Five months after the first attack of fever Newman was taken ill of a far
worse one, which gave a great shock to his nervous system. He was in real
danger of losing his life this time, possibly because, Dr. Cronin being
absent, there was no one to treat him. He suffered, too, greatly from
continual sleeplessness. When he was recovering, Dr. Cronin, who by now
had returned, ordered horse exercise for him, and Mr. Parnell very
generously bought a horse for him.

In December, 1831, Mr. and Mrs. Parnell [Footnote: Mr. Parnell meant to
have been married to Miss Cronin at Bordeaux, but this was found to be
impossible, so he was obliged to wait till they reached Aleppo, where the
ceremony took place in the early part of the year 1831.] went to Ladakia
to help Mr. Hamilton, whose health had more or less broken down, secure a
vessel to take him to France _en route_ for England. He determined to see
him safely on board. Mrs. Parnell also insisted on coming with her
husband. But the travelling was rough, and she had had a bad fall from her
ass, and besides had been ill and had no doctor at hand.

Mr. Hamilton went away in the ship, but Mrs. Parnell became more and more
weak, until at last she died. Immediately on hearing of her death. Dr.
Cronin set out, full of sorrow at the loss of his sister, to see if he
could be of any help to Mr. Parnell. Newman writes:--

"The brother and mother here are so deeply afflicted, that I ask: What
does the noble-hearted bridegroom suffer, but so lately a bridegroom?

"I am astounded at the reverse. Two months back she was hanging over my
pillow weeping and kissing me as a dying man; now am I in youthful vigour,
and she is in her grave.