II + 

NoiseтБатАКтБатАж noise and painтБатАКтБатАж He woke with a start. He felt hot, very hot and there was a pain all down one side. And the noise was coming nearer. It was the noise that one always connected with MummyтБатАКтБатАж + 

She came into the room like a whirlwind, a kind of cloak affair she wore swinging out behind her. She was like a birdтБатАФa great big birdтБатАФand like a bird, she swooped down upon him. + 

тАЬVernonтБатАФmy darlingтБатАФMummyтАЩs own darling! What have they done to you? How awful! How terrible! My child!тАЭ + 

She was crying. Vernon began to cry too. He was suddenly frightened. Myra was moaning and weeping. + 

тАЬMy little child. All I have in the world. God, donтАЩt take him from me. DonтАЩt take him from me! If he dies, I shall die too!тАЭ + 

тАЬMrs.┬аDeyreтБатАФтАЭ + 

тАЬVernonтБатАФVernonтБатАФmy babyтБатАФтАЭ + 

тАЬMrs.┬аDeyreтБатАФplease!тАЭ + 

There was crisp command in the voice rather than appeal. + 

тАЬPlease donтАЩt touch him. You will hurt him.тАЭ + 

тАЬHurt him? I? His mother?тАЭ + 

тАЬYou donтАЩt seem to realize, Mrs.┬аDeyre, that his leg is broken. I must ask you, please, to leave the room.тАЭ + 

тАЬYouтАЩre hiding something from me. Tell meтБатАФtell meтБатАФwill the leg have to be amputated?тАЭ + 

A wail came from Vernon. He had not the least idea what тАЬamputatedтАЭ meant, but it sounded painfulтБатАФand more than painful, terrifying. His wail broke into a scream. + 

тАЬHeтАЩs dying!тАЭ cried Myra. тАЬHeтАЩs dyingтБатАФand they wonтАЩt tell me. But he shall die in my arms.тАЭ + 

тАЬMrs.┬аDeyreтБатАФтАЭ + 

Somehow Nurse Frances had got between his mother and the bed. She was holding his mother by the shoulder. Her voice had the tone that NurseтАЩs had had when speaking to Katie, the under-housemaid. + 

тАЬMrs.┬аDeyre, listen to me. You must control yourself. You must!тАЭ Then she looked up. VernonтАЩs father was standing in the doorway. тАЬMr.┬аDeyre, please take your wife away. I cannot have my patient excited and upset.тАЭ + 

His father noddedтБатАФa quiet understanding nod. He just looked at Vernon once and said: тАЬBad luck, old chap. I broke an arm once.тАЭ + 

The world became suddenly less terrifying. Other people broke legs and arms. His father had hold of his motherтАЩs shoulder, he was leading her towards the door, speaking to her in a low voice. She was protesting, arguing, her voice high and shrill with emotion. + 

тАЬHow can you understand? YouтАЩve never cared for the child like I have. It takes a mother. How can I leave my child to be looked after by a stranger? He needs his mother.тБатАКтБатАж You donтАЩt understand. I love him. ThereтАЩs nothing like a motherтАЩs careтБатАФeveryone says so.тАЭ + 

тАЬVernon darlingтАЭтБатАФshe broke from her husbandтАЩs clasp, came back towards the bedтБатАФтАЬyou want me, donтАЩt you? You want Mummy?тАЭ + 

тАЬI want Nurse,тАЭ sobbed Vernon. тАЬI want Nurse.тАЭ + 

He meant his own Nurse, not Nurse Frances. + 

тАЬOh!тАЭ said Myra. She stood there quivering. + 

тАЬCome, my dear,тАЭ said VernonтАЩs father gently. тАЬCome away.тАЭ + 

She leant against him, and together they passed from the room. Faint words floated back into the room. + 

тАЬMy own child, to turn from me to a stranger.тАЭ + 

Nurse Frances smoothed the sheet and suggested a drink of water. + 

тАЬNurse is coming back very soon,тАЭ she said. тАЬWeтАЩll write to her today, shall we? You shall tell me what to say.тАЭ + 

A queer new feeling surged over VernonтБатАФa sort of odd gratitude. Somebody had actually understood.тБатАКтБатАж + 