"
Bending over him, Nina replied,
"I'm here, doctor. Nina's here. Shall I get more light so you CAN
see?"
"Yes, darling, more light--more light;" and swift as a fawn Nina
ran noiselessly from room to room, gathering up lamp after lamp,
and candle after candle, and bringing them to the sick chamber,
which blazed as if on fire, while the musical laugh of the lunatic
echoed through the room as she whispered to herself, "Twenty sperm
candles and fifteen lamps! 'Tis a glorious watch I keep to-night."
Once she thought of wakening Edith to share in her transports, but
was withheld from doing so by a feeling that "Miggie" would not
approve her work.
"It's light as noonday," she said, seating herself upon the
bedside. "Can't you see me now?"
"No, Nina, I shall never look on your dear face again until we
meet in Heaven. There you will be my own. No one can come between
us," and the feeble arms wound themselves lovingly around the
maiden, who laid her cheek against his feverish one, while her
little fingers strayed once more amid the mass of disordered hair,
pushing it back from the damp forehead, which she touched with her
sweet lips.
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