Page:Under the Deodars - Kipling (1890).djvu/83

 with pain at each cry from the bed and murmuring: "Thank God I never bore a child! O thank God I never bore a child!"

Mrs. Delville looked at the bed for an instant, took Mrs. Bent by the shoulders and said quietly: "Get me some caustic. Be quick."

The mother obeyed mechanically. Mrs. Delville had thrown herself down by the side of the child and was opening its mouth.

"Oh, you're killing her!" cried Mrs. Bent. "Where's the Doctor? Leave her alone!"

Mrs. Delville made no reply for a minute but busied herself with the child.

"Now the caustic, and hold a lamp behind my left shoulder. Will you do as you are told? The acid-bottle, if you don't know what I mean," she said.

A second time Mrs. Delville bent over the child. Mrs. Hauksbee, her face still hidden, sobbed and shivered. One of the ayahs staggered sleepily into the room yawning: "The Doctor has come".

Mrs. Delville turned her head:—

"You're only just in time," she said. "It was chokin' her when I came an' I've burnt 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, realising for the first time who was the Goddess from the machine, stared also.