But what troubled him now, as he lay with eyes bandaged and a knowledge
that to-morrow was the day fixed for the destruction of the bridge, was
his own incapacity. It was unlikely that his head or his eyes would be
right by to-morrow, or that Rockwell would allow him to get up. He felt
in his own mind that the injury he had received was a serious one, and
that the lucky horseshoe had done Maxchand's work for him all too well.
This thought shook him. Rockwell could see his chest heave with an
excitement gravely injurious to his condition; yet he must be told the
worst, or the shock of discovery by himself that he was blind might give
him brain fever. Rockwell felt that he must hasten the crisis.
"Rockwell," Ingolby suddenly asked, "is there any chance of my discarding
this and getting out to-morrow?" He touched the handkerchief round his
eyes. "It doesn't matter about the head bandages, but the eyes--can't I
slough the wraps to-morrow? I feel scarcely any pain now."
"Yes, you can get rid of the bandages to-morrow--you can get rid of them
to-day, if you really wish," Rockwell answered, closing in on the last
defence.
"But I don't mind being in the dark to-day if it'll make me fitter for
to-morrow and get me right sooner.
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