"It will be enough for me to think so, sir," was my reply.
"Surely, if you DO think so; but I am too old a man, and too old
a friend of your own and wife's family, to justify you in taking
exception to what I say. I hope you do not neglect this dear child,
for she is one too sweet, too good, too gentle, Clifford, to be
subjected to hard usage and neglect. I think her one of earth's
angels--a meek creature, who would never think or do wrong, but
would rather suffer than complain. I sincerely hope, for your own
sake, as well as hers, that you truly estimate her worth."
I could not answer the good old man, though I was angry with him.
My conscience deprived me of the just power to give utterance to
my anger. I was silent, and he forbore any further reference to
the subject. Shortly after he took his leave, and I re-ascended the
stairs. Wearing slippers, I made little noise, and at the door of
my wife's chamber I caught a sentence from the lips of Mrs. Delaney,
which made me forget everything that the doctor had been saying.
"But Julia, there must have been some accident--something must
have happened. Did your foot slip? perhaps, in getting out of the
carriage, or in going up stairs, or--. There must have been something
to frighten you, or hurt you. What was it?"
I paused; my heart rose like a swelling, struggling mass in the
gorge of my throat. I listened for the reply. A deep sigh followed;
and then I heard a reluctant, faint utterance of the single word,
"Nothing!"
"Nothing?" repeated the old lady. "Surely, Julia, there was something.
Recollect yourself. You know you rode home with Mr. Edgerton. It
was past one o'clock--"
"No more--no more, mother. There was nothing--nothing that I
recollect. I know nothing of what happened. Hardly know where I am
now."
I felt a momentary pang that I had lingered at the entrance.
Besides, there was no possibility that she would have revealed
anything to the inquisitive old woman. Perhaps, had this been
probable, I should not have felt the scruple and the pang. The
very questions of Mrs. Delaney were as fully productive of evil
in my mind, as if Julia had answered decisively on every topic. I
entered the room, and Mrs. Delaney, after some little lingering,
took her departure, with a promise to return again soon. I paced
the chamber with eyes bent upon the floor.
"Come to me, Edward-come sit beside me." Such were the gentle
words of entreaty which my wife addressed to me. Gentle words, and
so spoken--so sweetly, so frankly, as if from the very sacredest
chamber of her heart. Could it be that guilt also harbored in that
very heart--that it was the language of cunning on her lips--the
cunning of the serpent? Ah! how can we think that with serpent-like
cunning, there should be dove-like guilelessness? My soul revolted
at the idea. The sounds of the poor girl's voice sounded like
hissing in my ears. I sat beside her as she requested, and almost
started, as I felt her fingers playing with the hair upon my temples.