But, alas! The Earl of Bracondale still remained unconscious. His pulse was feeble, his heart was just beating; the spark of life was still aglow.
From all quarters of the world, from every one of the Chancelleries of Europe, telegrams of regret arrived. Kings, statesmen, politicians of all grades, and all parties, lawyers, diplomats; in fact, all classes, sent messages, and all day long boys kept continually cycling up the long drive through the park bearing sheaves of orange-coloured envelopes, which were opened one after the other by the Honourable John Charlton.
Not before the following afternoon did consciousness return to the injured man, and then Jean's real work commenced.
His eyes, when they first opened, met her calm, anxious gaze.
He looked at her in astonishment, and then glanced at the other faces of the doctors around.
"You know me--eh? Come, you're a lot better now, my dear fellow. Just drink this," and he took a glass from Jean's hand.
The prostrate man swallowed the liquid with an effort. Then, staring about him with an air of astonishment, he said:
"Yes; I'm here looking after you, and with good nursing you'll soon be quite right again."
His lordship drew a long breath, and for a few moments remained silent. Then he asked, in a low, weak whisper:
"Oh, nothing very much. Don't bother about it," was the great specialist's reply. "You were thrown out of your car, that's all. No bones broken."
"Ah! yes," he replied, slowly raising a hand to his brow. "Ah! yes--now I remember. That wagon--right across the road--and no light upon it! Yes--I--I remember!"
"Don't bother. That's enough now. Just go to sleep again, my dear fellow," said Sir Evered, soothingly, placing his hand upon his patient's brow. "Don't try and think. Just rest for the present."
And thus advised, his lordship closed his eyes wearily, and was soon asleep.
"Excellent," declared Sir Evered, much gratified when outside the room with the others, leaving Jean alone with the sleeper. "He'll recover--no doubt he will."
And five minutes later he was in the library, speaking over the telephone to the Prime Minister at Downing Street, while that same evening the papers gave the welcome news to the world that there was every hope of the Foreign Minister's restoration to health.