Part 26 (1/2)
”He very well, except his eyes--they bother him a leetle.”
Helen stared at him in alarm.
”His eyes,” she exclaimed. ”What is the matter with his eyes?”
The valet avoided her direct gaze, and, s.h.i.+fting uneasily on his feet, began to fuss with the leather bags he was carrying. Awkwardly he said:
”Didn't madame hear?”
”Hear what?” she gasped, now thoroughly alarmed.
The man put out his hand deprecatingly.
”Oh, it's nothing to make madame afraid. It will soon be all right. I a.s.sure madame----”
”But tell me what it is, will you?” she interrupted impatiently.
”Don't have so much to say--tell me what it is----”
”It was when the s.h.i.+p caught fire, madame. We were running to ze life-boat, monsieur and me, when suddenly----”
”Well--what?” she almost shouted, in agony of suspense.
”Monsieur tripped over a coil of rope and fell----”
Almost unconscious in her excitement of what she was doing Helen laid her hand on the man's arm. Terror-stricken she cried:
”He didn't hurt himself seriously, did he?”
The valet shook his head.
”No, madame--not seriously. He struck his head against a chair and just graze ze eye. It is nothing serious, I a.s.sure madame. The doctor says that if he wears blue spectacles for few months he will be all right.”
”Oh, he wears blue spectacles, does he?”
”Yes, madame, he must. Ze eye is inflamed and cannot stand ze strong light.”
”Poor Kenneth!” she murmured, half-aloud. ”I shall hardly know him in blue spectacles.”
The valet, who had been watching her like a hawk out of his half-closed, sleepy-looking eyes, overheard the remark. Quickly he said:
”Of course, madame must expect to find monsieur a little changed. What we went through was _epouvantable_, something awful. We just escaped with our lives. For days monsieur was so nervous he was hardly able to speak a word. Even now he stops at times----”
Helen looked at him in wonder.
”'He stops!' What do you mean?”
The valet turned away, and for a moment was silent. Then, as if making a great effort, he turned and said:
”Madame will pardon me, but she must be brave and not show monsieur she notices any change. Ze doctor said it was a terrible shock to his nervous system--that fire. Monsieur has not been ze same since, _pas du tout_ ze same. Ze doctor he says that these symptoms will all disappear once he gets home and has a good rest. It is only ze shock, I a.s.sure madame.”