Showing how Old Nanny fell Sick and got Well again.
Before I fell asleep that night I thought a great deal of what had
passed between the widow St. Felix and my father. Why should she have
shown such emotion, and why should she request of me not to mention what
had passed? I had heard reports about her, as I have before mentioned; I
had heard them from old Nanny, but I did not put any confidence in what
she said. Thinking of old Nanny reminded me that I had not called upon
her for some time, and I resolved that I would visit her the next day.
It was not until late in the evening that I could spare time to call
upon her, and, what was not usual, I went empty-handed. I found to my
surprise that the door was shut to, and the shutters of the shop not
taken down. I tried the latch, the door opened, and I went in.
"Who's there?" screamed old Nanny from the inner room. "What do you
want?"
"It's only Poor Jack, mother," replied I, "come to see how you are."
"Come in," replied she; "I'm very bad. Oh! oh! I thought it was some
thief or another come to steal all the things in my shop."
I entered the room and found old Nanny in bed; she looked very ill and
miserable, and everything was very dirty.
"Are you not well, mother?" said I.
"Well, boy? No, very ill, very ill indeed, haven't left my bed these
three days. Reach me a little water, Jack, there's a good boy. I've been
dying for water."
I handed her a broken jug which had some water in it. She drank
greedily, so as to spill nearly half of it on the coverlid.
"Oh, how good it is!" exclaimed the old woman, as soon as she recovered
her breath. "I'm better now. I could not reach it myself. I've the
rheumatiz so bad! I've been in such a fright because I could not lock
the door; it kept me awake all night long. Oh, my poor back!"
"But why did you not send for the doctor, mother?"
"Doctor! Eh? who's to pay him? I've got no money, Jack."
"Well, but Dr. Tadpole's very kind."
"Yes, yes, kind to the widow; but not to old women like me, without any
money."
"But why not have some one to sit up with you, and help you?"
"Sit up with me! Who'd sit up with me? Yes, if I paid them. But I've no
money, Jack; and then, I don't know them. They might rob me--there's a
great many pretty things in my shop."
"But you might die, mother, lying here without any one to help you."
"Die! Well, and who would care if a poor old woman like me died, Jack?"
"I should care, for one, mother; and so would my sister Virginia, and
many others besides."
"You might care, Jack, for you're a good boy, and so might your little
sister, for she has a kind heart; but nobody else, Jack--no, not one!"
I could not reply to this remark, as I really did not know anybody who
would have cared; so I said, "You must see the doctor, mother. I will go
for him."
"No, Jack, I can't afford it, it's no use; besides, I'm better now."
"Well, if you can't afford it, you shall not pay him; and, if he will
not come for nothing, I'll pay him myself."
"Will you pay him, Jack? that's a good boy. You promised me bargains,
you know; that shall be one of them."
"Well, mother, I'll make the bargain that I'll pay him, if you'll see
him--so good-by now. Do you want anything before I go?"
"No, Jack, no; I don't want anything, only just lock the door and take
the key with you when you go out, and then no one can rob me, Jack,
while you're gone."
I complied with her request, and ran for Dr. Tadpole, whom I found
smoking his cigar in the widow's shop.
"Doctor," said I, "old Nanny has been ill in bed these three days, and I
want you to go and see her."
"Does she send you to me, or do you ask it yourself?" said the doctor,
"for I think she would die rather than pay the doctor."
"As for that, Mr. Tadpole," said the widow, "there are many of your
patients who send for the doctor without ever intending to pay him.
Perhaps old Nanny may go on the same plan."
"Certainly; that alters the case. Well, Jack, what's the matter with
her?"
"Rheumatism, and, I believe, fever; for her hand is hot, and her tongue
very white. She was lying in bed with no one to help her, and had not
strength to reach a drop of water, until I gave it to her."
"Poor old soul!" said the widow. "And yet they say that she has money?"
"I don't think that she has much," replied I; "for when she lent me the
twenty-eight shillings, she had not ten shillings more in the bag. But,
doctor, I'll pay you; I will, indeed. How much will it be?"
"Now, doctor, just put on your hat, and set off as soon as you please;
for if Poor Jack says he'll pay you, you know that your money is as safe
as mine was in the bank--before it failed."
"Well, I'll just finish my cigar."
"Of course you will--as you walk along, Mr. Tadpole," replied the widow;
"it's very pleasant to smoke in the air, and just as unpleasant to
others your smoking in the house. So, doctor, just be off and see the
poor old wretch directly, or--I'll be affronted."
Hereupon the doctor took up his hat, and without reply walked off with
me. When we arrived, I unlocked the door and we went in.
"Well, old Nanny, what's the matter now?" said Dr. Tadpole.
"Nothing, doctor, nothing; you've come on a useless message; I didn't
send for you, recollect that; it was Jack who would go; I did not send,
recollect that, doctor; I can't afford it; I've no money."
"Very well, I shan't look to you for money. Put out your tongue,"
replied the doctor, as he felt her pulse.
"Recollect, doctor, I did not send for you. Jack, you are witness--I've
no money," repeated old Nanny.
"Put out your tongue," repeated the doctor.
"No, I won't, till it's all clearly settled."
"It is, you old fool," said the doctor, impatiently; "put out your
tongue."
