“One is, that you make his final deliverance from the habit your object; the other, that you will give no medicine into his own hands.”
“I agree to both; but all will depend on his nurse.”
“I will be his nurse.”
The doctor went to see his patient. The earl gave one glance at him, recognized firmness, and said not a word. But when he would have applied to his wrist an instrument recording in curves the motions of the pulse, he would not consent. He would have no liberties taken with him, he said.
“My lord, it is but to inquire into the action of your heart,” said Mr. Avory.
“I’ll have no spying into my heart! It acts just like other people’s!”
The doctor put his instrument aside, and laid his finger on the pulse instead: his business was to help, not to conquer, he said to himself: if he might not do what he would, he would do what he could.
While he was with the earl, Donal found lady Arctura, and told her all he had done. She thanked him for understanding her.
CHAPTER LXXIX.
A SLOW TRANSITION.
A dreary time followed. Sometimes the patient would lie awake half the night, howling with misery, and accusing Donal of heartless cruelty. He knew as well as he what would ease his pain and give him sleep, but not a finger would he move to save him! He was taking the meanest of revenges! What did it matter to him what became of his soul! Surely it was worse to hate as he made him hate than to swallow any amount of narcotics!