 longed
for years to be better than he was - who had taken his selfish passions into
discipline and clad them in severe robes, so that he had walked with them as a
devout quire, till now that a terror had risen among them, and they could chant
no longer, but threw out their common cries for safety.
    It was nearly the middle of the day before Lydgate arrived: he had meant to
come earlier, but had been detained, he said; and his shattered looks were
noticed by Bulstrode. But he immediately threw himself into the consideration of
the patient, and inquired strictly into all that had occurred. Raffles was
worse, would take hardly any food, was persistently wakeful and restlessly
raving; but still not violent. Contrary to Bulstrode's alarmed expectation, he
took little notice of Lydgate's presence, and continued to talk or murmur
incoherently.
    »What do you think of him?« said Bulstrode, in private.
    »The symptoms are worse.«
    »You are less hopeful?«
    »No; I still think he may come round. Are you going to stay here yourself?«
said Lydgate, looking at Bulstrode with an abrupt question, which made him
uneasy, though in reality it was not due to any suspicious conjecture.
    »Yes, I think so,« said Bulstrode, governing himself and speaking with
deliberation. »Mrs. Bulstrode is advised of the reasons which detain me. Mrs.
Abel and her husband are not experienced enough to be left quite alone, and this
kind of responsibility is scarcely included in their service of me. You have
some fresh instructions, I presume.«
    The chief new instruction that Lydgate had to give was on the administration
of extremely moderate doses of opium, in case of the sleeplessness continuing
after several hours. He had taken the precaution of bringing opium in his
pocket, and he gave minute directions to Bulstrode as to the doses, and the
point at which they should cease. He insisted on the risk of not ceasing; and
repeated his order that no alcohol should be given.
    »From what I see of the case,« he ended, »narcotism is the only thing I
should be much afraid of. He may wear through even without much food. There's a
good deal of strength in him.«
    »You look ill yourself, Mr. Lydgate - a most unusual, I may say
unprecedented thing in my knowledge of you,« said Bulstrode, showing a
solicitude as unlike his indifference the day before, as his present
recklessness about his own fatigue was unlike his habitual self-
