Beyond being a trifle
sore on the head, and stiff at the elbows and one hip, I am quite
myself again."
"I was sorry to hear of the accident, Jenkins," Mr. Galloway resumed.
"I was as vexed at it as I could be, sir. When I first came to myself,
I hardly knew what damage was done; and the uncertainty of getting to
business, perhaps for weeks, did worry me much. I don't deny, too, that
I have been in a little pain. But oh, sir! it was worth happening! it
was indeed; only to experience the kindness and good fellowship that
have been shown me. I am sure half the town has been to see me, or to
ask after me."
"I hear you have had your share of visitors."
"The bishop himself came," said poor Jenkins, tears of gratitude rising
to his eyes in the intensity of his emotion. "He did, indeed, sir. He
came on the Friday, and groped his way up our dark stairs (for very
dark they are when Mr. Harper's sitting-room door is shut), and sat
down by my bedside, and chatted, just as plainly and familiarly as if
he had been no better than one of my own acquaintances. Mr. Arthur
Channing found him there when he came with your kind message, sir."
"So I heard," said Mr. Galloway. "You and the bishop were both in the
same boat. I cannot, for my part, get at the mystery of that locking-up
business."
"The bishop as good as said so, sir--that we had both been in it. I was
trying to express my acknowledgments to his lordship for his
condescension, apologizing for my plain bedroom, and the dark stairs,
and all that, and saying, as well as I knew how, that the like of me
was not worthy of a visit from him, when he laughed, in his affable
way, and said, 'We were both caught in the same trap, Jenkins.
Pages:
200
201
202
203
204
205
206
207
208
209
210
211
212
213
214
215
216
217
218
219
220
221
222
223
224