After this were days and nights when the soul of him wandered in dark places filled with chaotic dreams and wild fancies; but there was ever one beside him whose gentle voice reached him in the darkness, and whose tender hand hushed his delirium and soothed his woes and troubles. CHAPTER XXXV HOW GEOFFREY RAVENSLEE CAME OUT OF THE DARK She was knitting; and opening sleepy eyes he watched drowsily and wondered what it might be and was minded to enquire, but sighed instead and fell asleep again. She was knitting; knitting something in red wool, and opening his eyes again, he lay watching awhile and pondered dreamily as to what it could be she wrought at so busily, for the wool was so very red and so extremely woolly. Her chin was set at an angle somewhat grim, she was sitting very upright in her chair and, though scrupulously hidden from sight, her elbows--truly how portentous were the undisguisable points of those elbows! And she was knitting fiercely in wool that was remarkably red and woolly. "Pray what is it, Mrs. Trapes?" A feeble whisper, but, at the sound, faint though it was, Mrs. Trapes started, half rose from her chair, sank down again heavily and letting fall her knitting, stared at the invalid. "Land sakes, alive!" she gasped. "Now you've dropped it!" said Ravenslee, his voice a little stronger. "Oh, dear beloved land o' my fathers--it's come!" she exclaimed, clasping her hands, "the Lord be praised for evermore, it's come!" "What has?" "The turn! And you've took it! Doctor Dennison says last night as you'd take it soon one way or t' other. But all night long while they waited and watched here, you've laid so pale an' still as a corp'. An' now, while I'm a-settin' here, you go an' take th' turn so sudden as fair takes my breath away, Lord be praised! I mean--I mean--oh, I guess I'll go wake the doctor." "But you haven't told me what it is," said Ravenslee drowsily. "What what is?" "That very peculiar--woolly thing." "This?" said Mrs. Trapes, picking up the object in question, "this is my knittin'. Doctor said t' call him th' moment th' turn came--" Her voice seemed to sink to a slumberous murmur as, having smoothed his pillow, she crossed the room and very softly closed the door behind her; wherefore Ravenslee blinked sleepily at the door until its panels seemed slowly to become confused and merge one into another, changing gradually to a cloud, soft, billowy, and ever growing until it had engulfed him altogether, and he sank down and down into unknown deeps of forgetfulness and blessed quietude. * * * * * She was knitting; knitting a shapeless something in red wool, and Ravenslee thought he had never known her elbows more threatening of aspect nor seen wool quite so red and woolly; wherefore he presently spoke, and his voice was no longer a feeble croak. "Pray what is it, Mrs. Trapes?" Mrs. Trapes jumped.