He was congratulating himself
upon these promising appearances, and blessing his stars with much
fervour, when one or two unpleasant symptoms manifested themselves: such
as another motion of the arm, another sigh, a restless tossing of the
head. Then, just as it seemed that he was about to fall heavily to the
ground from his narrow bed, Hugh's eyes opened.
It happened that his face was turned directly towards his unexpected
visitor. He looked lazily at him for some half-dozen seconds without any
aspect of surprise or recognition; then suddenly jumped up, and with a
great oath pronounced his name.
'Keep off, brother, keep off!' cried Dennis, dodging behind the chair.
'Don't do me a mischief. I'm a prisoner like you. I haven't the free use
of my limbs. I'm quite an old man. Don't hurt me!'
He whined out the last three words in such piteous accents, that Hugh,
who had dragged away the chair, and aimed a blow at him with it, checked
himself, and bade him get up.
'I'll get up certainly, brother,' cried Dennis, anxious to propitiate
him by any means in his power. 'I'll comply with any request of yours,
I'm sure. There--I'm up now. What can I do for you? Only say the word,
and I'll do it.
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