the darrow enigma-第37章

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however；　Maitland　steadily　grew　worse。　　Gwen　watched　by　him　night
and　day　until　I　was　finally　obliged　to　insist；　on　account　of　her
own　health；　that　she　should　leave　the　sick　room　long　enough　to　take
the　rest　she　so　needed。　　Indeed；　I　feared　lest　I　should　soon　have
two　invalids　upon　my　hands；　but　Gwen　yielded　her　place　to　Jeannette
and　Alice　during　the　nights　and　soon　began　to　show　the　good　effects
of　sleep。

I　should　have　told　you　that；　during　all　this　time；　Jeannette　was
staying　with　us　as　a　guest。　　I　had　convinced　her　father　that　it　was
best　she　should　remain　with　us　until　the　unpleasant　notoriety　caused
by　his　arrest　had；　in　a　measure；　subsided。　　Then；　too；　I　told　him
with　a　frankness　warranted；　I　thought；　by　circumstances　that　he
could　not　hope　to　live　many　weeks　longer；　and　that　every　effort
should　be　made　to　make　the　blow　his　death　would　deal　Jeannette　as
light　as　possible。　　At　this　he　almost　lost　his　self…control。　　〃What
will　become　of　my　child　when　I　am　gone？〃　he　moaned。　　〃I　shall　leave
her　penniless　and　without　any　means　of　support。〃

〃My　dear　Mr。　Latour；〃　I　replied；　〃you　need　give　yourself　no
uneasiness　on　that　score。　　I　will　give　you　my　word；　as　a　man　of
honour；　that　so　long　as　Miss　Darrow　and　I　live　we　will　see　that　your
daughter　wants　for　none　of　the　necessities　of　life；　…　unless　she
shall　find　someone　who　shall　have　a　better　right　than　either　of　us
to　care　for　her。〃　　This　promise　acted　like　magic　upon　him。　　　He
showered　his　blessings　upon　me；　exclaiming；　〃You　have　lifted　a　great
load　from　my　heart；　and　I　can　now　die　in　peace！〃　　And　so；　indeed；
he　did。　　In　less　than　a　week　he　was　dead。　　I　had　prepared　Jeannette
for　the　shock　and　so　had　her　father；　but；　for　all　this；　her　grief
was　intense；　for　she　loved　her　father　with　a　strength　of　love　few
children　give　their　parents。　　In　time；　however；　her　grief　grew　less
insistent　and　she　began　to　gain　something　of　her　old　buoyancy。

In　the　meantime；　Maitland's　life　seemed　to　hang　by　a　single　thread。
It　was　the　very　worst　case　of　nervous　prostration　I　have　ever　been
called　to　combat；　and　for　weeks　we　had　to　be　contented　if　we　enabled
him　to　hold　his　own。　　During　all　this　time　Gwen　watched　both
Maitland　and　myself　with　a　closeness　that　suffered　nothing　to　escape
her。　　I　think　she　knew　the　changes　in　his　condition　better　even　than
I　did。

And　now　I　am　to　relate　a　most　singular　action　on　Gwen's　part。　　I
doubt　not　most　of　her　own　sex　would　have　considered　it　very
unfeminine；　but　anyone　who　saw　it　all　as　I　did　could　not；　I　think；
fail　to　appreciate　the　nobility　of　womanhood　which　made　it　possible。
Gwen　was　not　dominated　by　those　characteristics　usually　epitomised
in　the　epithet　'lady。'　　She　was　a　woman；　and　she　possessed；　in　a
remarkable　degree；　that　fineness　of　fibre；　that　solidity　of
character；　and　that　largeness　of　soul　which　rise　above　the　petty
conventionalities　of　life　into　the　broad　realm　of　the　real　verities
of　existence。

It　occurred　on　the　afternoon　of　the　first　day　that　Maitland　showed
the　slightest　improvement。　　I　remember　distinctly　how　he　had　fallen
into　a　troubled　sleep　from　which　he　would　occasionally　cry　out　in　a
half…articulate　manner；　and　how　Gwen　and　I　sat　beside　him　waiting　for
him　to　awaken。　　Suddenly　he　said　something　in　his　sleep　that　riveted
our　attention。　　〃I　tell　you；　Doc；〃　he　muttered；　〃though　love　of　her
burn　my　heart　to　a　cinder；　I　will　never　trade　upon　her　gratitude；
nor　seek　to　profit　by　the　promise　she　made　her　father。　　Never；　so
help　me　God！〃

Gwen　gave　me　one　hurried；　sweeping　glance　and　then；　throwing　herself
upon　the　sofa；　buried　her　face　in　the　cushions。　　I　forbore　to
disturb　her　till　I　saw　that　Maitland　was　waking；　when　I　laid　my　hand
upon　her　head　and　asked　her　to　dry　her　eyes　lest　he　should　notice　her
tears。

〃May　I　speak　to　him？〃　she　said；　with　a　look　of　resolution　upon　her
face。　　I　could　not　divine　her　thoughts；　as　she　smiled　at　me　through
her　tears；　but　I　had　no　hesitancy　in　relying　upon　her　judgment；　so
I　gave　her　permission　and　started　to　leave　the　room。

