“My God!” she muttered between her strangling sobs, “spare him and kill me, for it was my fault, and I am his murderess my God! my God! What have I done that I should suffer so? What makes me suffer so? Oh! spare him, spare him!”
Another half-hour passed, and the twilight began to gather in the parlour.
“It is very long,” murmured Lady Graves.
“While they do not come to call us there is hope,” answered Ellen, striving to keep up a show of courage.
Once more there was silence, and the time went on and the darkness gathered.
At length a step was heard approaching, and they knew it for that of Dr. Childs. Instinctively they all rose, expecting the last dread summons. He was among them now, but they could not see his face because of the shadows.
“Is Lady Graves there?” he asked.
“Yes,” whispered the poor woman.
“Lady Graves, I have come to tell you that by the mercy of Heaven your son’s constitution has triumphed, and, so far as my skill and knowledge go, I believe that he will live.”
For a second the silence continued; then, with a short sharp cry, Emma Levinger went down upon the floor as suddenly as though she had been shot through the heart.