Page:Memoirs of the Lady Hester Stanhope.djvu/177

 the Bible. He was constantly poring over that book, and he went very generally by the name of the Prophet: Lady Hester herself always called him so. He had a maid-servant to take care of him, a barber, on fixed days, to shave him. Lamb, mutton, or beef, flour for his bread, and wine, were sent as his consumption required, money being liberally furnished him for purchasing everything else from Sayda.

Finding that he was very much neglected by the woman who was appointed to attend him, I mentioned the fact on my return to Lady Hester, and to this communication was to be attributed the extraordinary display on the floor of her bed-room; for, from her accustomed sensibility to the sufferings of others, she had fancied that the poor man was in want of everything. "See," she said, "what I am reduced to: ever since daylight this morning" (and it was then nearly noon) "have I been handling pots and pans to make the Prophet comfortable. For on whom can I depend?—on these cold people—a pack of stocks and stones, who rest immoveable amidst their fellow-creatures' sufferings? Why did not you give that woman a dressing? I'll have her turned out of the village—an impudent hussy!"

Here, from having raised her voice, she was seized with a spasm in the throat and chest, and, making a sudden start, "Some water, some water! make haste!"