Part 49 (1/2)

”She can tell her ladys.h.i.+p no more, because she will have no more to tell,” the doctor replied quietly. ”She would like to learn more; she is horribly disappointed that there is no more to tell; but she shall hear no more. She hates me: but she hates your lords.h.i.+p more.”

”Why?”

”Because her mistress loves you still. Such a woman as this would like to absorb the whole affection of her mistress in herself. You laugh.

She is a servant, and a common person. How can such a person conceive an affection so strong as to become a pa.s.sion for one so superior? But it is true. It is perfectly well known, and there have been many recorded instances of such a woman, say a servant, greatly inferior in station, conceiving a desperate affection for her mistress, accompanied by the fiercest jealousy. f.a.n.n.y Mere is jealous--and of you. She hates you; she wants your wife to hate you. She would like nothing better than to go back to her mistress with the proofs in her hand of such acts on your part--such acts, I say,” he chose his next words carefully, ”as would keep her from you for ever.”

”She's a devil, I dare say,” said Lord Harry, carelessly. ”What do I care? What does it matter to me whether a lady's maid, more or less, hates me or loves me?”

”There spoke the aristocrat. My lord, remember that a lady's maid is a woman. You have been brought up to believe, perhaps, that people in service are not men and women. That is a mistake--a great mistake.

f.a.n.n.y Mere is a woman--that is to say, an inferior form of man; and there is no man in the world so low or so base as not to be able to do mischief. The power of mischief is given to every one of us. It is the true, the only Equality of Man--we can all destroy. What? a shot in the dark; the striking of a lucifer match; the false accusation; the false witness; the defamation of character;--upon my word, it is far more dangerous to be hated by a woman than by a man. And this excellent and faithful f.a.n.n.y, devoted to her mistress, hates you, my lord, even more”--he paused and laughed--”even more than the charming Mrs. Vimpany hates her husband. Never mind. To-morrow we see the last of f.a.n.n.y Mere.

She goes; she leaves her patient rapidly recovering. That is the fact that she carries away--not the fact she hoped and expected to carry away. She goes to-morrow and she will never come back again.”

The next morning the doctor paid a visit to his patient rather earlier than usual. He found the man going on admirably: fresh in colour, lively and cheerful, chatting pleasantly with his nurse.

”So,” said Dr. Vimpany, after the usual examination and questions, ”this is better than I expected. You are now able to get up. You can do so by-and-by, after breakfast; you can dress yourself, you want no more help. Nurse,” he turned to f.a.n.n.y, ”I think that we have done with you.

I am satisfied with the careful watch you have kept over my patient. If ever you think of becoming a nurse by profession, rely on my recommendation. The experiment,” he added, thoughtfully, ”has fully succeeded. I cannot deny that it has been owing partly to the intelligence and patience with which you have carried out my instructions. But I think that your services may now be relinquished.”

”When am I to go, sir?” she asked, impa.s.sively.

”In any other case I should have said, 'Stay a little longer, if you please. Use your own convenience.' In your case I must say, 'Go to your mistress.' Her ladys.h.i.+p was reluctant to leave you behind. She will be glad to have you back again. How long will you take to get ready?”

”I could be ready in ten minutes, if it were necessary.”

”That is not necessary. You can take the night mail _via_ Dieppe and Newhaven. It leaves Paris at 9.50. Give yourself an hour to get from station to station. Any time, therefore, this evening before seven o'clock will do perfectly well. You will ask his lords.h.i.+p for any letters or messages he may have.”

”Yes, sir,” f.a.n.n.y replied. ”With your permission, sir, I will go at once, so as to get a whole day in Paris.”

”As you please, as you please,” said the doctor, wondering why she wanted a day in Paris; but it could have nothing to do with his sick man. He left the room, promising to see the Dane again in an hour or two, and took up a position at the garden gate through which the nurse must pa.s.s. In about half an hour she walked down the path carrying her box. The doctor opened the gate for her.

”Good-bye, f.a.n.n.y,” he said. ”Again, many thanks for your care and your watchfulness--especially the latter. I am very glad,” he said, with what he meant for the sweetest smile, but it looked like a grin, ”that it has been rewarded in such a way as you hardly perhaps expected.”

”Thank you, sir,” said the girl. ”The man is nearly well now, and can do without me very well indeed.”

”The box is too heavy for you, f.a.n.n.y. Nay, I insist upon it: I shall carry it to the station for you.”

It was not far to the station, and the box was not too heavy, but f.a.n.n.y yielded it. ”He wants to see me safe out of the station,” she thought.

”I will see her safe out of the place,” he thought.

Ten minutes later the doors of the _salle d'attente_ were thrown open, the train rolled in, and f.a.n.n.y was carried away.

The doctor returned thoughtfully to the house. The time was come for the execution of his project. Everybody was out of the way.

”She is gone,” he said, when Lord Harry returned for breakfast at eleven. ”I saw her safely out of the station.”

”Gone!” his confederate echoed: ”and I am alone in the house with you and--and----”

”The sick man--henceforth, yourself, my lord, yourself.”