little marvel if he should abuse his advantages. Poor little Amy! I have less hope than ever, since even her evident wishes could not bend his determination in this trifle; but she is a good little creature, happy in her blindness. May it long continue! It is my uncle and aunt who are to be blamed.'
He set himself to ascend the mountain path, and they looked back, watching the firm vigorous steps with which he climbed the hill side, then stood to wave his hand to Amabel looking a perfect specimen of health and activity.
'Just like himself,' said Amy, drawing so long a breath that Guy smiled, but did not speak.
'Are you much vexed?' said she.
'I don't feel as if I had made the most of my opportunities.'
'Then if you have not, I can tell you who has. What do you think of his beginning to give me a lecture how to behave to you?'
'Did he think you wanted it very much?'
'I don't know: for of course I could not let him go on.'
Guy was so much diverted at the idea of her wanting a lecture on wife- like deportment, that he had no time to be angry at the impertinence, and he made her laugh also by his view that was all force of habit.
'Now, Guido--good Cavaliere Guido--do grant me one satisfaction,' said she, coaxingly. 'Only say you are very glad he is gone his own way.'
On the contrary, I am sorry he is running his head into a fever,' said Guy, pretending to be provoking.
'I don't want you to be glad of that, I only want you to be glad he is not sitting here towering over us.' Guy smiled, and began to whistle--
'Cock up your beaver, and cock it fu' sprush!'
CHAPTER 31
And turned the thistles of a curse
To types beneficent.--WORDSWORTH
It was about three weeks after the rendezvous at Bellagio, that Sir Guy and Lady Morville arrived at Vicenza, on their way from Venice. They were in the midst of breakfast when Arnaud entered, saying,--
'It was well, Sir Guy, that you changed your intention of visiting the Valtelline with Captain Morville.'
'What! Have you heard anything of him?'
'I fear that his temerity has caused him to suffer. I have just heard that an Englishman of your name is severely ill at Recoara.'
'Where?'
'At 'la badia di Recoara'. It is what in English we call a watering- place, on the mountains to the north, where the Vicentini do go in summer for 'fraicheur', but they have all returned in the last two days for fear of the infection.'
'I'll go and make inquiries' said Guy, rising in haste. Returning in a quarter of an hour, he said,--'It is true. It can be no other than poor Philip. I have seen his doctor, an Italian, who, when he saw our name written, said it was the same. He calls it 'una febbre molto grave'.'
'Very heavy! Did he only know the name in writing?'
'Only from seeing it on his passport. He has been unable to give any directions.'
'How dreadfully ill he must be! And alone! What shall we do? You won't think of leaving me behind you, whatever you do?' exclaimed Amabel, imploringly.
'It is at no great distance, and--'
'0, don't say that. Only take me with you. I will try to bear it, if you don't think it right; but it will be very hard.'
Her eyes were full of tears, but she struggled to repress them, and was silent in suspense as she saw him considering.
'My poor Amy!' said he, presently; 'I believe the anxiety would be worse for you if I were to leave you here.'
'Oh, thank you!' exclaimed she.
'You will have nothing to do with the nursing. No, I don't think there is much risk; so we will go together.'
'Thank you! thank you! and perhaps I may be of some use. But is it very infectious?'
'I hope not: caught at Colico, and imported to a fresh place. I should think there was little fear of its spreading. However, we must soon be off: I am afraid he is very ill, and almost deserted. In the first place, I had better send an express to the Consul at Venice, to ask him to recommend us a doctor, for I have not much faith in this Italian.'
They were soon on the way to Recoara, a road bordered on one side by high rocks, on the other by a little river flowing down a valley, shut in by mountains. The valley gradually contracted in the ascent, till it became a ravine, and further on a mere crevice marked by the thick growth of the chestnut-trees; but before this greater narrowing, they saw the roofs of the houses in the little town. The sun shone clear, the air had grown fresh as they mounted higher; Amabel could hardly imagine sickness and sorrow in so fair a spot, and turned to her husband to say so, but he was deep in thought, and she would not disturb him.
The town was built on the bank of the stream, and very much shut in by the steep crags, which seemed almost to overhang the inn, to which they drove, auguring favourably of the place from its fresh, clean aspect.
Guy hastened to the patient; while Amabel was conducted to a room with a polished floor, and very little furniture, and there waited anxiously until he returned. There was a flush on his face, and almost before he spoke, he leant far out of the window to try to catch a breath of air.
'We must find another room for him directly,' said he. 'He cannot possibly exist where he is--a little den--such an atmosphere of fever-- enough to knock one down! Will you have one got ready for him?'
'Directly,' said Amabel, ringing. 'How is he?'
'He is in a stupor; it is not sleep. He is frightfully ill, I never felt anything like the heat of his skin. But that stifling hole would account for much; very likely he may revive, when we get him into a better atmosphere. No one has attended to him properly. It is a terrible thing to be ill in a foreign country without a friend!'
Arnaud came, and Amabel sent for the hostess, while Guy returned to his charge. Little care had been taken for the solitary traveller on foot, too ill to exact attention, and whose presence drove away custom; but when his case was taken up by a Milord Inglese, the people of the inn were ready to do their utmost to cause their neglect to be forgotten, and everything was at the disposal of the Signora. The rooms were many, but very small, and the best she could contrive was to choose three rooms on the lower floor, rather larger than the rest, and opening into each other, as well as into the passage, so that it was possible to produce a thorough draught. Under her superintendence, Anne made the apartment look comfortable, and almost English, and sending word that all was ready, she proceeded to establish herself in the corresponding rooms on the floor above.
Philip was perfectly unconscious when he was carried to his new room. His illness had continued about a week, and had been aggravated first by his incredulous and determined resistance of it, and then by the neglect with which he had been treated. It was fearful to see how his great strength had been cut down, as there he lay with scarcely a sign of life, except his gasping, labouring breath. Guy stood over him, let the air blow in from the open window, sprinkled his face with vinegar, and moistened his lips, longing for the physician, for whom, however, he knew he must wait many hours. Perplexed, ignorant of the proper treatment, fearing to do harm, and extremely anxious, he still was almost rejoiced: for there was no one to whom he was so glad to do a service, and a hope arose of full reconciliation.
The patient was somewhat revived by the fresh air, he breathed more freely, moved, and made a murmuring sound, as if striving painfully for a word.
''Da bere',' at last he said; and if Guy had not known its meaning, it would have been plain from the gasping, parched manner in which it was uttered.
'Some water?' said Guy, holding it to his lips, and on hearing the English, Philip opened his eyes, and, as he drank, gazed with a heavy sort of wonder. 'Is that enough? Do you like some on your forehead?'
'Thank you.'
'Is that more comfortable? We only heard to-day you were ill.'
He turned away restlessly, as if hardly glad to see Guy, and not awake to the circumstances, in a dull, feverish oppression of the senses. Delirium soon came on, or, more properly, delusion. He was distressed by thinking himself
