Cora and The Doctor; or, Revelations of A Physician's WifeLeslie, Madeline
General
Cora and The Doctor; or, Revelations of A Physician's Wife
Leslie, Madeline
Physicians -- Fiction
Frank walked back and forth across the room evidently very much
perplexed how to introduce the communication he wished to make. At
length he sat down by the side of the sufferer, and gently said,
"Colonel Clifford, many years ago I received a confession from a dying
man in relation to a gentleman by the name of Henry Shirley, who was a
Colonel in his Majesty's service. I have endeavored in vain to find such
a gentleman, in order to confide the confession to him, according to the
desire of the penitent man."
Colonel Clifford appeared much agitated, but at length said, "To what
did it relate?"
"To certain anonymous letters written to him while abroad, in India, I
think he said, with a regiment of the government troops. Shall I go on?"
With his handkerchief to his eyes the sick man bowed assent.
"As nearly as I can recollect," added Frank, "the gentleman, who was a
townsman of mine, met your wife while on a foreign tour, and made
proposals to her which she indignantly refused. In order to revenge
himself, he wrote to you intimating her guilt in connection with another
gentleman."
The distressed man with a dreadful groan fell forward, and would have
fallen to the floor had not the Doctor caught him in his arms. He
motioned to me to ring the bell, and with the help of a servant who
appeared, laid the unconscious man upon the bed. It was some time before
he recovered, and when he did, he looked so death-like, that we feared
the excitement would terminate his life. I remained until he fell
asleep, and then quietly left him with the Doctor.
When Frank returned, he said that the Colonel did not allude to the
exciting subject of the interview until just before he left, and then
said to him, "I am not equal to continuing the conversation. I have
written all that is necessary to my son"--he could go no farther. Since
that time the subject has never been alluded to. A holy peace has taken
the place of the melancholy expression of his countenance; and he hails
with delight every fresh symptom of dissolution. He said yesterday, "God
has granted me delightful views of heaven, and the honor and glory of
the Saviour, who is the chief among ten thousand, and the one altogether
lovely. Oh," he exclaimed in a rapture, "Eternity will be too short to
praise him who has redeemed my guilty soul."
This morning he is much revived, and asked the Doctor to pray that he
might be ready and waiting, but not be impatient for the coming of the
bridegroom. Eugene is tender, and affectionate as a daughter, in his
attentions. It often makes the tears start to my eyes, as I witness the
look of unuttered love which beams from the eye of the sufferer upon his
devoted son. Every day he insists that Eugene shall take exercise in the
open air; but this I fear he would be reluctant to do if it were not for
the company of his sisters. When released from the sick room he bounds
like a young doe to our door and calls them for a walk.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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