第54章

But that which especially distinguishes the brotherhood is their marvellous knowledge of all the resources of medical art.They work not by charms, but simples.--"MS.Account of the Origin and Attributes of the true Rosicrucians," by J.Von D--.

At this time it chanced that Viola had the opportunity to return the kindness shown to her by the friendly musician whose house had received and sheltered her when first left an orphan on the world.Old Bernardi had brought up three sons to the same profession as himself, and they had lately left Naples to seek their fortunes in the wealthier cities of Northern Europe, where the musical market was less overstocked.There was only left to glad the household of his aged wife and himself, a lively, prattling, dark-eyed girl of some eight years old, the child of his second son, whose mother had died in giving her birth.It so happened that, about a month previous to the date on which our story has now entered, a paralytic affection had disabled Bernardi from the duties of his calling.He had been always a social, harmless, improvident, generous fellow--living on his gains from day to day, as if the day of sickness and old age never was to arrive.Though he received a small allowance for his past services, it ill sufficed for his wants,; neither was he free from debt.Poverty stood at his hearth,--when Viola's grateful smile and liberal hand came to chase the grim fiend away.But it is not enough to a heart truly kind to send and give; more charitable is it to visit and console."Forget not thy father's friend." So almost daily went the bright idol of Naples to the house of Bernardi.Suddenly a heavier affliction than either poverty or the palsy befell the old musician.His grandchild, his little Beatrice, fell ill, suddenly and dangerously ill, of one of those rapid fevers common to the South; and Viola was summoned from her strange and fearful reveries of love or fancy, to the sick-bed of the young sufferer.

The child was exceedingly fond of Viola, and the old people thought that her mere presence would bring healing; but when Viola arrived, Beatrice was insensible.Fortunately there was no performance that evening at San Carlo, and she resolved to stay the night and partake its fearful cares and dangerous vigil.

But during the night the child grew worse, the physician (the leechcraft has never been very skilful at Naples) shook his powdered head, kept his aromatics at his nostrils, administered his palliatives, and departed.Old Bernardi seated himself by the bedside in stern silence; here was the last tie that bound him to life.Well, let the anchor break and the battered ship go down! It was an iron resolve, more fearful than sorrow.An old man, with one foot in the grave, watching by the couch of a dying child, is one of the most awful spectacles in human calamities.

The wife was more active, more bustling, more hopeful, and more tearful.Viola took heed of all three.But towards dawn, Beatrice's state became so obviously alarming, that Viola herself began to despair.At this time she saw the old woman suddenly rise from before the image of the saint at which she had been kneeling, wrap herself in her cloak and hood, and quietly quit the chamber.Viola stole after her.

"It is cold for thee, good mother, to brave the air; let me go for the physician?""Child, I am not going to him.I have heard of one in the city who has been tender to the poor, and who, they say, has cured the sick when physicians failed.I will go and say to him, 'Signor, we are beggars in all else, but yesterday we were rich in love.

We are at the close of life, but we lived in our grandchild's childhood.Give us back our wealth,--give us back our youth.

Let us die blessing God that the thing we love survives us.'"She was gone.Why did thy heart beat, Viola? The infant's sharp cry of pain called her back to the couch; and there still sat the old man, unconscious of his wife's movements, not stirring, his eyes glazing fast as they watched the agonies of that slight frame.By degrees the wail of pain died into a low moan,--the convulsions grew feebler, but more frequent; the glow of fever faded into the blue, pale tinge that settles into the last bloodless marble.