'Thou must lie here for a month or two, lad,' he said; 'tis a mean bed,
but I have known many worse, and will get straw tomorrow if I can, to
better it.'
I had eaten nothing all day, nor had Elzevir, yet I felt no hunger, only
a giddiness and burning thirst like that which came upon me when I was
shut in the Mohune vault. So 'twas very music to me to hear a pat and
splash of water dropping from the roof into a little pool upon the floor,
and Elzevir made a cup out of my hat and gave a full drink of it that was
icy-cool and more delicious than any smuggled wine of France.
And after that I knew little that happened for ten days or more, for
fever had hold of me, and as I learnt afterwards, I talked wild and could
scarce be restrained from jumping up and loosing the bindings that
Elzevir had put upon my leg. And all that time he nursed me as tenderly
as any mother could her child, and never left the cave except when he was
forced to seek food. But after the fever passed it left me very thin, as
I could see from hands and arms, and weaker than a baby; and I used to
lie the whole day, not thinking much, nor troubling about anything, but
eating what was given me and drawing a quiet pleasure from the knowledge
that strength was gradually returning. Elzevir had found a battered
sea-chest up on Peveril Point, and from the side of it made splints to
set my leg--using his own shirt for bandages.
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