I
Uncle Matthew died three days later. He slipped out of life without
ostentation or murmur. "The MacDermotts are not afeard to die," he had
said to John at the beginning of his illness, and in that spirit he had
died. In the morning, he had asked Mrs. MacDermott to look for _Don
Quixote_ in the attic and bring it to him, and she had done so. He
had tried to read the book, but it was too heavy for him--his strength
was swiftly going from him--and it had fallen from his hands on to the
quilt and then had rolled on to the floor.
"I can't hold it," he murmured.
"Will I read it to you?" she said to him.
"Yes, if you please!" he said.
It was a badly-bound book, printed in small, eye-tormenting type,
and it was difficult to hold; but she made no complaint of these
things, and for an hour or so, she read to Uncle Matthew. She put
the book down when his breathing denoted that he was asleep, but
she did not immediately go from the room. She sat for a time, looking
at the delicate face on the pillow, and then she picked the book
up again and began to examine it, turning the pages over slowly,
reading here and reading there, and examining the illustrations closely.
There was a puzzled look on her face, and the flesh, between her
eyebrows was puckered and deeply lined. She put the book down on
her lap and looked intently in front of her, as if she were considering
some problem. She picked the book up again, and once more turned over
the pages and examined the pictures; but she did not appear to find
any solution of her problem as she did so, for she put the book down
on the dressing-table and left it there. She bent over the sleeping
man for a few moments, listening to his breathing, and then she went
out of the room leaving the door ajar.
And while she was downstairs, Uncle Matthew died. He had not wakened
from his sleep. He seemed to be exactly in the same position as he was
when she left the room. He was not breathing ... that was all. She
called to Uncle William, and he came quickly up the stairs.
"Is anything wrong?" he said anxiously.
"Matt's dead!" she replied.
He stood still.
"Shut the shop," she said, "and send for John and the doctor!"
He did not move.