Georget was walking very softly, concealing his light with his right hand, when he heard a feeble voice from the bed:
"Yes, mother, it's I. So you're not asleep?"
"No, I haven't been able to go to sleep, I don't know why."
"It must be because you are sicker; and you have not been well for several days, although you didn't admit it to me."
"It's nothing, just the lumbago, it will soon be gone. If you would just give me something to drink, my dear, for I am very thirsty."
"Yes, mother, in a minute. Wait until I light your candle and put out this tallow thing of mine which smells worse than thirty-six lamps."
After lighting a bit of candle stuck in a bottle, Georget approached his mother's bed.
"Come, now you must tell me where your medicine is. But gracious heaven, how red your face is, mother! and black circles round your eyes! Are you worse?"
"Why, no, it is the heat of the bed that does that."
"Give me your hand, and let me feel your pulse. Oh! how hot your hand is! You are feverish, and very feverish too, I am sure."
"Nonsense, as if you knew anything about it."
"Oh! yes I do; you must have pain somewhere."
"The first thing in the morning I'll fetch a doctor."
"I don't want you to; what's the use of a doctor, just because one has a little fever; it will go away all right without him!"
"I thought I wouldn't make any; I prefer water, I like it better."
"Water, when one is feverish! Why, you didn't do right! If I did such a thing, you'd scold me and say that I acted like a child, and you would be right. However, tell me where the sugar is; where do you keep the sugar, mother?"
"Sugar! I don't want any; it nauseates me; I prefer clear water."
"Water without sugar, when one is as burning hot as you are! I never heard of such a thing! You can't mean it! Do you want to kill yourself? I am going to give you some sweetened water, but I must heat it; it's better so."
"I say yes; I will take care of you better than you do yourself. Come, where is the sugar? where is the coal?"
And Georget ran all about the room, fumbling over all the furniture, opening all the closets, looking in every corner, but he found nothing. Thereupon a bright light broke upon his mind. He stopped in the middle of the room, threw his cap on the floor, and cried in a tone of deep distress: