The String of Pearls (1850), p. 261

into that portion of the house. The colonel, like most gentlemen, had the happy
knack of making those with whom he spoke at their ease, so that Minna in a
very short time recovered her first agitation—for if she had gone a thousand times to that house, agitated she would have been at first—and was able to discourse with all that gentle fervour and candid simplicity which belongs to such minds as hers.
"A most favourable change." said the colonel, "has taken place in Tobias—a
change which I attribute to the strong influence which your visit had upon him;
such an opinion is not a mere fancy of mine, for the medical gentleman who is
in attendance upon him fully concurs in that view of the case."
Minna had no need to say that she was pleased, for she looked all the delight
that such a communication was calculated to give her.
"Under these circumstances, then," continued the colonel, "that which was
only a faint hope of his recovery, has become a certainty."
Minna's eyes filled with tears.
"Yes," added Captain Rathbone, "and we expect that to you he will make such revelations as shall bring proper punishment upon all those who have in any way been the cause of this calamity."
"Oh, forgive them all, now," said Minna. "Since he recovers, we can forgive
them all, you know, now."
"That cannot be, for the persecution that Tobias has endured is but part of a system which he will be the means of exposing. Will you come up stairs at once now, Miss Gray, and see him?"
"Oh, yes—yes."
How her heart beat as she ascended the staircase, and how quickly she inspired and respired when she actually got to the door of Tobias's room. But then she heard the kind, although not very musical voice of Mrs. Ragg from within, say—
"But, my dear, you will give her time to come?"
"A long time, mother," said Tobias.
Ah, how well Minna knew that voice. It was the voice of Tobias as of old. The same voice, injtone perhaps only a little weakened, and rendered more soft by
sickness than it had been, but to her it was like the soft memory of some well
remembered tone that she had heard, and wept with joy to hear in happier days.
"I am here, Tobias! I am here."
"Minna—Minna!"
She entered the room radiant and beautiful as some fairy come to breathe joy
by the magic of some spell, Tobias stretched out his arms towards her. She
paused a moment, and then with a soft and gentle movement, embraced him. It
was but for an instant she held him in her arms, and then she stepped back a pace or two and looked at him.
"Quite well," said Tobias, understanding the look.
"Quite?"
"Oh, yes, Minna, and as happy—as—as—fifty kings."
"Are kings happy?"
"Well, I don't know that they are, Minna, but at all events if they are, they
can't possibly be happier than I am."
"Bless the boy," said Mrs. Ragg, "how he does talk, to be sure."
"Why, Tobias," said Colonel Jeffery, "you are wonderfully improved within
this last hour."
"Yes, sir, and still more wonderfully since the best physician in the world has
come to see me."
The direction of his eyes towards Minna Gray let them know, if they had not
guessed it before, who Tobias considered the best physician in the world to
him. Minna shook her head, and said—
"But, Tobias, it is to this gentleman that you owe your life."
"Yes," replied Tobias, " and if ever I forget to be grateful to him for all that