Part 8 (2/2)
Now, then, sit down, and make yourself at home; you're just in time; we've only just begun; ring the bell for another plate, Katie. How glad I am to see you, Stanney, my boy--I can't call you by any other than the old name, you see. How did you leave your father, and what brings you here? Come, out with it all at once. I declare you have quite excited me.”
Well was it for poor Queeker that every one was too much occupied with the newcomer to pay any attention to him, for he could not prevent his visage from betraying something of the feelings which harrowed up his soul. The moment he set eyes on Stanley Hall, mortal jealousy--keen, rampant, virulent jealousy of the worst type--penetrated every fibre of his being, and turned his heart to stone! We cannot afford s.p.a.ce to detail the various shades of agony, the degrees of despair, through which this unfortunate young man pa.s.sed during that evening. A thick volume would not suffice to contain it all. Language is powerless to express it. Only those who have similarly suffered can conceive it.
Of course, we need scarcely add that there was no occasion for jealousy.
Nothing was further from the mind of Stanley than the idea of falling in love with Katie. Nevertheless, politeness required that he should address himself to her occasionally. At such times, Queeker's soul was stabbed in an unutterable manner. He managed to command himself, notwithstanding. To his credit, be it said, that he refrained from using the carving-knife. He even joined with some show of interest (of course hypocritical) in the conversation.
Stanley Hall was not only good-looking, but good-humoured, and full of quiet fun and anecdote, so that he quickly ingratiated himself with all the members of the family.
”D'you know it makes me feel young again to hear these old stories about your father's college-life,” said Mr Durant. ”Have some more cheese, Stanney--you look like a man who ought to have a good appet.i.te--fill your gla.s.s and pa.s.s the bottle--thanks. Now, how comes it that you have turned up in this out-of-the-way part of the world? By-the-bye, I hope you intend to stay some time, and that you will take up your quarters with me? You can't imagine how much pleasure it would give me to have the son of my old companion as a guest for some time. I'm sure that Katie joins me heartily in this hope.”
Queeker's spirit sank with horror, and when Katie smilingly seconded her father's proposal, his heart stood still with dismay. f.a.n.n.y Hennings, who had begun to suspect that there was something wrong with Queeker, put her handkerchief to her mouth, and coughed with what appeared to be unreasonable energy.
”I regret,” said Stanley (and Queeker's breath came more freely), ”that my stay must necessarily be short. I need not say that it would afford me the highest pleasure to accept your kind invitation” (he turned with a slight bow to Katie, and Queeker almost fainted), ”but the truth is, that I have come down on a particular piece of business, in regard to which I wish to have your advice, and must return to London to-morrow or next day at furthest.”
Queeker's heart resumed its office.
”I am sorry to hear that--very sorry. However, you shall stay to-night at all events; and you shall have the best advice I can give you on any subject you choose to mention. By the way talking of advice, you're an M.D. now, I fancy?”
”Not yet,” replied Stanley. ”I am not quite fledged, although nearly so, and I wish to go on a voyage before completing my course.”
”Quite right, quite right--see a little of life first, eh? But how comes it, Stanney, that you took kindly to the work at last, for, when I knew you first you could not bear the idea of becoming a doctor?”
”One's ideas change, I suppose,” replied the youth, with a smile,--”probably my making the discovery that I had some talent in that direction had something to do with it.”
”H'm; how did you make that discovery, my boy?” asked the old gentleman.
”That question can't easily be answered except by my inflicting on you a chapter of my early life,” replied Stanley, laughing.
”Then inflict it on us without delay, my boy. I shall delight to listen, and so, I am sure, will Katie and f.a.n.n.y. As to my young friend Queeker, he is of a somewhat literary turn, and may perhaps throw the incidents into verse, if they are of a sufficiently romantic character!”
Katie and f.a.n.n.y declared they would be charmed to hear about it, and Queeker said, in a savagely jesting tone, that he was so used to things being inflicted on him, that he didn't mind--rather liked it than otherwise!
”But you must not imagine,” said Stanley, ”that I have a thrilling narrative to give you, I can merely relate the two incidents which fixed my destiny in regard to a profession. You remember, I daresay, that my heart was once set upon going to sea. Well, like most boys, I refused to listen to advice on that point, and told my father that I should never make a surgeon--that I had no taste or talent for the medical profession. The more my father tried to reason me out of my desire, the more obstinate I became. The only excuse that I can plead is that I was very young, very ignorant, and very stupid. One day, however, I was left in the surgery with a number of dirty phials to wash--my father having gone to visit a patient at a short distance, when our servant came running in, saying that there was a cab at the door with a poor boy who had got his cheek badly cut. As I knew that my father would be at home in less than quarter of an hour, I ordered him to be brought in.
The poor child--a little delicate boy--was very pale, and bleeding profusely from a deep gash in the cheek, made accidentally by a knife with which he had been playing. The mouth was cut open almost to the ear. We laid him on a sofa, and I did what I could to stop the flow of blood. I was not sixteen at the time, and, being very small for my age, had never before felt myself in a position to offer advice, and indeed I had not much to offer. But one of the bystanders said to me while we were looking at the child,--
”`What do you think should be done, sir?'
”The mere fact of being asked my opinion gratified my vanity, and the respectful `sir' with which the question concluded caused my heart to beat high with unwonted emotion. It was the first time I had ever been addressed gravely as a man; it was a new sensation, and I think may be regarded as an era in my existence.
”With much gravity I replied that of course the wound ought to be sewed up.
”`Then sooner it's done the better, I think,' said the bystander, `for the poor child will bleed to death if it is allowed to go on like that.'
”A sudden resolution entered into my mind. I stroked my chin and frowned, as if in deep thought, then, turning to the man who had spoken, said,--`It ought certainly to be done with as little delay as possible; I expect my father to return every minute; but as it is an urgent case, I will myself undertake it, if the parents of the child have no objection.'
”`Seems to me, lad,' remarked a country fellow, who had helped to carry the child in, `that it beant a time to talk o' parients objectin' w'en the cheeld's blood'n to deth. Ye'd better fa' to work at once--if 'ee knows how.'
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