"I swear to obey you," murmured Dunstable, almost driven to madness by the excruciating anguish of his burning thirst.
"You swear by that God before whom you may so soon have to appear?" continued Lydia, advancing the glass still nearer to his parched mouth.
"I swear—I swear! Give me the glass."
Then Lydia allowed him to drink as much as he chose of the refreshing beverage.
At that moment the time-piece struck one, and a low knock was heard at the door.
"I now leave you," said Lydia, in a whisper, as she leant over him. "Another will watch by your side during the remainder of the night. To-morrow evening I shall visit you again. Remember your oath not to utter a complaint that may induce the surgeon to prevent me from attending on you. If you perjure yourself in this respect, I shall find other means to punish you:—and then my vengeance would be terrible indeed!"
Lord Dunstable groaned in anguish, and closed his eyes—as if against some horrific spectre.
Lydia smiled triumphantly, and hastened to admit the housekeeper.
"His mind wanders a little," she whispered to the person who thus came to relieve her in the vigil; "and he appeared to think that I wished to do him a mischief."
"That is a common thing in delirium," answered the housekeeper, also in a low tone, inaudible to the invalid. "Good night."