‘Canst hear owt?’ the old man said.

‘I cannot,’ he answered.

’Don’t say that, doctor—­don’t say that! said Miriam, with an accent of appeal.

’In these cases it is almost impossible to tell whether the patient is alive or dead.  We must wait.  Mrs. Baddeley, make a mustard plaster for his feet, and we will put another over the heart.’  And so they waited one hour, while the clock ticked and the mustard plasters gradually cooled.  Then Tommy’s lips parted.

After another half-hour the doctor said: 

’I must go now; I will come again at six.  Do nothing but apply fresh plasters.  Be sure to keep his neck free.  He is breathing, but I may as well be plain with you—­there is a great risk of your child dying in this condition.’

Neighbours were again at the window, and Miriam drew the blind, waving them away.  At six o’clock the doctor reappeared.  ‘There is no change,’ he remarked.  ‘I will call in before I go to bed.’

When he lifted the latch for the third time, at ten o’clock, Eli Machin and Miriam still sat by the sofa, and Tommy still lay thereon, moveless, a terrible enigma.  But the glass lamp was lighted on the mantelpiece, and Miriam’s sewing, by which she earned a livelihood, had been hidden out of sight.

‘There is no change,’ said the doctor.  ‘You can do nothing except hope.’

‘And pray,’ the calm mother added.

Eli neither stirred nor spoke.  For nine hours he had absolutely forgotten his engine.  He knew the boy would die.

The clock struck eleven, twelve, one, two, three, each time fretting the nerves of the old man like a rasp.  It was the hour of summer dawn.  A cold gray light fell unkindly across the small figure on the sofa.

‘Open th’ door a bit, father,’ said Miriam.  ‘This parlour’s gettin’ close; th’ lad canna breathe.’

‘Nay, lass,’ Eli sighed, as he stumbled obediently to the door.  ’The lad’ll breathe no more.  I’ve killed him i’ my anger.’  He frowned heavily, as though someone was annoying him.

‘Hist!’ she exclaimed, when, after extinguishing the lamp, she returned to her boy’s side.  ’He’s reddened—­he’s reddened!  Look thee at his cheeks, father!’ She seized the child’s inert hands and rubbed them between her own.  The blood was now plain in Tommy’s face.  His legs faintly twitched.  His breathing was slower.  Miriam moved the coverlet and put her head upon his heart.  ‘It’s beating loud, father,’ she cried.  ‘Bless God!’

Eli stared at the child with the fixity of a statue.  Then Tommy opened his eyes for an instant.  The old man groaned.  Tommy looked vacantly round, closed his eyes again, and was unmistakably asleep.  He slept for one minute, and then waked.  Eli involuntarily put a hand on the sofa.  Tommy gazed at him, and, with the most heavenly innocent smile of recognition, lightly touched his grandfather’s hand.  Then he turned over on his right side.  In the anguish of sudden joy Eli gave a deep, piteous sob.  That smile burnt into him like a coal of fire.