〃Please　don't　go；〃　she　said　to　me。　　〃I　would　prefer　you　should　hear
what　I　have　to　say。〃　　I=20reseated　myself　and　Gwen　drew　near　the
bedside。　　Maitland　was　now　awake　and　following　her　every　motion。

〃I　have　something　I　want　to　say　to　you；〃　she　said；　bending　over　him。
〃Do　you　feel　strong　enough　to　listen？〃　　He　nodded　his　head　and　she
continued。　　〃You　have　already　done　a　great　deal　for　me；　yet　I　come
to　you　now　to　ask　a　further　favour；　…　I　will　not　say　a　sacrifice
…　greater　than　all　the　rest。　　Will　you　try　to　grant　it？〃

The　rich；　deep　tones　of　her　voice；　vibrant　with　tender　earnestness；
seemed　to　me　irresistible。

〃I　will　do　anything　in　my　power；〃　the　invalid　replied；　never　once
moving　his　eyes　from　hers。

〃Then　Heaven　grant　it　be　within　your　power！〃　she　murmured；　scarcely
above　a　whisper。　　〃Try　not　to　despise　me　for　what　I　am　about　to　say。
Be　lenient　in　your　judgment。　　My　happiness；　perhaps　my　very　life；
depends　upon　this　issue。　　I　love　you　more　than　life；　try　to　love　me；
if　only　a　little！〃

I　watched　the　effect　of　this　declaration　with　a　good　deal　of　anxiety。
For　fully　half　a　minute　Maitland　seemed　to　doubt　the　evidence　of　his
senses。　　I　saw　him　pinch　himself　to　see　if　he　were　awake；　and　being
thus　reassured；　he　said　slowly：　〃Try　…　to　…　love　…　　…　you！　　In　vain
have　I　tried　not　to　love　you　from　the　moment　I　first　saw　you。　　Oh；
my　God！　　how　I　adore　you！〃　　He　reached　his　arms　out　toward　her；　and；
in　a　moment；　they　were　locked　in　each　other's　embrace。

I　saw　the　first　kiss　given　and　then　stole　stealthily　from　the　room。
There　was　now　no　need　of　a　doctor。　　The　weird；　irresistible　alchemy
of　love　was　at　work　and　the　reign　of　medicine　was　over。　　I　did　not
wish　to　dim　the　newly　found　light　by　my　shadow；　and；　…　well；　…　I
wanted　to　see　Jeannette；　so　I　left。

I　need　not　tell　you；　even　though　you　are　a　bachelor；　how　fast
Maitland　improved。　　Gwen　would　permit　no　one　else　to　nurse　him；　and
this　had　much　to　do　with　the　rapidity　of　his　recovery。　　In　a　month
he　was　able　to　go　out；　and　in　another　month　Gwen　became　Mrs。　Maitland。
A　happier　pair；　or　one　better　suited　to　each　other；　it　has　never
been　my　privilege　to　know。　　As　I　visited　them　in　their　new　home　I
became　more　and　more　dissatisfied　with　bachelor　existence；　and　there
were　times　when　I　had　half　a　mind　to　go　straight　to　Jeannette　and
ask　her　advice　in　the　matter。　　Ah；　those　days！　　They　will　never　come
to　me　again。　　Never　again　will　a　pink　and　white　angel　knock　so　loudly
at　my　heart；　or　be　so　warmly　welcomed。　　I　wonder　where　she　is　and　if
she　is　thinking　of　me。


And　now　I　may　as　well　stop；　for　my　narrative　is　over；　and　I　hear
someone　coming　along　the　hail；　doubtless　after　me。　　It　is　only
Harold；　so　I　may　add　a　word　or　two　more。　　I　am　writing　now　with
difficulty；　for　some　frolicsome　individual　has　placed　a　hand　over
my　eyes　and　says；　〃Guess。〃　I　can　just　see　to　write　between　the
fingers。　　Again　I　am　commanded；　〃　Guess！〃　so　I　say　carelessly；
〃Alice。〃　　Then；　would　you　believe　it；　someone　kisses　me　and
says：　〃Will　you　ever　have　done　with　that　writing？　　The　children
wish　me　to　inform　you　that　they　have　some　small　claim　upon　your
time。〃　　You　see　how　it　is。　　I've　got　to　stop；　so　I　say；　as　becomes
an　obedient　gentleman：　〃Very　well；　I　will　quit　upon　one　condition。
I　have　been　wondering　where　on　earth　you　were。　　Tell　me　what　you
have　been　doing　with　yourself。　　I　have　been　repeating　in　retrospect
all　the　horrors　of　bachelordom。〃

〃Why；　Ned　dear；〃　my　wife　replies；　〃I've　only　been　down…town
shopping　for　Harold　and　little　Jeannette。　　Bless　me；　I　should　think
I'd　been　gone　a　year！〃

〃Bless　you；　my　dear　Jeannette；〃　I　reply；　〃I　should　think　you　had；〃
and　I　draw　her　down　gently　into　my　lap　and　kiss　her　again　and　again
for　the　sake　of　the　conviction　it　will　carry。　　She　says　I　am
smothering　her；　which　means　she　is　convinced。


You　see　I　have　learned　some　things　since　I　was　a　bachelor。







End