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George Meredith - "One of Our Conquerors, v2"

ed. by W. M. Flinders Petrie - "Egyptian Tales, First Series"

Nathaniel Hawthorne - "An Old Woman's Tale"

Gilbert Parker - "Donovan Pasha And Some People Of Egypt, Volume 4."

The Ordeal of Richard Feverel, Complete

G >> George Meredith >> The Ordeal of Richard Feverel, Complete




"Poor man! perhaps I am hard on him. I remember that you said Richard had
done wrong. Yes; well, that may be. But his father eclipsed his wrong in
a greater wrong--a crime, or quite as bad; for if he deceived himself in
the belief that he was acting righteously in separating husband and wife,
and exposing his son as he did, I can only say that there are some who
are worse than people who deliberately commit crimes. No doubt Science
will benefit by it. They kill little animals for the sake of Science.

"We have with us Doctor Bairam, and a French physician from Dieppe, a
very skilful man. It was he who told us where the real danger lay. We
thought all would be well. A week had passed, and no fever supervened. We
told Richard that his wife was coming to him, and he could bear to hear
it. I went to her and began to circumlocute, thinking she listened--she
had the same eager look. When I told her she might go in with me to see
her dear husband, her features did not change. M. Despres, who held her
pulse at the time, told me, in a whisper, it was cerebral fever--brain
fever coming on. We have talked of her since. I noticed that though she
did not seem to understand me, her bosom heaved, and she appeared to be
trying to repress it, and choke something. I am sure now, from what I
know of her character, that she--even in the approaches of delirium--was
preventing herself from crying out. Her last hold of reason was a thought
for Richard. It was against a creature like this that we plotted! I have
the comfort of knowing that I did my share in helping to destroy her. Had
she seen her husband a day or two before--but no! there was a new System
to interdict that! Or had she not so violently controlled her nature as
she did, I believe she might have been saved.

"He said once of a man, that his conscience was a coxcomb. Will you
believe that when he saw his son's wife--poor victim! lying delirious, he
could not even then see his error. You said he wished to take Providence
out of God's hands. His mad self-deceit would not leave him. I am
positive, that while he was standing over her, he was blaming her for not
having considered the child. Indeed he made a remark to me that it was
unfortunate 'disastrous,' I think he said--that the child should have to
be fed by hand. I dare say it is. All I pray is that this young child may
be saved from him. I cannot bear to see him look on it. He does not spare
himself bodily fatigue--but what is that? that is the vulgarest form of
love. I know what you will say. You will say I have lost all charity, and
I have. But I should not feel so, Austin, if I could be quite sure that
he is an altered man even now the blow has struck him. He is reserved and
simple in his speech, and his grief is evident, but I have doubts. He
heard her while she was senseless call him cruel and harsh, and cry that
she had suffered, and I saw then his mouth contract as if he had been
touched. Perhaps, when he thinks, his mind will be clearer, but what he
has done cannot be undone. I do not imagine he will abuse women any more.
The doctor called her a 'forte et belle jeune femme:' and he said she was
as noble a soul as ever God moulded clay upon. A noble soul 'forte et
belle!' She lies upstairs. If he can look on her and not see his sin, I
almost fear God will never enlighten him."

She died five days after she had been removed. The shock had utterly
deranged her. I was with her. She died very quietly, breathing her last
breath without pain--asking for no one--a death I should like to die.

"Her cries at one time were dreadfully loud. She screamed that she was
'drowning in fire,' and that her husband would not come to her to save
her. We deadened the sound as much as we could, but it was impossible to
prevent Richard from hearing. He knew her voice, and it produced an
effect like fever on him. Whenever she called he answered. You could not
hear them without weeping. Mrs. Berry sat with her, and I sat with him,
and his father moved from one to the other.

"But the trial for us came when she was gone. How to communicate it to
Richard--or whether to do so at all! His father consulted with us. We
were quite decided that it would be madness to breathe it while he was in
that state. I can admit now--as things have turned out--we were wrong.
His father left us--I believe he spent the time in prayer--and then
leaning on me, he went to Richard, and said in so many words, that his
Lucy was no more. I thought it must kill him. He listened, and smiled. I
never saw a smile so sweet and so sad. He said he had seen her die, as if
he had passed through his suffering a long time ago. He shut his eyes. I
could see by the motion of his eyeballs up that he was straining his
sight to some inner heaven.--I cannot go on.

