Part 55 (1/2)
”How easy it would be,” he thought, ”to step down off the end of the rock into the sea, and be carried right away.”
”And disgrace them by acting like a coward,” he said half aloud; and leaping up he walked swiftly back to the cliff, and then went up the path that led to home.
At the door he met Louise and his father.
”Back again, Harry?” said the latter, wonderingly.
”Yes; the place is shut up. No business to-day,” he said hastily.
”Did you see Madelaine?” asked Louise, anxiously.
He shook his head.
”Or poor Mrs Van Heldre?” said his father.
”No; I thought it would worry them.”
”But you asked how Van Heldre was?”
”No,” said Harry, confusedly. ”I--it seemed a pity to disturb them.”
”Come back and make amends,” said Vine rather sternly. ”They must not think we desert them in their trouble.”
”But both you and Louise have been on this morning.”
”Yes, and would have stayed if it would have helped them,” said Vine.
”Come.”
Harry hung back for a moment, and then, in the hope that he might be able to slip away from them, and search the office in Crampton's absence, he went on by their side.
To the surprise of all, as they reached the house the door was opened by Crampton, who stood scowling in the doorway, and barred the way.
”How is he now, Crampton?” said Vine, as Harry's heart began to palpitate with the fear that all this was intended for him.
”Dying,” said the old man, shortly.
”No, no, not so bad as that,” cried Louise and her father in a breath.
”Doctor Knatchbull said--”
”What doctors always say, Miss Louise, that while there's life there's hope. 'Tisn't true. There's often life and no hope, and it's so here.”
”Crampton, you are taking too black a view of the matter,” said Vine, quickly. ”It's very good of you to be so much moved as his old and faithful servant, but let's all, as a duty, look on the best side of things.”
”There is no best side,” said Crampton, bitterly. ”The whole world's corrupt. Well; what do you people want to say?”
”To say? We have come to be of help if we can. Come, Louise, my dear.”
He took a step forward, but the old man stood fast.
”You know all there is to know,” said the old clerk sourly, as he looked half angrily at Vine, and then, totally ignoring Harry, he turned his eyes on Louise, when the hard look softened a little. ”Send in by-and-by if you want to hear, or I'll send to you--if he dies.”