Part 14 (1/2)

Beneath all this cheery good will and the gay chatter of the group her quick sense caught an impression of something hidden and repressed.

She felt the large and quiet beauty of the rooms; the smooth comfort, the rational, pleasant life; but still more she felt a deep keynote of loneliness.

The pictures told her most. She noted one after another with inward comment.

”There's 'Persepolis,'” she said to herself--”loneliness incarnate; and that other lion-and-ruin thing,--loneliness and decay. Gerome's 'Lion in the Desert,' too, the same thing. Then Daniel--more lions, more loneliness, but power. 'Circe and the Companions of Ulysses'--cruel, but loneliness and power again--of a sort. There's that 'Island of Death' too--a beautiful thing--but O dear!--And young Burne-Jones' 'Vampire' was in one of the bedrooms--that one he shut the door of!”

While they ate and drank in the long, low-ceiled wide-windowed room below, she sought the bookcases and looked them over curiously.

Yes--there was Marcus Aurelius, Epictetus, Plato, Emerson and Carlisle--the great German philosophers, the French, the English--all showing signs of use.

Dr. Hale observed her inspection. It seemed to vaguely annoy him, as if someone were asking too presuming questions.

”Interested in philosophy, Miss Lane?” he asked, drily, coming toward her.

”Yes--so far as I understand it,” she answered.

”And how far does that go?”

She felt the inference, and raised her soft eyes to his rather reproachfully.

”Not far, I am afraid. But I do know that these books teach one how to bear trouble.”

He met her gaze steadily, but something seemed to shut, deep in his eyes. They looked as una.s.sailable as a steel safe. He straightened his big shoulders with a defiant shrug, and returned to sit by Mrs.

Pettigrew, to whom he made himself most agreeable.

The four young men did the honors of the tea table, with devotion to all; and some especially intended for the younger ladies. Miss Elder cried out in delight at the tea.

”Where did you get it, Dr. Hale? Can it be had here?”

”I'm afraid not. That is a particular brand. Sun brought me a chest of it when he came from his visit.”

When they went home each lady was given a present, Chinese fas.h.i.+on--lychee nuts for Sue, lily-bulbs for Vivian, a large fan for Mrs. Pettigrew, and a package of the wonderful tea for Miss Orella.

”That's a splendid thing for him to do,” she said, as they walked back. ”Such a safe place for those boys!”

”It's lovely of him,” Sue agreed. ”I don't care if he is a woman-hater.”

Vivian said nothing, but admitted, on being questioned, that ”he was very interesting.”

Mrs. Pettigrew was delighted with their visit. ”I like this country,”

she declared. ”Things are different. A man couldn't do that in Bainville--he'd be talked out of town.”

That night she sought Dr. Bellair and questioned her.

”Tell me about that man,” she demanded. ”How old is he?”

”Not as old as he looks by ten years,” said the doctor. ”No, I can't tell you why his hair's gray.”

”What woman upset him?” asked the old lady.

Dr. Bellair regarded her thoughtfully. ”He has made me no confidences, Mrs. Pettigrew, but I think you are right. It must have been a severe shock--for he is very bitter against women. It is a shame, too, for he is one of the best of men. He prefers men patients--and gets them. The women he will treat if he must, but he is kindest to the 'fallen' ones, and inclined to sneer at the rest. And yet he's the straightest man I ever knew. I'm thankful to have him come here so much. He needs it.”