With one vigorous blow of his heel Thurston burst open the door, and sprung forward and dashed the fatal weapon from his hand, and then confronted him, exclaiming: 

“Good God, Cloudy!  What does this mean?”

Cloudy looked at him wildly for a minute, and when Thurston repeated the question, he answered with a hollow laugh: 

“That I am crazy, I guess! don’t you think so?”

“Cloudy, my dear fellow, we have been like brothers all our lives; now won’t you tell me what has brought you to this pass?  What troubles you so much?  Perhaps I can aid you in some way.  Come, what is it now?”

“And you really don’t know what it is?  Don’t you know that there is a wedding on hand?”

“A wedding!”

“Aye, man alive!  A wedding!  They are going to marry the child Jacquelina to old Grimshaw.”

“Oh, yes, I know that; but, my dear boy, what of it?  Surely you were never in love with little Jacko?”

“In love with her! ha! ha! no, not as you understand it! who take it to be that fantastical passion that may be inspired by the first sight of a pretty face.  No!  I am not in love with her, unless I could be in love with myself.  For Lina was my other self.  Oh, you who can talk so glibly of being ‘in love,’ little know that strength of attachment when two hearts have grown together from childhood.”

“It is like a brother’s and a sister’s.”

“Never! brothers and sisters cannot love so.  What brother ever loved a sister as I have loved Lina from our infancy?  What brother ever would have done and suffered as much for his sister as I have for Lina?”

“You! done and suffered for Lina!” said Thurston, beginning to think he was really mad.

“Yes! how many faults as a boy I have shouldered for her.  How many floggings I have taken.  How many shames I have borne for her, which she never knew.  Oh! how I have spent my night watches at sea, dreaming of her.  For years I have been saving up all my money to buy a pretty cottage for her and her mother that she loves so well.  I meant to have bought or built one this very year.  And after having made the pretty nest, to have wooed my pretty bird to come and occupy it.  I meant to have been such a good boy to her mother, too!  I pleased myself with fancying how the poor, little timorous woman would rest in so much peace and confidence in our home—­with me and Lina.  I have saved so much that I am richer than any one knows, and I meant to have accomplished all that this very time of coming home.  I hurried home.  I reached the house.  I ran in like a wild boy as I was.  Her voice called me.  I followed its sound—­ran up-stairs to her room.  I found her in bed.  I thought she was sick.  But she sprang up, and threw herself upon my bosom, and with her arms clasped about my neck, wept as if her heart would break.  And while I wondered what the matter could be, her mother interfered and told me.  God’s judgment