"But why do it at all? The girl is dead. Why mutilate her poor body
without need? And if there is no necessity for a post-mortem and
nothing to gain by it, no good to her, to us, to science, to human
knowledge, why do it? Without such it is monstrous."
For answer he put his hand on my shoulder, and said, with infinite
tenderness, "Friend John, I pity your poor bleeding heart, and I love
you the more because it does so bleed. If I could, I would take on
myself the burden that you do bear. But there are things that you
know not, but that you shall know, and bless me for knowing, though
they are not pleasant things. John, my child, you have been my friend
now many years, and yet did you ever know me to do any without good
cause? I may err, I am but man, but I believe in all I do. Was it
not for these causes that you send for me when the great trouble
came? Yes! Were you not amazed, nay horrified, when I would not let
Arthur kiss his love, though she was dying, and snatched him away by
all my strength? Yes! And yet you saw how she thanked me, with her
so beautiful dying eyes, her voice, too, so weak, and she kiss my
rough old hand and bless me? Yes! And did you not hear me swear
promise to her, that so she closed her eyes grateful? Yes!
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