Part 64 (2/2)
She hesitated, then brought it out without prelude. ”Hilda came to see me.”
”To see you? Why?”
”She is broken-hearted because you won't let her work with you.”
”I told her I could not. And she hasn't any heart to break.”
”I wonder if you'd mind,” Drusilla ventured, ”telling me what's the matter.”
”A rather squalid story,” but he told it. ”She wanted to marry the General.”
”Poor thing.”
He glanced at her in surprise. ”Then you defend her?”
”Oh, no--no. But think of having to marry to get the--the fleshpots, and to miss all of the real meanings. I talked to Hilda for a long time, and somehow before she left she made me feel sorry. She wants so much that she will never have. And she will grow hard and bitter because life isn't giving her all that she demands.”
”Did she ask you to plead her cause?”
”Yes,” frankly. ”She feels that you ought to give her another chance.”
He ran his fingers through his crinkled hair. ”I don't want her. I'm afraid of her.”
”Afraid?”
”She sees the worst that is in me, and brings it to the surface. And when I protest, she laughs and insists that I don't know myself. That I am a sort of Dr. Jekyll, with the Mr. Hyde part of me asleep--”
”And you let her scare you like that?”
He nodded. ”Every man has a weak spot, and mine is wanting the world to think well of me.”
”Think well of yourself. What would Jean say if she heard you talking like this?”
”Jean?” she was startled by the breaking up of his face into deep lines of trouble. ”Do you know what she is doing, Drusilla? She is staying in that great old house playing daughter to the General.”
”Marion says the General's affection for her is touching--he doesn't want her out of his sight.”
”And because he doesn't want her out of his sight, she must stay a prisoner. I say that he hasn't done anything to deserve such devotion, Drusilla. He hasn't done anything to deserve it.”
”You are jealous.”
”No. It isn't that. Though I'll confess that something pulls at my heart when I think of it--. But I want her to be happy.”
”I think she is happy. Life is giving her the hard things--but you and I would not be without the--hard things; we have reached out our hands for them, because the world needs us. Are you going to deny your daughter that?”
”Oh, I suppose not. But I hate it. Women ought to be happy--care-free, not shut up in sick rooms or running around in the rain.”
”Oh, you men, how little you know what makes a woman happy.” She stopped, and half rose from her chair. ”Captain Hewes is coming.”
”I don't know that I am glad, Drusilla,” the Doctor turned to survey the beaming officer, ”for now you won't have eyes or ears for me.”
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