"I don't believe there's any dislocation," she said cheerfully, though
not too cheerfully, for she knew better than to do that, when any one
was suffering. "I don't believe there's any dislocation, and if there
isn't, I'll soon relieve you, if you'll let me try." Eliza came back
with more hot water, and again for a patient half hour the wringing of
flannels and the application of them went on. At the end of that time,
Missy began to think there was something besides sprain and bruise, for
the patient was growing pale, and the pain was manifestly not abating.
She gave him some more wine, and bathed his head, and fanned him, and
wished for the doctor. There was no medicine in the house with which she
was familiar. Her own beloved weapons were now out of reach, and she
could not bring herself to give opium and the horrid drugs in which this
benighted gentleman still believed. Ignatia, camomilla, moschus! Ah,
what she might have done for him, if she could have known where to lay
her hand on her tiny case of medicines. She gave him more wine; that was
the only thing left for her to do, since he would probably not submit to
letting her set his arm, which she was now convinced was broken. She
felt quite capable of doing it, or of doing anything rather than sitting
still and seeing him suffer. She privately dispatched Eliza to get
bandages, and her work-basket, and to replenish the fire in the range.
At last, at a few minutes before two o'clock, the welcome sound of the
doctor's gig driving to the gate, met her ear. She let him in, while
Eliza sat beside the patient. He looked surprised to see her, and they
both thought involuntarily of the last time they had been together in
this house.
"You are a good neighbor," he said, taking off his hat and coat in the
hall.
"We have had a good neighbor to-night in Mr. Andrews," said Missy, with
a little stiffness. "He has made himself ill in our service, and we
feel as if we could not do too much in taking care of him."
"Certainly," said the doctor, searching for his case of instruments in
his pocket. "You have had a great fire, I hear. How much damage has been
done?"
"I do not know at all. I had to stay with my mother, and Mr. Andrews is
in too much pain since he came in, to answer any questions. I am very
much afraid his arm is broken."
"Indeed," said the doctor, comfortably, shaking down the collar of his
coat, which had been somewhat disarranged in the taking off of the
superior garment. It seemed as if he were trying how long he could be
about it.
Missy fumed.
"Now," he said, following her into the room. He seated himself by the
patient in a chair which Missy had set for him when she heard the gate
open, and asked him many questions, and poked about his arm and shoulder
and seemed to try to be as long in making up his mind as he had been in
getting ready to come in.
"Well?" said Missy at last, feeling she could not bear it any longer.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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