"I think Richard is safe. Had we postponed the tidings, till he came to
his clear senses, it must have killed him. His father was right for once,
then. But if he has saved his son's body, he has given the death-blow to
his heart. Richard will never be what he promised.

"A letter found on his clothes tells us the origin of the quarrel. I have
had an interview with Lord M. this morning. I cannot say I think him
exactly to blame: Richard forced him to fight. At least I do not select
him the foremost for blame. He was deeply and sincerely affected by the
calamity he has caused. Alas! he was only an instrument. Your poor aunt
is utterly prostrate and talks strange things of her daughter's death.
She is only happy in drudging. Dr. Bairam says we must under any
circumstances keep her employed. Whilst she is doing something, she can
chat freely, but the moment her hands are not occupied she gives me an
idea that she is going into a fit.

"We expect the dear child's uncle to-day. Mr. Thompson is here. I have
taken him upstairs to look at her. That poor young man has a true heart.

"Come at once. You will not be in time to see her. She will lie at
Raynham. If you could you would see an angel. He sits by her side for
hours. I can give you no description of her beauty.

"You will not delay, I know, dear Austin, and I want you, for your
presence will make me more charitable than I find it possible to be. Have
you noticed the expression in the eyes of blind men? That is just how
Richard looks, as he lies there silent in his bed--striving to image her
on his brain."

THE END




ETEXT EDITOR'S BOOKMARKS

A woman who has mastered sauces sits on the apex of civilization
A style of affable omnipotence about the wise youth
A maker of Proverbs--what is he but a narrow mind wit
A young philosopher's an old fool!
After five years of marriage, and twelve of friendship
Although it blew hard when Caesar crossed the Rubicon
Among boys there are laws of honour and chivalrous codes
An edge to his smile that cuts much like a sneer
And so Farewell my young Ambition! and with it farewell all true
And to these instructions he gave an aim: "First be virtuous"
As when nations are secretly preparing for war
Behold the hero embarked in the redemption of an erring beauty
Cold charity to all
Come prepared to be not very well satisfied with anything
Complacent languor of the wise youth
Feeling, nothing beyond a lively interest in her well-being
Further she read, "Which is the coward among us?"
Gentleman who does so much 'cause he says so little
Habit had legalized his union with her
Hermits enamoured of wind and rain
Hero embarked in the redemption of an erring beautiful woman
Heroine, in common with the hero, has her ambition to be of use
His equanimity was fictitious
His fancy performed miraculous feats
How many instruments cannot clever women play upon
Huntress with few scruples and the game unguarded
I rather like to hear a woman swear. It embellishes her!
I beg of my husband, and all kind people who may have the care
I ain't a speeder of matrimony
I cannot get on with Gibbon
In our House, my son, there is peculiar blood. We go to wreck!
In Sir Austin's Note-book was written: "Between Simple Boyhood..."
Intensely communicative, but inarticulate
It was his ill luck to have strong appetites and a weak stomach
It is no use trying to conceal anything from him
It was now, as Sir Austin had written it down, The Magnetic Age
January was watering and freezing old earth by turns
Just bad inquirin' too close among men
Laying of ghosts is a public duty
Minutes taken up by the grey puffs from their mouths
No! Gentlemen don't fling stones; leave that to the blackguards
On the threshold of Puberty, there is one Unselfish Hour
Opened a wider view of the world to him, and a colder
Our most diligent pupil learns not so much as an earnest teacher
Rogue on the tremble of detection
Rumour for the nonce had a stronger spice of truth than usual
Seed-Time passed thus smoothly, and adolescence came on
Serene presumption
She can make puddens and pies
South-western Island has few attractions to other than invalids
Take 'em somethin' like Providence--as they come
Task of reclaiming a bad man is extremely seductive to good women
The Pilgrim's Scrip remarks that: Young men take joy in nothing
The world is wise in its way
The danger of a little knowledge of things is disputable
The born preacher we feel instinctively to be our foe
There is for the mind but one grasp of happiness
They believe that the angels have been busy about them
This was a totally different case from the antecedent ones
Those days of intellectual coxcombry
Threats of prayer, however, that harp upon their sincerity
To be passive in calamity is the province of no woman
Troublesome appendages of success
Unaccustomed to have his will thwarted
Who rises from Prayer a better man, his prayer is answered
Wise in not seeking to be too wise
Woman will be the last thing civilized by Man
Women are swift at coming to conclusions in these matters
Yet, though Angels smile, shall not Devils laugh
You've got no friend but your bed
Young as when she looked upon the lovers in Paradise
Young as when she looked upon the lovers in Paradise