On their arrival at the house, Mrs. Jenkin
half unconsciously took and kept hold of her husband's hand. By
the doctor's orders, windows and doors were set open to create a
thorough draught, and the patient was on no account to be
disturbed. Thus, then, did Fleeming pass the whole of that night,
crouching on the floor in the draught, and not daring to move lest
he should wake the sleeper. He had never been strong; energy had
stood him instead of vigour; and the result of that night's
exposure was flying rheumatism varied by settled sciatica.
Sometimes it quite disabled him, sometimes it was less acute; but
he was rarely free from it until his death. I knew him for many
years; for more than ten we were closely intimate; I have lived
with him for weeks; and during all this time, he only once referred
to his infirmity and then perforce as an excuse for some trouble he
put me to, and so slightly worded that I paid no heed. This is a
good measure of his courage under sufferings of which none but the
untried will think lightly. And I think it worth noting how this
optimist was acquainted with pain.
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