Part 37 (2/2)
”What is it?” she asked in a feeble voice--she could not bear this torture much longer.
Susan spoke deliberately and without making any effort to gloss over the horror of her proposal.
”There is only one of us that Mary loves and trusts--that is yourself, Sister Catherine; is it not so?”
”It is.”
”Well,” continued the torturer, ”as you alone of us would have any chance of seeing her at Farnham--”
”Impossible,” interrupted Catherine with a smothered shriek, as she rose from her chair, her hands clenched, quite forgetting herself beneath the scourges of that devil's tongue.
Susan smiled--”You understand me, Sister Catherine--I do not propose, after what you have said, that you should do the deed. I will do it myself if you will it. But what I mean is this: To effect this removal with safety, Mary must be induced to leave the country--she must be brought to town, to some house, where she can have a relapse, and where we can nurse the invalid.” The woman smiled again her evil smile as she watched her Chief writhe beneath the words--”Once in town, in this or some other safe house, I will guarantee to produce a relapse, and that once produced, it would be hardly difficult to administer Sister Jane's preparation, without ever arousing the patient's suspicions. Then we can call in the doctors--even her own dear doctor--without fear. They won't be able to bring her round from that relapse I think.”
Sister Eliza, after a little thought said, ”I quite agree with Sister Susan. This is the only really safe method before us, and there is absolutely no risk in it if we work carefully. It is true that you alone, Sister Catherine, have sufficient influence over the girl to bring her to London. It will be well for you to write to her. I should suggest you tell her that, seeing how her views have altered for good, you have decided to absolve her from her vows. Ask her to come up and stay with you for a few weeks. Write in affectionate terms. She is sure to come, and she will do so for none else.”
”Like Judas Iscariot betraying her with a kiss,” said Susan, who could not resist the dear temptation of giving this thrust.
Catherine started as if stung but said nothing. Sister Eliza frowned, and her face flushed with indignation, when she heard this gratuitously unpleasant remark.
”What do you think of my proposal, Sister?” inquired Susan of her Chief, eyeing her furtively.
Catherine pondered in silence for a while. She saw that this was, indeed, the only safe method; she would have liked to have had nothing to do with the execution of this just decree--but that, she said to herself, was cowardice on her part. Her instrumentality was necessary, at any rate to bring the girl to town, so she replied in a low weary voice: ”So be it--you are right--but there is one thing”--and her voice trembled--”she must not come to this house--I must be spared that.”
”You need not even see her, Sister Catherine,” said Eliza. ”I know a little furnished villa on the Thames. We can take it for a couple of months. Persuade her to come there for a visit. It is just the place that a convalescent would be taken to. You will only require one servant, I can supply you with one from the Sisterhood. Leave all the rest to Sister Susan and myself; I understand your feelings on this matter--I do not think you need be ashamed of them. It is the first time I have ever seen emotion come in the way of your duty, and you have resisted it n.o.bly, Sister.”
”Then,” said Sister Susan, ”all is settled. The cottage by the Thames shall be hired. Can we get it at once, Sister Eliza?”
”It is ready for immediate occupation: we can enter the day after to-morrow.”
”Good; then you will write to Mary,” said Susan turning to the Chief.
”The sooner this business is completed the better for us all.”
Catherine was not listening; she was staring again into the embers, her brow knitted into a deep frown of pain. The image of her pupil--her Mary whom she was about to sacrifice--rose before her. She yearned to see the girl once more--only once more before she betrayed her to the executioners. She could not strive against this great desire, so she said:
”Sisters, I will not write, I will go myself down to Farnham--I will see her--I will ask her with my own lips to come; she will not refuse then--I know.”
”Can you trust yourself?” asked Eliza doubtfully, and scanning the woman's sad face, keenly.
”I should not advise that measure,” urged Susan, apprehensively.
But the masterful spirit had come back again to Catherine, and she said sternly and with authority, ”I will do as I say, Sisters.”
Eliza knew by the tone that the Chief was in no humour to listen to contradiction now, so she rose and said:
”Then all is settled--I will at once take the cottage. Write to me, Sister Catherine, and let me know exactly when Mary is to arrive in town. I will meet her at the station, make some excuse for your absence, and take her with me. I think I can do that better than anyone else. As Susan herself allows, Mary dislikes her, so she had better not appear on the scene at first. We will now leave you. Good-night, Sister! remember _Courage and the Cause_, but I need not repeat that to you. Good-night!”
”Good-night, Sister!” said Susan with a happy smile.
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