"Jack, you're witness it's all by force," said Nanny, who at last put
out her tongue; "and now, doctor, I'll tell you."
Whereupon Nanny commenced with a narrative of her ills; and by her own
account there was not a portion of her body from top to toe which had
not some ailment.
"You've a very bad complaint," said the doctor; "what d'ye think it is?
It's old age. I hardly know whether I can cure it."
"Can your draw the pain out of my old bones?" said Nanny, groaning.
"Why, I'll try, at all events. I must send you something to take
inwardly."
"Who's to pay for it?" said old Nanny.
"I will, mother," said I.
"You're witness, doctor--Jack says he'll pay for it. You're a good boy,
Jack."
"Well, that's settled--but now, we must have some one to sit up with
you."
"Sit up with me? nobody will sit up with an old thing like me."
"Yes, I will, mother," said I, "and I'll look in upon you in the
daytime, and see if you want to drink."
"No, no, Jack! then you'll make no money."
"Yes I will--never mind that."
"Well, at all events," replied the doctor, "Jack will sit up with you
this night; and we'll see how you are to-morrow. Now, Jack, come back
with me, and I'll give you something for her. Good-night, Nanny," said
the doctor, leaving the room.
"Good-night," grumbled old Nanny; and as we were going through the shop
I heard her continue: "It's very easy saying 'good-night,' but how can a
poor wretch like me, with every bone aching as if it would split, expect
to have a 'good night'?"
As the doctor walked home, he appeared not to be in his usual talkative
mood. He went to the shop, made up the medicines, and gave me the
directions.
"Here, Jack, take these; and it will be a kindness to sit up with her
to-night. I will see her to-morrow; and as I can't allow you to be the
only good Samaritan in the place, understand, Jack, that I attend the
poor old woman and find medicine for nothing."
I thanked him and hastened back. Old Nanny took her draught, and then
turned round on her side. I suppose there was opium in it, for she soon
fell fast asleep; not, however, until she had said, "Jack, have you
locked the door?"
"Yes, mother, I have."
"Well, now, don't you think you could watch without burning a candle?
You ain't afraid?"
"No, mother, I'm not afraid; but if I do, I shall fall asleep; and,
besides, if you wake and want anything, I shall not be able to find it.
I should break the jug and other things, and they would cost more than a
candle."
"Very true, Jack. I feel sleepy already"--and old Nanny was soon in a
loud snore.
I had stopped at my mother's to say that I intended to stay with old
Nanny, so that they might not sit up for me; and now all that I had to
do was to keep myself awake. I had forgotten to bring a book with me, so
I looked about the room for something to read; but I could find
nothing. At last I ventured to open a drawer--it creaked, and old Nanny
was roused. "Who's that?" cried she, but she did not wake up, the opiate
was too powerful. I went to her; she was in a perspiration, which I knew
was what the doctor wished. I put the clothes close up to her head, and
left her. I then took the candle and looked into the drawer, and found a
book lying in a corner with one side of the cover off. It was very dirty
and stained. I took it out, and went again to my chair and opened it. It
was Bunyan's "Pilgrim's Progress," and full of plates. I had never heard
of the book, and did not know what the title meant. I first looked at
all the plates, and then I turned to the opening of the book. On the
blank leaf at the commencement, in very neat and lawyer-like
handwriting, was "Anna James, on her marriage, from her dear friend Mary
Farquhar, Tynemouth, June the 19th, 1738." By this I discovered, as I
thought, the married but not the maiden name of old Nanny; and very
probably, also, that Tynemouth was her native place. She was married,
too, in 1738, that was more than sixty years back--and her age was,
therefore, in all likelihood, nearly eighty years. I pondered over this
for some time, and then I commenced reading; and so interested was I
with the contents that I did not raise my head until the candle had
burned to the socket: as I was about to light another, I perceived
daylight through the chinks of the window shutter. So I laid down the
book, and walking softly out of the room, unlocked the shop door to get
a little fresh air; for the room that old Nanny was sleeping in was,
from dirt and neglect, very close. I could not, however, unlock the door
without waking up Nanny who screamed out "Thieves!--murder! thieves!"
until she was wide awake.
[Illustration: JACK IN NANNY'S ROOM.--Marryat, Vol. X., p. 151.]
"Oh! it is you, Jack?" said she at last. "I dreamed there were thieves
breaking in."
"Nothing but day breaking in, mother," said I. "How do you feel this
morning?"
"Better, Jack, better; I've not so much pain, but I'm very thirsty; give
me some water."
"No, mother; the doctor said you must not drink cold water. If you'll
wait a little, I'll run and fetch you something warm. I won't be gone
long, so try to go to sleep again."
Old Nanny made no reply, but turned her face away from the light, as if
in obedience to my orders. I locked the outer door and hastened home.
I found my mother and Virginia sitting in the nice clean room, the fire
blazing cheerfully and the breakfast on the table, and I could not help
making the contrast in my own mind between it and the dirty abode I had
just left. I ran into the back kitchen to wash my face and hands, and
then returned, kissed Virginia, and wished my mother "Good-morning."
Why, I do not know, but she was in one of her worst of humors.
"Don't come near me, or near your sister Virginia," said she sharply;
"who knows what vermin you may have brought from where you have been
staying all night?"