“Some one ought to tell her,” said the landlady; “we can’t let her soul go out into eternity not knowing, especially when I don’t think it was all right about the child. You ought to go and tell her, doctor.”
So, the little doctor, edged on and on, went in at last. When he came out of the room he shook his fist in the landlady’s face.
“The next time you have any devil’s work to do, do it yourself,” he said, and he shook his fist in her face again, and went away swearing.
When Gregory went into the bedroom he only found her moved, her body curled up, and drawn close to the wall. He dared not disturb her. At last, after a long time, she turned.
“Bring me food,” she said, “I want to eat. Two eggs, and toast, and meat—two large slices of toast, please.”
Wondering, Gregory brought a tray with all that she had asked for.
“Sit me up, and put it close to me,” she said; “I am going to eat it all.” She tried to draw the things near her with her fingers, and re-arranged the plates. She cut the toast into long strips, broke open both eggs, put a tiny morsel of bread into her own mouth, and fed the dog with pieces of meat put into his jaws with her fingers.
“Is it twelve o’clock yet?” she said; “I think I do not generally eat so early. Put it away, please, carefully—no, do not take it away—only on the table. When the clock strikes twelve I will eat it.”
She lay down trembling. After a little while she said:
“Give me my clothes.”