Philip whispered to the priest that he had been accompanied by Father
Mathias, who was to remain as his guest, and requested him to explain
the circumstances of his present position to him, and see that he was
attended to. Father Seysen then quitted the room, when Philip sat down
by the bedside, and drew back the curtain. Perhaps there is no situation in life so agonising to the feelings
as that in which Philip was now placed. His joyful emotions when
expecting to embrace in health and beauty the object of his warmest
affections, and of his continual thought during his long absence,
suddenly checked by disappointment, anxiety, and grief, at finding
her lying emaciated, changed, corrupted with disease--her mind
overthrown--her eyes unconscious of his presence--her existence
hanging by a single hair--her frame prostrate before the King of
Terrors who hovers over her with uplifted dart, and longs for the fiat
which should permit him to pierce his unconscious victim. "Alas!" thought Philip, "is it thus we meet, Amine? Truly did Father
Mathias advise me, as I hurried so impetuously along, not (as I fondly
thought) to happiness, but to misery. God of Heaven! be merciful and
forgive me. If I have loved this angelic creature of Thy formation,
even more than I have Thee--spare her--good Heaven, spare her--or I am
lost for ever." Philip covered up his face, and remained for some time in prayer. He
then bent over his Amine, and impressed a kiss upon her burning lips. They were burning, but still there was moisture upon them, and Philip
perceived that there was also moisture on her forehead. He felt her
hand, and the palm of it was moist; and carefully covering her with
the bedclothes, he watched her with anxiety and hope. In a quarter of an hour he had the delight of perceiving that Amine
was in a profuse perspiration; gradually her breathing became less
heavy, and instead of the passive state in which she had remained, she
moved, and became restless. Philip watched, and replaced the clothes
as she threw them off, until she at last appeared to have fallen into
a profound and sweet sleep. Shortly after, Father Seysen and the
physician made their appearance. Philip stated, in few words, what
had occurred. The doctor went to the bedside, and in half a minute
returned. "Your wife is spared to you, Mynheer, but it is not advisable that she
should see you so unexpectedly; the shock may be too great in her
weak state; she must be allowed to sleep as long as possible; on her
awaking she will have returned to reason. You must leave her then to
Father Seysen." "May I not remain in the room until she wakes? I will then hasten away
unobserved." "That will be useless; the disease is contagious, and you have been
here too long already. Remain below; you must change your clothes, and
see that they prepare a bed for her in another room, to which she must
be transported as soon as you think she can bear it; and then
let these windows be thrown open, that the room may be properly
ventilated. It will not do to have a wife just rescued from the
jaws of death run the risk of falling a sacrifice to the attentions
necessary to a sick husband." Philip perceived the prudence of this advice, and quitting the room
with the medical man, he went and changed his clothes, and then joined
Father Mathias, whom he found in the parlour below. "You were right, father," said Philip, throwing himself on the sofa. "I am old and suspicious, you are young and buoyant, Philip; but I
trust all may yet be well." "I trust so too," replied Philip. He then remained silent and absorbed
in thought, for now that the imminent danger was over, he was
reflecting upon what Father Seysen had communicated to him relative
to Amine's having revealed the secret whilst in a state of mental
aberration. The priest perceiving that his mind was occupied, did not
interrupt him. An hour had thus passed, when Father Seysen entered the
room. "Return thanks to Heaven, my son. Amine has awakened, and is perfectly
sensible and collected. There is now little doubt of her recovery. She
has taken the restorative ordered by the doctor, though she was so
anxious to repose once more, that she could hardly be persuaded to
swallow it. She is now again fast asleep, and watched by one of the
maidens, and in all probability will not move for many hours; but
every moment of such sleep is precious, and she must not be disturbed. I will now see to some refreshment, which must be needful to us all. Philip, you have not introduced me to your companion, who, I perceive,
is of my own calling." "Forgive me, sir," replied Philip; "you will have great pleasure in
making acquaintance with Father Mathias, who has promised to reside
with me, I trust, for some time. I will leave you together, and see to
the breakfast being prepared, for the delay of which I trust Father
Mathias will accept my apology." Philip then left the room, and went into the kitchen. Having ordered
what was requisite, to be taken into the parlour, he put on his hat
and walked out of the house. He could not eat; his mind was in a state
of confusion; the events of the morning had been too harassing and
exciting, and he felt as if the fresh air was necessary to his
existence. As he proceeded, careless in which direction, he met many with whom he
had been acquainted, and from whom he had received condolence at his
supposed bereavement, and congratulations when they learnt from him
that the danger was over; and from them he also learnt how fatal had
been the pestilence. Not one-third of the inhabitants of Terneuse and the surrounding
country remained alive, and those who had recovered were in a state
of exhaustion which prevented them from returning to their accustomed
occupations. They had combated disease, but remained the prey of
misery and want; and Philip mentally vowed that he would appropriate
all his savings to the relief of those around him. It was not until
more than two hours had passed away that Philip returned to the
cottage. On his arrival he found that Amine still slumbered, and the two
priests were in conversation below. "My son," said Father Seysen, "let us now have a little explanation. I have had a long conference with this good Father, who hath much
interested me with his account of the extension of our holy religion
among the Pagans. He hath communicated to me much to rejoice at and
much to grieve for; but, among other questions put to him, I have (in
consequence of what I have learnt during the mental alienation of your
wife) interrogated him upon the point of a supernatural appearance of
a vessel in the eastern seas. You observe, Philip, that your secret is
known to me, or I could not have put that question. To my surprise, he
hath stated a visitation of the kind to which he was eye-witness,
and which cannot reasonably be accounted for, except by supernatural
interposition. A strange and certainly most awful visitation!