"He shook his head. 'I have sent for the doctor.' he said, 'she has passed a bad night--the excitement of seeing you again seems not to have done her good.'
"I felt somewhat alarmed; but my great resolve had so filled me with peace and happiness, that I would not give way to fear.
"'Will you help yourself?' I asked, 'I should meanwhile like to look after her.'
"When I entered her room, I found her still lying in the same position in which I had left her early in the morning, and as I approached the bed, I saw that she was staring up at the ceiling with wide-opened eyes.
"I called out her name in terror; then a feeble smile came over her face, and feebly she turned towards me and looked into my eyes.
"'Are you not feeling well, Martha?'
"She shook her head wearily, and drew up her fingers slightly. That meant to say: 'Come and sit by me!'
"And when I had taken her head in my arm a shudder suddenly ran through her whole body. Her teeth chattered audibly: 'Give me a warm cover.' she whispered, 'I am shivering so.' I did as she bade me, and once more sat down at her side. She clutched my hands, as if to warm herself by them.
"'Have you slept well?' she asked, in the same hoarse falsetto voice which was quite strange to me in her. I nodded, and felt a hot sense of shame burn within me. What was my grand unselfish resolve, compared with this sort of noble self-forgetfulness, which was evident in every act, however great or small, and was inspired by the same love for everything? And I even prided myself on my lofty sentiments, conceited egotist that I was.
"'How did you like the arrangement of your room?' she asked once more, while a gleam of slight playfulness broke from her mild, sad eyes.