It is well."
The doctor's carriage with the broken-winded pony was standing at the door of the farm. Mrs Valentine had just come out, and was talking to the doctor's little boy, who sat holding the reins.
"Hallo, Harry," he cried, "home from school?"
"Hush, Master Bromley, don't make such a noise!" interposed Mrs Valentine.
Without taking any notice of Master Bromley, Harry exclaimed nervously to Mrs Valentine—
"Is mamma worse, Mrs Valentine?"
"Yes, dear," the good farmer's wife answered; "you mustn't go in now. She's very bad, indeed. Mr Bromley is with her."
So Harry ran into the orchard, and sitting down under a tree, felt very miserable. His mamma was worse—was she really dying now? The terrible examination—he remembered her words about his work, and going to Oxford. What was he to do? Was he to get leave from school, and give up the chance of getting the prize, and stay at home with mamma instead? But wouldn't that vex her, and perhaps make her worse? Besides, what use could he be at home? Ah! but if she were to die when he was away? No, no; he could not go away and leave her. He must stay with her now! The examination was nothing!
Such were the thoughts that coursed through Harry's brain; for though only thirteen years old, he was, in point of mind, far beyond his years, not in his school work, but in his ideas and feelings on general subjects of every-day life; and the reason of this was his having had, for so long, his mother as his only companion.
Presently Mrs Valentine came out to him. Her eyes were very red, for she had been crying.