Red Spider, Volume 2 (of 2)Baring-Gould, S. (Sabine)
General
Red Spider, Volume 2 (of 2)
Baring-Gould, S. (Sabine)
English fiction -- 19th century
Then they ran, some to the well in the bank, some—Sam, of course—into
the cottage, and left Honor for a moment or two beside the prostrate
man, kneeling, holding the guttering candle with one hand, and screening
the flame from the wind with the other.
Then Larry opened his eyes, and looked long and earnestly into her face.
He said nothing. He did not stir a finger; but his eyes spoke.
’Larry!’ she breathed. Her heart spoke in her voice, ’Larry, are you
much hurt?’
He slightly moved his head.
’Much, Larry? where?’
’In my pride, Honor,’ he answered.
She looked at him with surprise: at first hardly comprehending his
meaning.
Then Kate came down the steps with the scissors.
’O Honor! How dreadful! I told him not to go! I told him you
disapproved! And now he is punished. O Honor! is he badly injured? He
is not killed?’
’No, Kate, he is not killed. How far hurt I cannot tell. Larry! you
must let me move you. I may hurt you a little——’
’You cannot hurt me,’ he said. ’I have hurt myself.’
’O Honor!’ exclaimed Kate. ’If he can speak he is not so bad. Shall I
help?’
’No, Kate,’ answered Honor, ’go back to the cottage and give the young
men what they want to clean their faces; those at the well also. I can
manage Larry by myself.’
She stooped over him.
’Larry! you must let me raise you a little bit. Tell me truly, are any
bones broken?’
’I do not know, Honor. I feel as if I could not move. I am full of
pain, full in all my limbs, but most full in my heart.’
She began to cut up the seams of the sleeves.
’I cannot move my right arm,’ he said. ’I suppose there is some
breakage there.’
’Yes,’ she said gravely, ’I can feel a bone is broken.’
’If that be all it does not matter,’ he said more cheerfully, ’but I
want to say to you, Honor, something whilst no one is by.’
’What is it?’
’I have done very wrong in many ways. I have been a fool, and I shall
never be anything else unless you——’
’Never mind that now,’ she hastily interrupted him. ’We must think only
at present of your aching joints and broken bones.’
Then Oliver Luxmore’s voice was heard calling, and asking what was the
matter? Who were in the house? He had been roused from his sleep and
was alarmed. Kate ran up the stairs to pacify him, and when he knew the
circumstances he hastily dressed.
An altercation broke out at the well. There was not room for all to get
at the water. One came running up with streaming face to Honor, ’Am I
clean?’ he asked. ’How is Larry? Not so bad hurt after all, is he?’
Then he went up the steps into the cottage to consult his fellows as to
the condition of his face, and to wipe it.
Honor removed the coat in pieces.
’Thank you,’ said Larry. ’The candle is out?’
’Yes, the wind has made it out (extinguished it).’
’My left hand is sound. Come on that side.’
She did as he asked.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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