FREE BOOKS

Author's List




PREV.   NEXT  
|<   114   115   116   117   118   119   120   121   122   123   124   125   126   127   128   129   130   131   132   133   134   135   136   137   138  
139   140   141   142   143   144   145   146   147   148   149   150   151   152   153   154   155   156   157   158   159   160   161   162   163   >>   >|  
other is killing herself," said Romayne. "If I could persuade her to stay with us a little while," Stella suggested, "the rest and quiet might do wonders for her. Would you object to it, Lewis?" "My darling, I object to nothing--except giving a ball and burning my books. If your mother will yield on these two points, my house is entirely at her disposal." He spoke playfully--he looked his best, since he had separated himself from the painful associations that were now connected with Vange Abbey. Had "the torment of the Voice" been left far away in Yorkshire? Stella shrank from approaching the subject in her husband's presence, knowing that it must remind him of the fatal duel. To her surprise, Romayne himself referred to the General's family. "I have written to Hynd," he began. "Do you mind his dining with us to-day?" "Of course not!" "I want to hear if he has anything to tell me--about those French ladies. He undertook to see them, in your absence, and to ascertain--" He was unable to overcome his reluctance to pronounce the next words. Stella was quick to understand what he meant. She finished the sentence for him. "Yes," he said, "I wanted to hear how the boy is getting on, and if there is any hope of curing him. Is it--" he trembled as he put the question--"Is it hereditary madness?" Feeling the serious importance of concealing the truth, Stella only replied that she had hesitated to ask if there was a taint of madness in the family. "I suppose," she added, "you would not like to see the boy, and judge of his chances of recovery for yourself?" "You suppose?" he burst out, with sudden anger. "You might be sure. The bare idea of seeing him turns me cold. Oh, when shall I forget! when shall I forget! Who spoke of him first?" he said, with renewed irritability, after a moment of silence. "You or I?" "It was my fault, love--he is so harmless and so gentle, and he has such a sweet face--I thought it might soothe you to see him. Forgive me; we will never speak of him again. Have you any notes for me to copy? You know, Lewis, I am your secretary now." So she led Romayne away to his study and his books. When Major Hynd arrived, she contrived to be the first to see him. "Say as little as possible about the General's widow and her son," she whispered. The Major understood her. "Don't be uneasy, Mrs. Romayne," he answered. "I know your husband well enough to know what you mean. Besides, the news I br
PREV.   NEXT  
|<   114   115   116   117   118   119   120   121   122   123   124   125   126   127   128   129   130   131   132   133   134   135   136   137   138  
139   140   141   142   143   144   145   146   147   148   149   150   151   152   153   154   155   156   157   158   159   160   161   162   163   >>   >|  



Top keywords:
Romayne
 

Stella

 

madness

 

forget

 

family

 
husband
 
object
 

suppose

 
General
 

question


concealing

 

chances

 
hereditary
 

Feeling

 
trembled
 

importance

 
sudden
 
replied
 

hesitated

 

recovery


gentle

 

contrived

 

arrived

 

secretary

 

whispered

 

understood

 

Besides

 

answered

 

uneasy

 

silence


moment

 
renewed
 

irritability

 

harmless

 

Forgive

 
thought
 

soothe

 
ladies
 

looked

 
separated

painful
 

playfully

 
disposal
 
points
 

associations

 

Yorkshire

 
torment
 

connected

 
suggested
 

persuade