IdonotknowhowlongIwasill.Mr.Bond,thehorse-doctor,cameeveryday. Onedayhebledme;Johnheldapailfortheblood. IfeltveryfaintafteritandthoughtIshoulddie,andIbelievetheyallthoughtsotoo. GingerandMerrylegshadbeenmovedintotheotherstable,sothatImightbequiet,forthefevermademeveryquickofhearing;anylittlenoiseseemedquiteloud,andIcouldtelleveryone'sfootstepgoingtoandfromthehouse.Iknewallthatwasgoingon. OnenightJohnhadtogivemeadraught;ThomasGreencameintohelphim. AfterIhadtakenitandJohnhadmademeascomfortableashecould,hesaidheshouldstayhalfanhourtoseehowthemedicinesettled. Thomassaidhewouldstaywithhim,sotheywentandsatdownonabenchthathadbeenbroughtintoMerrylegs'stall,andputdownthelanternattheirfeet,thatImightnotbedisturbedwiththelight. Forawhilebothmensatsilent,andthenTomGreensaidinalowvoice: "Iwish,John,you'dsayabitofakindwordtoJoe. Theboyisquitebroken-hearted;hecan'teathismeals,andhecan'tsmile. Hesaysheknowsitwasallhisfault,thoughheissurehedidthebestheknew,andhesaysifBeautydiesnoonewilleverspeaktohimagain.Itgoestomyhearttohearhim. Ithinkyoumightgivehimjustaword;heisnotabadboy." AfterashortpauseJohnsaidslowly,"Youmustnotbetooharduponme,Tom. Iknowhemeantnoharm,Ineversaidhedid;Iknowheisnotabadboy. Butyousee,Iamsoremyself;thathorseistheprideofmyheart,tosaynothingofhisbeingsuchafavoritewiththemasterandmistress;andtothinkthathislifemaybeflungawayinthismannerismorethanIcanbear. ButifyouthinkIamhardontheboyIwilltrytogivehimagoodwordto-morrow—thatis,ImeanifBeautyisbetter." "Well,John,thankyou.Iknewyoudidnotwishtobetoohard,andIamgladyouseeitwasonlyignorance." John'svoicealmoststartledmeasheanswered: "Onlyignorance!onlyignorance!howcanyoutalkaboutonlyignorance? Don'tyouknowthatitistheworstthingintheworld,nexttowickedness? —andwhichdoesthemostmischiefheavenonlyknows.Ifpeoplecansay,'Oh! Ididnotknow,Ididnotmeananyharm,'theythinkitisallright. IsupposeMarthaMulwashdidnotmeantokillthatbabywhenshedoseditwithDalbyandsoothingsyrups;butshedidkillit,andwastriedformanslaughter." "Andserveherright,too,"saidTom."Awomanshouldnotundertaketonurseatenderlittlechildwithoutknowingwhatisgoodandwhatisbadforit." "BillStarkey,"continuedJohn,"didnotmeantofrightenhisbrotherintofitswhenhedresseduplikeaghostandranafterhiminthemoonlight;buthedid;andthatbright,handsomelittlefellow,thatmighthavebeentheprideofanymother'sheartisjustnobetterthananidiot,andneverwillbe,ifhelivestobeeightyyearsold. Youwereagooddealcutupyourself,Tom,twoweeksago,whenthoseyoungladiesleftyourhothousedooropen,withafrostyeastwindblowingrightin;yousaiditkilledagoodmanyofyourplants." "Agoodmany!"saidTom;"therewasnotoneofthetendercuttingsthatwasnotnippedoff. Ishallhavetostrikealloveragain,andtheworstofitisthatIdon'tknowwheretogotogetfreshones. IwasnearlymadwhenIcameinandsawwhatwasdone." "Andyet,"saidJohn,"Iamsuretheyoungladiesdidnotmeanit;itwasonlyignorance." Iheardnomoreofthisconversation,forthemedicinedidwellandsentmetosleep,andinthemorningIfeltmuchbetter;butIoftenthoughtofJohn'swordswhenIcametoknowmoreoftheworld. 
