At first he was for rushing to her aid; but on second thoughts, he
reached his hat off the peg, and darted out of the cottage. There taking
to his heels he ran as fast as his legs could carry him along the road
Goody Grey had taken.
"For the love of Heaven!" said he overtaking her, "come back!"
"Come back!" exclaimed she, "and what for should I come back?"
"To take away the curse and witcheries yer've put upon Jane; or she'll
die."
"What are you raving about? What have I to do with Jane and her curses?"
"Yer know well what I mean, Ma'am; yer've most killed her with yer evil
eye. I know yer're a fearful 'ooman, and a wise 'un too, but for the
love of Heaven don't leave her like that, but come back."
"You're a fool!" replied Mrs. Grey, "I've no more power over her than a
fly," and she passed on, bidding him seek his wife's help.
And again Matthew started off faster than before to find Mrs. Marks,
with an inward malediction on Goody Grey.
He was scarcely out of sight ere she halted;--hesitated--then turned
back with rapid steps towards the cottage.
Jane had fallen near the window from which Goody Grey had seen her
gazing, and lay almost under it, so as to be entirely concealed from the
broad glare of its light. She lay on her side with one arm across her
face. Her visitor gently moved away the arm, and looked at her. It was
but a momentary glance, and the fainting woman rested, as I have said,
away from the light. Was it this made Goody Grey fail in recognizing
her? or was it the sharp, pinched features, and worn haggard face, with
those deep furrows ploughing it so roughly in every direction.
Filling a jug with water, Goody Grey lifted Jane, and tried to force
some down her throat, then dashed the rest over her face and forehead,
but her efforts at restoring life were useless, and after a few more
ineffectual attempts she left her, and went and seated herself by the
fire, thinking perhaps it would be but neighbourly to remain and await
Mrs. Marks's return.
Not many minutes elapsed ere Jane opened her eyes, and the first object
they rested on was the old woman's face and figure, as she sat looking
at the fire, her profile fully marked out, and apparent to Jane's gaze,
whose face assumed a terrified, horror-stricken look, as she almost
glared at her, seemingly too fascinated or frightened to look away.
Evidently Jane's memory served her better than Goody Grey's did, for she
recognized her, although the old woman did not, and after a minute or
two she sat up on the floor, and clasping arms round her knees, buried
her face in them and groaned aloud.
Goody Grey started and turned at the sound, then rose and went over to
her.
"Are you better?" she asked kindly, "you've had a long faint."
Jane made no answer, only moaned and shivered from head to foot.
"You are too cold to drink this water. Is there no brandy anywhere that
I can get you? Try and get up, and I will help you over to the fire."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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