The physician's knowledge of the French language was scant, and his pronunciation was execrably bad, but he managed to greet the nurse in that tongue on her arrival, and to say, very gallantly:
"Now my patient should surely get well. Under care of such a nurse even a dead man might be persuaded back to life."
XXVII
Agatha's wonder-story
Agatha had been for more than a week at Baillie Pegram's bedside before he manifested any consciousness of her presence. But from the very first her ministrations had seemed to soothe him.
Even when his fever brought active delirium with it, a word from his soft-voiced French nurse quieted him, and each day showed less of fever and more of strength.
At last one day he lay quiet, and Agatha sat stitching at something near the foot of the bed. Her face was bent over her work, so that she did not see when he opened his eyes and gazed steadily at her for a time. Not until she looked up, as she was accustomed watchfully to do every little while, did he fully recognise her. Then, in a feeble voice, he spoke her name—nothing more.
She gently readjusted his pillows, and he fell into a more natural sleep than he had known since his relapse had befallen him.
When he waked again, Sam was sitting by, Agatha having left the room for a brief while.