Part 24 (1/2)
”Chills.”
It seemed as though she must break down again, but the Doctor stopped her savagely.
”Well, my dear madam, don't cry! Come, now, you're making too much of a small matter. Why, what are chills? We'll break them in forty-eight hours. He'll have the best of care. You needn't cry! Certainly this isn't as bad as when you were there.”
She was still, but shook her head. She couldn't agree to that.
”Doctor, will you attend him?”
”Mine is a female ward.”
”I know; but”--
”Oh--if you wish it--certainly; of course I will. But now, where have you moved, Mrs. Richling? I sent”-- He looked up over his desk toward that of Narcisse.
The Creole had been neither deaf nor idle. Hospital? Then those children in Prieur street had told him right. He softly changed his coat and shoes. As the physician looked over the top of the desk Narcisse's silent form, just here at the left, but out of the range of vision, pa.s.sed through the door and went downstairs with the noiselessness of a moonbeam.
Mary explained the location and arrangement of her residence.
”Yes,” she said, ”that's the way your clerk must have overlooked us. We live behind--down the alleyway.”
”Well, at any rate, madam,” said the Doctor, ”you are here now, and before you go I want to”-- He drew out his pocket-book.
There was a quick gesture of remonstrance and a look of pleading.
”No, no, Doctor, please don't! please don't! Give my poor husband one more chance; don't make me take that. I don't refuse it for pride's sake!”
”I don't know about that,” he replied; ”why do you do it?”
”For his sake, Doctor. I know just as well what he'd say--we've no right to take it anyhow. We don't know when we could pay it back.” Her head sank. She wiped a tear from her hand.
”Why, I don't care if you never pay it back!” The Doctor reddened angrily.
Mary raised her veil.
”Doctor,”--a smile played on her lips,--”I want to say one thing.” She was a little care-worn and grief-worn; and yet, Narcisse, you should have seen her; you would not have slipped out.
”Say on, madam,” responded the Doctor.
”If we have to ask anybody, Doctor, it will be you. John had another situation, but lost it by his chills. He'll get another. I'm sure he will.” A long, broken sigh caught her unawares. Dr. Sevier thrust his pocket-book back into its place, compressing his lips and giving his head an unpersuaded jerk. And yet, was she not right, according to all his preaching? He asked himself that. ”Why didn't your husband come to see me, as I requested him to do, Mrs. Richling?”
She explained John's being turned away from the door during the Doctor's illness. ”But anyhow, Doctor, John has always been a little afraid of you.”
The Doctor's face did not respond to her smile.
”Why, you are not,” he said.
”No.” Her eyes sparkled, but their softer light quickly returned. She smiled and said:--