I did not answer. I knelt down by Hughes. He had my darling's hand in his. I saw that he was putting great restraint upon himself. Beads of perspiration were on his brow.
"She is not dead," he stammered. "She is in a faint or something. At any cost we must bring her back to consciousness. Be a man, Lucas, and help me. Her life should be even more precious to you than to me."
"Don't talk like that, Hughes. Don't you see that I am nearly mad already? What can I do?"
"Help me to raise her."
Between us we raised her to a perpendicular position.
"Mr. Pybus, can I trouble you to order some brandy? Stay, she is coming back to life again!"
She was. She sighed. She opened her eyes, as if she were waking out of sleep. She turned to me.
"George!"
"My darling!"
I caught her in my arms. I held her to my breast. What mattered it if there were others there? We were standing by an open grave!