Part 31 (1/2)
”My mistress took me into her service; she trusted me when other ladies would have shown me the door. When she sent for me to see her, my character was lost; I had n.o.body to feel for me, n.o.body to help me. She is the one friend who held out a hand to me. I hate the men; I don't care for the women. Except one. Being a servant I mustn't say I love that one. If I was a lady, I don't know that I should say it. Love is cant; love is rubbish. Tell me one thing. Is the doctor a friend of yours?”
”The doctor is nothing of the kind.”
”Perhaps he is your enemy?”
”I can hardly say that.”
She looked at Hugh discontentedly. ”I want to get at it,” she said.
”Why can't we understand each other? Will you laugh at me, if I say the first thing that comes into my head? Are you a good swimmer?”
An extraordinary question, even from f.a.n.n.y Mere. It was put seriously--and seriously Mountjoy answered it. He said that he was considered to be a good swimmer.
”Perhaps,” she continued, ”you have saved people's lives.”
”I have twice been so fortunate as to save lives,” he replied.
”If you saw the doctor drowning, would you save him? _I_ wouldn't!”
”Do you hate him as bitterly as that?” Hugh asked.
She pa.s.sed the question over without notice. ”I wish you would help me to get at it,” she persisted. ”Suppose you could rid my mistress of that man by giving him a kick, would you up with your foot and do it?”
”Yes--with pleasure.”
”Thank you, sir. Now I've got it. Mr. Mountjoy, the doctor is the curse of my mistress's life. I can't bear to see it. If we are not relieved of him somehow, I shall do something wrong. When I wait at table, and see him using his knife, I want to s.n.a.t.c.h it out of his hand, and stick it into him. I had a hope that my lord might turn him out of the house when they quarrelled. My lord is too wicked himself to do it. For the love of G.o.d, sir, help my mistress--or show me the way how!”
Mountjoy began to be interested. ”How do you know,” he asked, ”that Lord Harry and the doctor have quarrelled?”
Without the slightest appearance of embarra.s.sment, f.a.n.n.y Mere informed him that she had listened at the door, while her master and his friend were talking of their secrets. She had also taken an opportunity of looking through the keyhole. ”I suppose, sir,” said this curious woman, still speaking quite respectfully, ”you have never tried that way yourself?”
”Certainly not!”
”Wouldn't you do it to serve my mistress?”
”No.”
”And yet, you're fond of her! You are a merciful one--the only merciful one, so far as I know--among men. Perhaps, if you were frightened about her, you might be more ready with your help. I wonder whether I can frighten you? Will you let me try?”
The woman's faithful attachment to Iris pleaded for her with Hugh.
”Try, if you like,” he said kindly.
Speaking as seriously as ever, f.a.n.n.y proceeded to describe her experience at the keyhole. What she had seen was not worth relating.
What she had heard proved to be more important.
The talk between my lord and the doctor had been about raising money.
They had different notions of how to do that. My lord's plan was to borrow what was wanted, on his life-insurance. The doctor told him he couldn't do that, till his insurance had been going on for three or four years at least. ”I have something better and bolder to propose,”
says Mr. Vimpany. It must have been also something wicked--for he whispered it in the master's ear. My lord didn't take to it kindly.