"That will do, Mrs. Macque, thank you; now a small wine-glass and
another tea-spoon, if you please, for the light stand. I think we can
leave nurse Chloe with my patient now," said the speaker, turning to a
tall negress. "You understand, Chloe, give her the drops at four in the
morning, if she should waken; if the effect of the opiate lasts longer,
do not disturb her. I shall be in by six in the morning," and Doctor
Perry took his leave.
No, not his leave; he might not stay with Rose, but he could pace up and
down beneath her window; he could see by the faint light of the shaded
night-lamp, the shadow of the nurse's figure on the muslin
window-curtains, and know that she was faithful at her post; yes, he
could walk there, and the time would not seem long while he thought of
Rose.
Did she think, poor child, that his love could be chilled by aught but
unworthiness?
Did she think it could die out though no encouraging breath of her's
fanned the flame?
Did she think he could leave her to traverse the crowded streets of
that great Sodom, with no defense but her helplessness?
Did she think that a rejected lover could not be a trustworthy, firm,
and untiring friend?
Did she think that, like other men, he would mete out his attendance,
only so far as it met with an equivalent?
Dear Rose!
How often he had longed, as he had followed her at a distance through
the crowded streets, and seen her slight form bend under Charley's
burden, to offer her his protecting arm. How he had longed, when the
day's fruitless tramp was over, to go to her in the little parlor, and
bid her lay her weary head, fearlessly, as if on a brother's breast, and
now, when the heart's tonic;--hope--had been suddenly withdrawn, would
the drooping spirit sink? Medicine, he knew, could do little for the
soul's malady, but what it could do, she should be benefited by.
The old colored nurse Chloe drew aside the bed-curtains to look at her
charge. How still she lay--how white and wan. "Berry sick," she
muttered, with a shake of her turbaned head, "missis berry sick," and
she moved gently a long tress of hair which lay across Rose's forehead.
"Missis berry young," she muttered, "no wrinkles dere; missis' heart is
wrinkled, pr'aps; young face an' ole heart; some trouble been dere," and
the old negress touched the little snow-flake of a hand which lay upon
the coverlid. "Most see trough it," she muttered, following the tracery
of the blue veins. "No ring on de wedding-finger; ah! pr'aps dat's it,"
said the old negress, "den she'd better nebber wake up again. Black
skins and white skins, de Lord sends 'em both trouble to make it all
even. Some one ting, some anodder. My ole missis Vincent berry rich, but
had berry bad son; handsome, but berry bad; lub nobody but himself; die
like a dog wid all his money. De Lord he makes it all even, dis nigger
knows dat; ole missis Vincent good to gib ole Chloe her freedom, but
missis' son berry bad. De Lord sends some one ting, some anodder," and
Chloe folded her arms philosophically, and leaned back in her chair.