Hauksbee
raised her head.
Kipling - Poems
Mrs.
Hauksbee, her face
still hidden, sobbed and shivered. One of the ayahs staggered sleepily
into the room, yawning: "Doctor Sahib come. "
Mrs. Delville turned her head.
"You're only just in time," she said. "It was chokin' her when I came
in, an' I've burned it. "
"There was no sign of the membrane getting to the air-passages after the
last steaming. It was the general weakness, I feared," said the Doctor
half to himself, and he whispered as he looked. "You've done what I
should have been afraid to do without consultation. "
"She was dyin'," said Mrs. Delville, under her breath. "Can you do
anythin'? What a mercy it was I went to the dance! "
Mrs.
Hauksbee raised her head.
"Is it all over? " she gasped. "I'm useless--I'm worse than useless! What
are you doing here? "
She stared at Mrs. Delville, and Mrs. Bent, realizing for the first time
who was the Goddess from the Machine, stared also.
Then Mrs. Delville made explanation, putting on a dirty long glove and
smoothing a crumpled and ill-fitting ball-dress.
"I was at the dance, an' the Doctor was tellin' me about your baby bein'
so ill. So I came away early, an' your door was open, an' I-I lost my
boy this way six months ago, an' I've been tryin' to forget it ever
since, an' I-I-I-am very sorry for intrudin' an' anythin' that has
happened. "
Mrs. Bent was putting out the Doctor's eye with a lamp as he stooped
over Dora.
"Take it away," said the Doctor. "I think the child will do, thanks to
you, Mrs.
still hidden, sobbed and shivered. One of the ayahs staggered sleepily
into the room, yawning: "Doctor Sahib come. "
Mrs. Delville turned her head.
"You're only just in time," she said. "It was chokin' her when I came
in, an' I've burned it. "
"There was no sign of the membrane getting to the air-passages after the
last steaming. It was the general weakness, I feared," said the Doctor
half to himself, and he whispered as he looked. "You've done what I
should have been afraid to do without consultation. "
"She was dyin'," said Mrs. Delville, under her breath. "Can you do
anythin'? What a mercy it was I went to the dance! "
Mrs.
Hauksbee raised her head.
"Is it all over? " she gasped. "I'm useless--I'm worse than useless! What
are you doing here? "
She stared at Mrs. Delville, and Mrs. Bent, realizing for the first time
who was the Goddess from the Machine, stared also.
Then Mrs. Delville made explanation, putting on a dirty long glove and
smoothing a crumpled and ill-fitting ball-dress.
"I was at the dance, an' the Doctor was tellin' me about your baby bein'
so ill. So I came away early, an' your door was open, an' I-I lost my
boy this way six months ago, an' I've been tryin' to forget it ever
since, an' I-I-I-am very sorry for intrudin' an' anythin' that has
happened. "
Mrs. Bent was putting out the Doctor's eye with a lamp as he stooped
over Dora.
"Take it away," said the Doctor. "I think the child will do, thanks to
you, Mrs.