in herman medfield's room, the night-light was carefully shaded. through the dimness one guessed rather than saw the figure lying straight on the high bed, motionless under the blanket, and the night nurse standing beside it. the nurse bent a little toward the figure and listened. through the half-opened window a breeze came in, swaying the curtains, and the night-light cast reaching, moving shadows across the ceiling and along the bed.
the figure on the bed stirred a little and moaned, and the nurse spoke softly. there was no response—only an inarticulate sigh, and quickened breath for a moment, and rigid silence again. the nurse touched the clothes gently, straightening them, and returned to her chair by the table. the light fell on her face, the fresh face with clear features and half-reddish hair gathered up under its white cap. she sat bending forward, her hands relaxed in her lap. the breeze[pg 84] from the window came in and mixed with the shadows and crept through the room toward the bed.
a thoroughly successful operation, dr. carmon had said. but he had been in twice since to look at the motionless figure, and the nurse sitting by the table had careful instructions to call him at any moment.... the operation had been a success, but who knew what subtle forces had been attacked, perhaps overthrown, in those sharp, fierce minutes in the operating-room while the knife was at work? dr. carmon knew that he could cut clean and quick and sure; he knew that he could follow a nerve almost as a dog follows a scent, without fear or flinching; but it was something within the nerves, the unseen, unguessed something—that was life itself—that might undo his work and leave him helpless.... he could only look at the silent figure and repeat again his careful instructions and go away and leave it to the power that no man understands, and no man can help or hinder.
the curtains moved in the breeze; and the nurse rose now and then as the night wore[pg 85] on and went to the bed and waited a minute and returned to her chair. then some movement in the room—something unseen, drew her and she went again to the bed. she moved the light so that it fell, half-shaded, on the pillow, and bent forward and looked. her hand sought the wrist under the blanket and held it a minute and she lifted her face and turned the light quickly away.
she was moving toward the door—but it had swung softly back into the shadowy room, and aunt jane was nodding to her and smiling—with a subdued half-gesture toward the bed.
"i'll take him now," she said in her low voice.
"shall i call dr. carmon?"
"not yet." she went on toward the bed and the nurse passed out.
in the dimness of the room, nothing had happened. the curtains swayed a little in the breeze—the motionless figure on the bed lay rigid as before under its blanket—and the shadows crept toward it and back. but in the turning of a minute, forces had ranged themselves in the quiet room.
[pg 86]
aunt jane turned off the light and pushed back the curtains from the window and brought a chair to the side of the bed, and sat down quietly with the forces. she had moved with the certainty of one who sees what is to be done. she knew that presently there would steal out from the shadows something that has neither name nor shape.
she slipped her hand along inside the blanket and found the lifeless one and rubbed it a little and touched the wrist with firm, quick fingers and clasped the hand close.
then she sat with her head bent, as motionless as the figure beside her. the moments came and went. outside, the clock-tower boomed the hour softly, and then the half-hour; and somewhere in the distance a rooster crowed—a shrill, clear call, like light.... something ran through the figure on the bed—the man stirred a little. half-way through the lifeless fingers something crept toward warmth, and lay chill—and went slowly back and came again—and aunt jane's hand closed on it, clean and soft.... the man stirred and opened his eyes and stared vaguely out.
[pg 87]
the shadows in the room were clear gray—the east light had touched them. the eyes looked out on the light, unseeing, and fell shut. a half sigh fluttered to the parched lips and escaped and the man turned his head. aunt jane bent forward, waiting. the eyes opened and saw her and closed, and an even breath came through the lips. then a deep groan broke from them and aunt jane smiled.... it was a quiet, brooding smile like the light of the morning that was flooding in through the room.... the man groaned again.
aunt jane nodded happily and got up. she opened the windows wide and let in the freshness and stood for a moment breathing it in. then she went back to the bed.
the man's eyes regarded her dully.
"you feeling all right now?" she said cheerfully, bending over him.
he turned his head with a groan and aunt jane touched the bell.
it was the nurse with the reddish hair who responded, fresh from her nap.
"how is he?" she asked. she looked toward the drawn face on the pillow.
[pg 88]
"he's all right," said aunt jane. "he's just begun to suffer. he'll get along all right now."
"you don't think we need to send for dr. carmon?" she asked doubtingly.
"no, we don't need dr. carmon," replied aunt jane. "he did his work yesterday. it's our turn now— it's mr. medfield's turn." she nodded toward the bed and smiled and went out.
