The day broke gray and dull. The clouds hung heavily, and there was a rawnessin the air that suggested snow. A woman servant came into a room in which achild was sleeping and drew the curtains. She glanced mechanically at the houseopposite, a stucco house with a portico, and went to the child’s bed.
“Wake up, Philip,” she said.
She pulled down the bed-clothes, took him in her arms, and carried himdownstairs. He was only half awake.
“Your mother wants you,” she said.
She opened the door of a room on the floor below and took the child over to abed in which a woman was lying. It was his mother. She stretched out her arms,and the child nestled by her side. He did not ask why he had been awakened. Thewoman kissed his eyes, and with thin, small hands felt the warm body throughhis white flannel nightgown. She pressed him closer to herself.
“Are you sleepy, darling?” she said.
Her voice was so weak that it seemed to come already from a great distance. Thechild did not answer, but smiled comfortably. He was very happy in the large,warm bed, with those soft arms about him. He tried to make himself smallerstill as he cuddled up against his mother, and he kissed her sleepily. In amoment he closed his eyes and was fast asleep. The doctor came forwards andstood by the bed-side.
“Oh, don’t take him away yet,” she moaned.
The doctor, without answering, looked at her gravely. Knowing she would not beallowed to keep the child much longer, the woman kissed him again; and shepassed her hand down his body till she came to his feet; she held the rightfoot in her hand and felt the five small toes; and then slowly passed her handover the left one. She gave a sob.
“What’s the matter?” said the doctor. “You’retired.”
She shook her head, unable to speak, and the tears rolled down her cheeks. Thedoctor bent down.
“Let me take him.”
She was too weak to resist his wish, and she gave the child up. The doctorhanded him back to his nurse.
“You’d better put him back in his own bed.”
“Very well, sir.” The little boy, still sleeping, was taken away.His mother sobbed now broken-heartedly.
“What will happen to him, poor child?”
The monthly nurse tried to quiet her, and presently, from exhaustion, thecrying ceased. The doctor walked to a table on the other side of the room, uponwhich, under a towel, lay the body of a still-born child. He lifted the toweland looked. He was hidden from the bed by a screen, but the woman guessed whathe was doing.
“Was it a girl or a boy?” she whispered to the nurse.
“Another boy.”
The woman did not answer. In a moment the child’s nurse came back. Sheapproached the bed.
“Master Philip never woke up,” she said. There was a pause. Thenthe doctor felt his patient’s pulse once more.
“I don’t think there’s anything I can do just now,” hesaid. “I’ll call again after breakfast.”
“I’ll show you out, sir,” said the child’s nurse.
They walked downstairs in silence. In the hall the doctor stopped.
“You’ve sent for Mrs. Carey’s brother-in-law, haven’tyou?”
“Yes, sir.”
“D’you know at what time he’ll be here?”
“No, sir, I’m expecting a telegram.”
“What about the little boy? I should think he’d be better out ofthe way.”
“Miss Watkin said she’d take him, sir.”
“Who’s she?”
“She’s his godmother, sir. D’you think Mrs. Carey will getover it, sir?”
The doctor shook his head.