The Captain, closely attended by Gillie, moved slowly through the room, looking anxiously for Fred Leven. For some time they failed to find him. At last a loud curse, uttered in the midst of a knot of on-lookers, attracted their attention. It was followed by a general laugh, as a young man, whose dishevelled hair and flushed face showed that he had been drinking hard, burst from among them and staggered towards the door.
Never mind, Fred, shouted a voice that seemed familiar to the Captain, youll win it back from me next time.
Ere the youth had passed, the Captain stepped forward and laid his hand on his arm.
Fred uttered a savage growl, and drew back his clenched hand as if to strike, but Captain Woppers size and calm look of decision induced him to hold his hand.
What dyou mean by interrupting me? he demanded, sternly.
My lad, said the Captain, in a low, solemn voice, your mother is dying, come with me. Youve no time to lose.
The youths face turned ashy pale, and he passed his hand hastily across his brow.
Whats wrong? exclaimed Lewis Stoutley, who had recognised the Captain, and come forward at the moment.
Did he lose his money to you? asked the Captain, abruptly.
Well, yes, he did, retorted Lewis, with a look of offended dignity.
Come along, then, my lad. I want you too. Its a case of life an death. Ask no questions, but come along.
The Captain said this with such an air of authority, that Lewis felt constrained to obey. Fred Leven seemed to follow like one in a dream. They all got into a cab, and were driven back to Grubbs Court.
As they ascended the stair, the Captain whispered to Lewis, Keep in the background, my lad. Do nothing but look and listen.
Another moment and they were in the passage, where Lawrence stopped them.
Youre almost too late, sir, he said to Fred, sternly. If you had fed and clothed your mother better in time past, she might have got over this. Fortunately for her, poor soul, some people, who dont gamble away their own and their parents means, have given her the help that you have refused. Go in, sir, and try to speak words of comfort to her now.
He went in, and fell on his knees beside the bed.
Mother! he said.
Fain would he have said more, but no word could he utter. His tongue seemed to cleave to the roof of his mouth. Mrs Leven opened her eyes on hearing the single word, and her cheek flushed slightly as she seized one of his hands, kissed it and held it to her breast. Then she looked earnestly, and oh! so anxiously, into his face, and said in a low tone:
Fred, dear, are you so
She stopped abruptly.
Yes, yes, cried her son, passionately; yes, mother, Im sober now! Oh mother, dearest, darling mother, I am guilty, guilty; I have sinned. Oh forgive, forgive me! Listen, listen! I am in earnest now, my mother. Think of me as I used to be long ago. Dont shut your eyes. Look at me, mother, look at Fred.
The poor woman looked at him with tears of gladness in her eyes.
God bless you, Fred! she murmured. It is long, long, since you spoke like that. But I knew you would. I have always expected that you would. Praise the Lord!
Fred tried to speak, and again found that he could not, but the fountain of his soul was opened. He laid his face on his mothers hand and sobbed bitterly.
Those who witnessed this scene stood as if spellbound. As far as sound or motion went these two might have been in the room alone. Presently the sound of sobbing ceased, and Fred, raising his head, began gently to stroke the hand he held in his. Sometime in his wild career, he knew not when or where, he had heard it said that this slight action had often a wonderful power to soothe the sick. He continued it for some time. Then the doctor advanced and gazed into the invalids countenance.
She sleeps, he said, in a low tone.
May I stay beside her? whispered Fred.
Lawrence nodded assent, and then motioning to the others to withdraw, followed them into Mrs Robys room, where he told them that her sleeping was a good sign, and that they must do their best to prevent her being disturbed.
It wont be necessary for any one to watch. Her son will prove her best attendant just now; but it may be as well that some one should sit up in this room, and look in now and then to see that the candle doesnt burn out, and that all is right. I will go now, and will make this my first visit in the morning.
Captain Wopper, said Lewis Stoutley, in a subdued voice, when Lawrence had left, I won this ten-pound note to-night from Fred. II robbed him of it. Will you give it to him in the morning?
Yes, my lad, I will, said the Captain.
And will you let me sit up and watch here tonight?
No, my lad, I wont. I mean to do that myself.
But do let me stay an hour or so with you, in case anything is wanted, pleaded Lewis.
Well, you may.
They sat down together by the fireside, Mrs Roby having lain down on her bed with her clothes on, but they spoke never a word; and as they sat there, the young mans busy brain arrayed before him many and many a scene of death, and sickness, and suffering, and sorrow, and madness, and despair, which, he knew well from hearsay (and he now believed it), had been the terrible result of gambling and drink.
When the hour was past, the Captain rose and said, Now, Lewis, youll go, and Ill take a look at the next room.
He put off his shoes and went on tiptoe. Lewis followed, and took a peep before parting.
Fred had drawn three chairs to the bedside and lain down on them, with his shoulders resting on the edge of the bed, so that he could continue to stroke his mothers hand without disturbing her. He had continued doing so until his head had slowly drooped upon the pillow; and there they now lay, the dissipated son and the humble Christian mother, sleeping quietly together.
Chapter Seven.
The Great White Mountain
We are in Switzerland now; in the land of the mountain and the floodthe land also of perennial ice and snow. The solemn presence of the Great White Mountain is beginning to be felt. Its pure summit was first seen from Geneva; its shadow is now beginning to steal over us.
We are on the road to Chamouni, not yet over the frontier, in a carriage and four. Mrs Stoutley, being a lady of unbounded wealth, always travels post in a carriage and four when she can manage to do so, having an unconquerable antipathy to railroads and steamers. She could not well travel in any other fashion here, railways not having yet penetrated the mountain regions in this direction, and a mode of ascending roaring mountain torrents in steamboats not having yet been discovered. She might, however, travel with two horses, but she prefers four. Captain Wopper, who sits opposite Emma Gray, wonders in a quiet speculative way whether the Mines will produce a dividend sufficient to pay the expenses of this journey. He is quite disinterested in the thought, it being understood that the Captain pays his own expenses.
But we wander from our text, which isthe Great White Mountain. We are driving now under its shadow with Mrs Stoutleys party, which, in addition to the Captain and Miss Gray, already mentioned, includes young Dr George Lawrence and Lewis, who are on horseback; also Mrs Stoutleys maid (Mrs Stoutley never travels without a maid), Susan Quick, who sits beside the Captain; and Gillie White, alias the Spider and the Imp, who sits beside the driver, making earnest but futile efforts to draw him into a conversation in English, of which language the driver knows next to nothing.