anditwasthoughtformany，manydaysthathewouldnevertravelfartherthantheburying-groundofthechurchofSt。George’s，wherethetroopsshouldfireasalvooverhisgrave，andwheremanyagallantofficerliesfarawayfromhishome。
Here，asthepoorfellowlaytossinginhisfever，thepeoplewhowatchedhimmighthaveheardhimravingaboutAmelia。Theideathatheshouldneverseeheragaindepressedhiminhislucidhours。Hethoughthislastdaywascome，andhemadehissolemnpreparationsfordeparture，settinghisaffairsinthisworldinorderandleavingthelittlepropertyofwhichhewaspossessedtothosewhomhemostdesiredtobenefit。Thefriendinwhosehousehewaslocatedwitnessedhistestament。Hedesiredtobeburiedwithalittlebrownhair-chainwhichheworeroundhisneckandwhich，ifthetruthmustbeknown，hehadgotfromAmelia’smaidatBrussels，whentheyoungwidow’shairwascutoff，duringthefeverwhichprostratedherafterthedeathofGeorgeOsborneontheplateauatMountSt。John。
Herecovered，rallied，relapsedagain，havingundergonesuchaprocessofblood-lettingandcalomelasshowedthestrengthofhisoriginalconstitution。HewasalmostaskeletonwhentheyputhimonboardtheRamchunderEastIndiaman，CaptainBragg，fromCalcutta，touchingatMadras，andsoweakandprostratethathisfriendwhohadtendedhimthroughhisillnessprophesiedthatthehonestMajorwouldneversurvivethevoyage，andthathewouldpasssomemorning，shroudedinflagandhammock，overtheship’sside，andcarryingdowntotheseawithhimtherelicthatheworeathisheart。Butwhetheritwastheseaair，orthehopewhichsprungupinhimafresh，fromthedaythattheshipspreadhercanvasandstoodoutoftheroadstowardshome，ourfriendbegantoamend，andhewasquitewellthoughasgauntasagreyhoundbeforetheyreachedtheCape。”Kirkwillbedisappointedofhismajoritythistime。”hesaidwithasmile；“hewillexpecttofindhimselfgazettedbythetimetheregimentreacheshome。”ForitmustbepremisedthatwhiletheMajorwaslyingillatMadras，havingmadesuchprodigioushastetogothither，thegallant——th，whichhadpassedmanyyearsabroad，whichafteritsreturnfromtheWestIndieshadbeenbaulkedofitsstayathomebytheWaterloocampaign，andhadbeenorderedfromFlanderstoIndia，hadreceivedordershome；andtheMajormighthaveaccompaniedhiscomrades，hadhechosentowaitfortheirarrivalatMadras。
PerhapshewasnotinclinedtoputhimselfinhisexhaustedstateagainundertheguardianshipofGlorvina。
“IthinkMissO’Dowdwouldhavedoneforme。”hesaidlaughinglytoafellow-passenger，“ifwehadhadheronboard，andwhenshehadsunkme，shewouldhavefallenuponyou，dependuponit，andcarriedyouinasaprizetoSouthampton，Jos，myboy。”