How he discharged his mournful errand, telling it first to his wife; how Sarah, after a copious flood of tears, composed herself and broken the sorrowful news to the young Helen; how a few hasty preparations were made; and how Sarah, at Helen's mute entreaty and John's express desire, decided on accompanying the sorrow-stricken girl on the journey, need no more words to tell.
[CHAPTER XXIX.]
"BLESSED ARE THE PEACEMAKERS."
IT was no false alarm. Walter Wilson was dying.
Day and night, almost without any intervals of rest, the penitent Elizabeth watched by the bedside of her brother.
Mrs. Matthew did not make many objections to this. Of course she had been hastily summoned to High Beech when it was found that Walter could not be conveyed home, and she had obeyed the call. She was concerned, too, when told that her son could not possibly rally beyond the few hours, or days at most, predicted by his medical attendant. She was not without natural affection, though this divine gift had been dulled and dimmed by many sordid cares, as we have seen. Still, when her first exclamations of grief had been uttered, she withdrew again into her ordinary self. She wasn't used to nursing, she said; and she didn't like to see anybody die. She didn't think she could stand it. Besides, she was getting old and feeble, and must have her proper night's rest, or where would the house-work go to?
As to getting a regular nurse for Walter, she went on, she didn't know what to say, she was sure. Regular nurses cost a deal of money, and they wanted a deal to eat and drink too, and that of the best. And where was that to come from? All she knew was that she hadn't seen the colour of Walter's money since he had come down upon them; and it was her opinion, as well as Matthew's, that he had come home from Australia pretty near as poor as a church mouse; and at their years (hers and Matthew's) it wasn't to be expected that they could maintain a grown-up son, and pay for his being nursed as well; to say nothing about burying him when he was dead, supposing he should die, as the doctor said.
So, if Elizabeth liked to tend him as he lay there, perhaps it was the best thing to do; and she (Mrs. Matthew) must get through the house-work as best she could without her; and that was hard lines enough. All this, and much more, the old lady enunciated in a sorrowful tone of injured innocence, or something like it.