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The Marchioness, having arranged the bed-clothes more comfortably,
and felt that his hands and forehead were quite cool - a discovery
that filled her with delight - cried a little more, and then applied
herself to getting tea ready, and making some thin dry toast.
While she was thus engaged, Mr Swiveller looked on with a grateful
heart, very much astonished to see how thoroughly at home she made
herself, and attributing this attention, in its origin, to Sally Brass,
whom, in his own mind, he could not thank enough. When the
Marchioness had finished her toasting, she spread a clean cloth on a
tray, and brought him some crisp slices and a great basin of weak tea,
with which (she said) the doctor had left word he might refresh himself
when he awoke. She propped him up with pillows, if not as skilfully as
if she had been a professional nurse all her life, at least as tenderly;
and looked on with unutterable satisfaction while the patient -
stopping every now and then to shake her by the hand - took his poor
meal with an appetite and relish, which the greatest dainties of the
earth, under any other circumstances, would have failed to provoke.
Having cleared away, and disposed everything comfortably about him
again, she sat down at the table to take her own tea.
'
Marchioness,' said Mr Swiveller, 'how's Sally?'
The small servant screwed her face into an expression of the very
uttermost entanglement of slyness, and shook her head.
'
What, haven't you seen her lately?' said Dick.
'Seen her!' cried the small servant. 'Bless you, I've run away!'
Mr Swiveller immediately laid himself down again quite flat, and so
remained for about five minutes. By slow degrees he resumed his
sitting posture after that lapse of time, and inquired:
'And where do you live, Marchioness?'
'Live!' cried the small servant. 'Here!'
'Oh!' said Mr Swiveller.
And with that he fell down flat again, as suddenly as if he had been
shot. Thus he remained, motionless and bereft of speech, until she
had finished her meal, put everything in its place, and swept the
hearth; when he motioned her to bring a chair to the bedside, and,
being propped up again, opened a farther conversation.
'
And so,' said Dick, 'you have run away?'
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