THE OPERATION.
Thursday was come--before the sun had risen from behind the mountains,
Madelaine was up, hope and anxiety had kept both her and her mother
awake nearly the whole night.
Madelaine arranged the little room with the greatest care and neatness.
She then washed and dressed herself. Gladly would she have done the same
for her brother, but the doctor had forbidden anything which would cause
him the least excitement. Nine o'clock was the hour fixed for the
operation: at six Madelaine was ready. She then joined with her mother
(for Raphael still slept) in earnest prayer, for God's blessing on the
work about to be done. After these fervent supplications, Madelaine
asked her mother's permission to go to the fields to gather a bouquet of
wild flowers. She returned some time before the doctor arrived. He
entered the room as the clock struck nine, accompanied by an assistant,
their appearance produced some agitation in the family; but the doctor
entered into conversation on indifferent subjects for a while, before he
spoke of the object of his visit.
He then said, "My dear friends, I do not know whether I can entirely
fulfil my promise of operating on this little boy's eyes to-day. I must
first try whether he will remain still when the instrument touches his
eyes. Come then, my little fellow, be firm." He led Raphael to the
window, and desiring him to open his eyes wide, asked, "Does that hurt
you?" as he passed the instrument across his eye.
"Not at all," replied Raphael.
"That is well," rejoined the doctor. Then calling his assistant to him,
they commenced the operation; after a considerable time, during which
Madame Tube and Madelaine suffered intense anxiety, Raphael suddenly
cried out. "Why did you cry out?" asked the doctor calmly, as he covered
the eye, "it is impossible that could hurt you."
"It did not exactly hurt me," answered Raphael, in a trembling voice,
"but it felt in my eye as if--" He stopped and tried in vain to express
what he felt. "I understand," said the doctor, "and I am satisfied by
this that the operation will succeed. We will now leave you to rest
until to-morrow." Then giving strict orders to Madame Tube that the
covering should not be removed from the eye, the doctor took his leave,
expressing at the same time every hope of the happy termination of the
operation.
At the appointed hour next day the doctor arrived, and completed the
operation; then having the room very much darkened, he permitted the
covering to be removed, when Raphael exclaimed in delight, "Oh! I see
many things, many things."
The impression which these words produced on his mother and sister, was
inexpressible. With cries of joy they rushed towards him, saying, "God
be praised! God be praised!"
"My son, my son, thou art doubly given to me," ejaculated his mother,
sobbing.
"Are you my dearest mother?" asked Raphael, as she folded him in her
arms. "Now at last I shall learn to know your dear features."
"Raphael, Raphael," said Madelaine, sadly, "have you quite forgotten me?
let me at least see your eyes that are no longer dead." He turned
quickly towards her, and both wept for joy in each other's arms.
"Now, it is enough," said the doctor, "it is only by degrees that he can
become accustomed to the light, and for this reason, my boy, you must
remain blind for a few days longer;" he replaced the bandage and added,
"whenever this is taken off, the room must be darkened, as the light
must be admitted only by degrees, until his eyes are accustomed to it.
Neglect of this precaution would deprive him of sight for ever."
Madame Tube promised to be careful, then seizing the doctor's hand,
"Permit me," she said, "to kiss the hand which has, with God's blessing,
restored sight to my child. I cannot reward you for this noble action.
May God give you his choicest blessings!"
"Oh! good, kind gentleman," broke in Madelaine, "how happy you have made
us all; if I could but express all I feel; but I am too ignorant, I can
only thank you a thousand times."
"And I," said Raphael, "I can only thank you now, but I will pray for
you, my benefactor. When I rise in the morning, when I lie down at
night,--when I look around me on this beautiful world, I will always
think of you, and ask God to bless you."
"It is enough, enough," said the doctor, "I am very happy that I have
been successful." As he spoke, his countenance beamed with benevolence,
and doubtless the heartfelt thanks and prayers of the poor family, and
the consciousness of having performed a kind action, gave him most
sincere pleasure. He quitted the little room, followed by silent
blessings.