Part 64 (1/2)
”Will not that be dull for him?”
”I hope not.”
”You will have plenty to say to him, eh, darling?”
”We never yet lacked topics. Whether or no, his is a mind I choose to drink neat.”
”Drink him neat?”
”Undiluted with rural minds.”
”Oh!”
She uttered that monosyllable very dryly, and said no more.
Dr. Suaby came next day, and dined with them, and Lady Ba.s.sett was charming; but rather earlier than usual she said, ”Now I am sure you and Dr. Suaby must have many things to talk about,” and retired, casting back an arch, and almost a cunning smile.
The door closed on her, the smile fled, and a somber look of care and suffering took its place.
Sir Charles entered at once on what was next his heart, told Dr. Suaby he was in some anxiety, and asked him if he had observed anything in Lady Ba.s.sett.
”Nothing new,” said Dr. Suaby; ”charming as ever.”
Then Sir Charles confided to Dr. Suaby, in terms of deep feeling and anxiety, what I have coldly told the reader.
Dr. Suaby looked a little grave, and took time to think before he spoke.
At last he delivered an opinion, of which this is the substance, though not the exact words.
”It is sudden and unnatural, and I cannot say it does not partake of mental aberration. If the patient was a man I should fear the most serious results; but here we have to take into account the patient's s.e.x, her nature, and her present condition. Lady Ba.s.sett has always appeared to me a very remarkable woman. She has no mediocrity in anything; understanding keen, perception wonderfully swift, heart large and sensitive, nerves high strung, sensibilities acute. A person of her s.e.x, tuned so high as this, is always subject, more or less, to hysteria. It is controlled by her intelligence and spirit; but she is now, for the time being, in a physical condition that has often deranged less sensitive women than she is. I believe this about the boy to be a hysterical delusion, which will pa.s.s away when her next child is born. That is to say, she will probably ignore her first-born, and everything else, for a time; but these caprices, springing in reality from the body rather than the mind, cannot endure forever. When she has several grown-up children the first-born will be the favorite. It comes to that at last, my good friend.”
”These are the words of wisdom,” said Sir Charles; ”G.o.d bless you for them!”
After a while he said, ”Then what you advise is simply--patience?”
”No, I don't say that. With such a large house as this, and your resources, you might easily separate them before the delusion grows any farther. Why risk a calamity?”
”A calamity?” and Sir Charles began to tremble.
”She is only cold to the child as yet. She might go farther, and fancy she hated it. _Obsta principiis:_ that is my motto. Not that I really think, for a moment, the child is in danger. Lady Ba.s.sett has mind to control her nerves with; but why run the shadow of a chance?”
”I will not run the shadow of a chance,” said Sir Charles, resolutely; ”let us come upstairs: my decision is taken.”
The very next day Sir Charles called on Mrs. Meyrick, and asked if he could come to any arrangement with her to lodge Mr. Ba.s.sett and his nurse under her roof. ”The boy wants change of air,” said he.
Mrs. Meyrick jumped at the proposal, but declined all terms. ”No,” said she, ”the child I have suckled shall never pay me for his lodging. Why should he, sir, when I'd pay _you_ to let him come, if I wasn't afeard of offending you?”
Sir Charles was touched at this, and, being a gentleman of tact, said, ”You are very good: well, then, I must remain your debtor for the present.”
He then took his leave, but she walked with him a few yards, just as far as the wicket, gate that separated her little front garden from the high-road.