I nursed him, and I can say with truth that a
better-hearted man does not live. Should he again offer you any
civilities, tell him the whole truth, and I'll warrant he will not
repeat them.'
That evening Lucy tripped home with a light heart. When she retired
to rest, she built many an air-castle of future happiness.
The next morning, as the home-servants of Modbury's farm were going
to their daily toil, they found a crowd round Damerel's cottage door.
On inquiring into the cause, they were told that Luke had in a fit of
despair enlisted as a soldier, and that the news had wrought so
violently on the feelings of his mother, that it was thought she
could never recover!
The scene inside the cottage was painfully distressing. The old dame
was lying on a bed with her clothes still about her, showing that she
had not gone to rest the whole night. The village doctor was by her
side, having just bled her, whilst everything strewed about the room
indicated that the always revolting operation had but recently been
performed.
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