Page:The Portrait of a Lady (1882).djvu/163

155 THE PORTRAIT OF A LADY. 155 sitting here ; " an idea which excited her and kept her awake. Once he opened his eyes for a while and fixed them upon her intelligently, but when she went to him, hoping he would recog- nise her, he closed them and relapsed into unconsciousness. The day after this, however, he revived for a longer time ; but on this occasion Ealph was with him alone. The old man began to talk, much to his son's satisfaction, who assured him that they should presently have him sitting up. " No, my boy/' said Mr. Touchett, " not unless you bury me in a sitting posture, as some of the ancients was it the ancients'? used to do." " Ah, daddy, don't talk about that," Ealph murmured. " You must not deny that you are getting better/' " There will be no need of my denying it if you don't say so," the old man answered. " Why should we prevaricate, just at the last? We never prevaricated before. I have got to die some time, and it's better to die when one is sick than when one is well. I am very sick as sick as I shall ever be. I hope you don't want to prove that I shall ever be worse than this ] That would be too bad. You don't 1 Well then." Having made this excellent point he became quiet ; but the next time that Ralph was with him he again addressed himself to conversation. The nurse had gone to her supper and Ralph was alone with him, having just relieved Mrs. Touchett, who had been on guard since dinner. The room was lighted only by the nickering fire, which of late had become necessary, and Ralph's tall shadow was projected upon the wall and ceiling, with an outline constantly varying but always grotesque. " Who is that with me is it my son 1 ?" the old man asked. " Yes, it's your son, daddy." " And is there no one else ? " " No one else." Mr. Touchett said nothing for a while ; and then, " I want to talk a little," he went on. " Won't it tire you 1 " Ralph inquired. " It won't matter if it does. I shall have a long rest. I want to talk about you." Ralph had drawn nearer to the bed ; he sat leaning forward, with his hand on his father's. "You had better select a brighter topic," he said. "You were always bright; I used to be proud of your brightness. I should like so much to think that you would do something." "If you leave us," said Ralph, "I shall do nothing but miss you."