Christian fiction; Man-woman relationships -- Fiction; United States -- Social life and customs -- 19th century -- Fiction
Let us do him ample justice. All that an iron frame, a steady courage,
admirable executive ability, profound medical skill, and deep
scientific interest, could prompt or do, he did. He organized and
instructed a corps of nurses, and made them do effective work; he
scattered printed suggestions and directions broadcast over the town,
for the behoof of sick and well; he was himself constantly in the
thickest of the fight, animating the workers, cheering the sick,
wellnigh raising the dead,--doing everything but comfort the mourners,
for that he had neither time nor talent. The town rang with praises of
his energy and skill; his presence had brought back hope to many a
house whence it seemed to have flown forever, joy into many a heart
that had only made itself ready for sorrow. Even Carice, as her
private grief half-sank, for the time, under the great wave of public
calamity, was moved to a degree of respect and admiration for the
doctor, of which, two or three weeks before, she could not have
believed herself capable. There was still a hero, and room for
heroism, in the world!
By and by, Mr. Bergan fell ill, not of the fever, but of one of the
sympathetic diseases, which often go hand in hand with it. There were
a few days of intense anxiety, during which the wife and daughter
lived, as it were, on the words of Doctor Remy's mouth, and the look of
his eyes. After these came slow weeks of convalescence, of exacting
feebleness and irritable complaint.
It was during these that Doctor Remy spoke.
Is it necessary to describe the conflict, or designate the result? On
the one side were parental wisdom, love, and authority, with the strong
sanction of recent danger and present feebleness; on the other, filial
respect, affection, and obedience, and a great self-distrust. For
Carice remembered that she had taken her own way before, and whither it
had led; now, ought she not to submit to the guidance ordained of God?
October found her bound fast by a promise, held irrevocably to a day.
The outward conflict was over; but the inward struggle, she found, was
scarce begun! Under that, she paled and wasted; sleep and appetite
forsook her; her eyes grew to have the pathetic, pleading look of a
dumb animal taken in a net. Finally, worn-out nature took refuge in
apathy that nothing seemed to disturb.
XI
A CLUE.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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