Page:What Will He Do With It? - Routledge - Volume 2.djvu/394

 not now as the Venus Erycina, goddess of Smile and Jest, but as the warning Venus Libitina, the goddess of Doom and the Funeral.

"I'm a very poor creature," said Jasper, after a pause. "I can't rise--I can't move without help. Very strange supernatural! She always said that if I raised my hand against her, it would fall palsied!" He turned his eye towards Arabella with a glare of angry terror. "She is a witch!" he said, and buried his face in the pillow. Tears rolled down the grim woman's cheeks.

LADY MONTFORT.--"She is rather your good ministering spirit. Do not be unkind to her. Over her you have more power now than you had when you were well and strong. She lives but to serve you; command her gently."

Jasper was not proof against that sweet voice. With difficulty he wrenched himself round, and again looked long at Caroline Montfort, as if the sight did him good; then he made a sign to Arabella, who flew to his side and raised him.

"I have been a sad dog," he said, with a mournful attempt at the old rollicking tone--"a very sad dog-in short, a villain! But all ladies are indulgent to villains in fact, prefer them! Never knew a lady who could endure 'a good young man'--never! So I am sure you will forgive me, miss--ma'am. Who is this lady? When it comes to forgiveness, there are so many of them! Oh, I remember now--your ladyship will forgive me--'tis all down in black and white what I've done-Belles has it. You see this hand--I can write with this hand--this is not paralysed.

"This is not the hand I tried to raise against her. But _basta, basta!_ where was I? My poor head! I know what it is to have a head now!--ache, ache!--boom, boom-weight, weight-heavy as a church bell-hollow as a church bell--noisy as a church bell! Brandy! give me brandy, you witch!--I mean Bella, good Bella, give me brandy!"

"Not yet, Jasper dear. You are to have it every third hour; it is not time yet, dearest; you must attend to the doctor, and try to get well and recover your strength. You remember I told you how kind Lady Montfort had been to your father, and you wished to see and thank her."

"My father--my poor, poor father! You've been kind to him! Bless you, bless you! And you will see him?