He did not cry, he was quite serious, just as if he knew that it would be a great shame to be weak now, and when Squire John, in his rapture, raised him to a level with his lips and kissed his little red face again and again with his stiff, bristly moustache, he began to smile and utter a merry little gurgle, which those who were standing round Squire John were quite positive was an attempt to speak.
"Talk away, my darling little soul," stammered Squire John, perceiving that the child was screwing up his little round lips all sorts of ways, as if he knew very well what he wanted to say but could not find the right words, "talk away, talk away! Don't be afraid, we understand you.
Say it again." But the doctor and the nurses thought well to interpret the little suckling's discourse as a desire to go back to his mother.

Enough of caresses then, for the present, they said, and, taking him out of Squire John's arms, they brought him back to his mother, whereupon the good gentleman could not but steal softly into the adjoining room and listen whether the child was crying, and every time anybody came out he would ask what was going on or what had happened since, and every time anybody went in he sent a message along with him.
Towards the afternoon the doctor emerged again, and asked him to retire with him to another room.
"Why?
I prefer being here; at least I can hear what they are talking about." "Yes; but I don't want you to hear what they are talking about in there." John stared at him.

He began to feel bad as he met the doctor's cold look; and he followed him mechanically into the adjoining room.
"Well, sir, what is it you wish to say to me that others may not hear ?" "Your worship, a great joy has this day befallen your house." "I know it.

I understand it.

God be praised!" "God has indeed blessed your worship with a great joy, but it has also seemed good to Him to prove you with affliction." "What do you mean by that ?" thundered the terrified Karpathy, and his face turned blue.
"Look now, your worship, this is just what I feared, and that is why I called you aside into an adjoining room; show yourself a Christian, and learn to bear the hand of God." "Don't torture me; say exactly what has happened." "Your honour's wife will die." After hearing this Karpathy stood there without uttering a word.
"If there was any help for her in this world," continued the doctor, "I would say there is hope, but it is my duty to tell you that her hours, her moments, are numbered, therefore your honour must play the man, and go to her and bid her good-bye, for ere long she will be unable to speak." Karpathy allowed himself to be led into the dying woman's chamber.