Page:Meda - a tale of the future.djvu/328

324 my Mary. But oh! how changed. Her face bore a worn-out expression; her cheeks, that I had known as blooming and fresh, were now thin and hollow; her whole figure seemed haggard and exhausted; her sleep seemed broken and restless. But although my mouth was dry and parched, I would not for all the water in the world have disturbed her, so I lay and watched and thought. I could hear the birds singing such lovely songs of love; ah! that I could but look out through the window and see them. I could hear the gentle breeze rustling amongst the trees. All seemed love; all seemed pleasure; all seemed happiness. At last Mary awoke, and starting up as if she had committed some sin, she came over to me, and seeing my eyes open she burst into tears, and stooping, kissed me. The hot tears I knew were not tears of sorrow, but tears of joy. I wept also; my very weakness and joy caused me to be overcome.

"It was three days after this that I got a short account of what had taken place. I had had a very serious illness that for a long time