Captain Shannon by Coulson Kernahan

My next recollection was that of opening my eyes to find myself lying at night in my room at Buckingham Street. I made an effort to sit up in bed, but my head had suddenly become curiously heavy -- so heavy that the effort to raise it was almost too much for me, and I was glad to fall back upon the pillow, where I lay a moment feeling more faint and feeble than I had ever felt before. Then there glided gently into the room -- into my bachelor room -- a pleasant-looking young woman in a gray dress with white collar and cuffs.

"What's happened, nurse? " I said, recognising at once what she was -- which was more than could be said of my voice, for it had become so thin and piping that its unfamiliarity startled me.