Morley Ernstein; or, the Tenants of the HeartJames, G. P. R. (George Payne Rainsford)
General
Morley Ernstein; or, the Tenants of the Heart
James, G. P. R. (George Payne Rainsford)
Fiction
The surgeon turned round, at length, and looked at her, seeing then,
for the first time, that some deep feeling was busy in her bosom. He
spoke not to her, but bowed his head gently, with a look of
encouragement; and then the tears burst forth in floods from her eyes,
and she turned away towards the window. At the same moment the surgeon
drew from his pocket that little case of instruments, the sight of
which has so often produced the shudder of mortal antipathy on the
manly frame--the operation of which has with equal frequency plunged
hearts full of affection and tenderness into the bitterest agony of
earthly sorrow, or restored smiles and sunshine to the bright domestic
hearth.
The lancet and the bandage were soon produced, and the red blood
spouted freely from the arm of the injured man. A minute or two after,
while Juliet was still looking forth from the window, she heard a
voice which made her whole frame thrill. It was the rich melodious
tone of the lips of him she loved, but low and softened; and darting
to the bedside, she cast herself upon her knees, exclaiming, "Thank
God!--thank God!"
Great indeed was the change which the flowing of that blood produced.
The dull heavy aspect of life without intelligence was gone. The clear
bright soul had resumed its sway in the mortal tenement, and looked
out from the window of the eye.
"Juliet, Juliet!" said Morley Ernstein, "where am I? Something has
happened!"
But the surgeon held up his hand, saying, "Do not speak. You must be
kept perfectly quiet, especially till the blood has flowed freely.
This will all pass away, but we must guard against any fever.--Do not
be agitated, my dear Miss Carr, all will go well, I assure you. The
only thing that is necessary is quiet: and therefore I must now have
the room cleared. Two or three days of perfect tranquillity and
confinement will remove all evil, except aches and bruises. So you may
rest satisfied, and leave this gentleman to my care without any
apprehension."
"I will leave him for the present," replied Juliet; "but I must be his
nurse, Mr. Langley. I have known this gentleman from childhood, and I
am sure that sir Morley Ernstein will like my tending as well as that
of any other."
"Better--far better--than any on the earth," replied Morley, holding
out his hand to her, while the surgeon was busy binding the bandage
round his other arm. "To see you near me, Juliet, is enough of itself
to make me well.--I remember now that my horse fell, but how I came
hither I do not recollect."
"We will tell you all that afterwards," replied the surgeon; "and if,
in order to make you well, Miss Carr must come back again," he added,
with a meaning smile, "I can have nothing to say; only she must leave
you for the present--for two or three hours at least. During that time
I must stay and watch you; but when I am sure that all is going on
right, she shall take her turn."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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