No, the doctor had not; he was just going there, he said, in a tone so
full of sad disappointment, that Guy detected it at once, and asked if
anything was the matter.
"Guy," the doctor continued, sitting down by his friend, "I remember
once your making me your confidant about Lucy. You remember it, too?"
"Yes, why? well?" Guy replied, beginning to feel strangely
uncomfortable as he half divined what was coming next.
Latterly Guy had stopped telling the doctor that he was educating
Maddy for him. Indeed, he did not talk of her at all, and the doctor
might have fancied her out of his mind but for the frequent visits to
New York, which Guy found it absolutely necessary to make. Guy did not
himself understand the state of his own feelings with regard to Maddy,
but if compelled to explain them they would have been something as
follows: He fully expected to marry Lucy Atherstone; the possibility
that he should not had never occurred to him, but that was no reason
why Maddy Clyde need be married for these many years. She was very
young yet; there was time enough for her to think of marrying when she
was twenty-five, and in the meanwhile it would be splendid to have her
at Aikenside as Lucy's and his friend. Nothing could be nicer, and Guy
did not care to have this little arrangement spoiled. But that the
doctor had an idea of spoiling it, he had not a doubt, particularly
after the doctor's next remark.
"I have not seen Maddy since last spring, you know. Is she very much
improved?"
"Yes, very much. There is no more stylish-looking girl to be seen on
Broadway than Maddy Clyde," and Guy shook down his pantaloons a little
awkwardly.
"Well, is she as handsome as she used to be, and as childish in her
manner?" the doctor asked; and Guy replied: "I took her to the opera once, last month, and the many admiring
glances cast at our box proved pretty positively that Maddy's beauty
was not of the ordinary kind."
"The opera!" the doctor exclaimed; "Maddy Clyde at the opera! What
would her grandfather say? He is very puritanical, you know."
"Yes, I know; and so is Maddy, too. She wrote and obtained his consent
before she'd go with me. He won't let her go to a theatre anyhow."
Here an interval of silence ensued, and then the doctor began again, "Guy, you told me once you were educating Maddy Clyde for me, and I
tried then to make you think I didn't care; but I did, oh, so much.
Guy, laugh at me, if you please. I cannot blame you if you do; but the
fact is, I believe I've loved Maddy Clyde ever since that time she was
so sick. At all events, I love her now, and I was going down there
this very afternoon to tell her so. She's old enough. She was sixteen
last October, the--the----"