Part 3 (1/2)
”How shockingly poor Mary is looking!”
”Shockingly! Why, I expected you would say she was so pretty!”
”Pretty! My dear Anne, the roses on your cheek are worth all the beauty that is left in her pale face. What have they done to her?
When you were children, she was at robust, round little thing--and so strong and cheerful--you could hear her voice half a mile, ringing like a bell; and now it's 'Hark from the tomb a doleful sound!' When I last saw her--let me see--four years ago--she was--not perhaps a Hebe--but a wholesome-looking girl.”
”Julius!--what an expression!”
”Well, my dear, it conveys my meaning, and, therefore, is a good expression. What has been the matter? Has she had a fever? Is she diseased?”
”Julius! No! Is that the way the Western people talk about young ladies?--Mary is in poor health--rather delicate; but she does not look so different from the rest of our girls--I, you know, am an exception.”
”Thank Heaven, you are, my dear Anne, and thank our dear, sensible mother, who understands the agents and means of health.”
”But Mary's mother is a sensible woman too.”
”Not in her treatment of Mary, I am sure. Tell me how she lives.
What has she been about since I was here?”
”Why, soon after you went away, you know, I wrote to you that she had gone to the--School. You know her parents are willing to do everything for her--and Mary was very ambitious. They are hard students at that school. Mary told me she studied from eight to ten hours a day. She always got sick before examination, and had to send home for lots of pills. I remember Mrs. Marvel once sending her four boxes of Brandreth's at a time. But she took the first honours. At the end of her first term, she came home, looking, as you say, as if she had had a fever.”
”And they sent her back?”
”Why, yes, certainly--term after term--for two years. You know Mary was always persevering; and so was her mother. And now they have their reward. There is not a girl anywhere who surpa.s.ses Mary for scholars.h.i.+p.”
”Truly, they have their reward--infatuated people!” murmured Hasen.
”Have they taken any measures to restore her health, Anne?”
”Oh, yes. Mrs. Marvel does not permit her to do any hard work. She does not even let her sweep her own room; they keep a domestic, you know; and, last winter, she had an air-tight stove in her room, and it was kept constantly warm, day and night. The draft was opened early; and Mrs. Marvel let Mary remain in bed as long as she pleased; and, feeling weak, she seldom was inclined to rise before nine or ten.”
”Go on, Anne. What other sanitary measures were pursued?”
”Just such as we all take, when we are ill. She doctors, if she is more unwell than usual; and she rides out almost every pleasant day.
There is nothing they won't do for her. There is no kind of pie or cake, sweetmeat or custard, that Mrs. Marvel does not make to tempt her appet.i.te. If she wants to go to 'the plain,' Mr. Marvel harnesses, and drives over. You know, father would think it ridiculous to do it for me.”
”Worse than ridiculous, Anne!--What does the poor girl do? How does she amuse herself?”
”I do believe, Julius, you are interested in Mary Marvel!”
”I am. I was always curious as to the different modes of suicide people adopt. Has she any occupation--any pleasure?”
”Oh, yes; she reads for ever, and studies; she is studying German now.”
”Poor Mary!”
”What in the world makes you pity Mary, Julius?”