"Well, Miss Torry, I should like to know what you think of that?" "What I think?" answered Miss Torry, shaking her head hopelessly. "What I think is--well, he must be mad." "I'll tell you what _I_ think," ventured Old Nurse, not looking at me but hurling her words like bombs at my secretary. "And that is that he've forgot for once to play his part and 'e's showing the selfishness that's all through and through him. When you come to think of all that his mother have done for 'im--and 'ow she've made a god of him and knelt down and worshipped 'im, as m'say, and put everything and everybody else to one side for 'im--well, if I was 'er I'd never take the trouble to turn my head to look at him again. No, that I wouldn't. I'm only glad as she can see him in 'is true light at last." "That telegram is like a message from a Mayor and Corporation to condole with royalty on the death of a distant cousin," I said bitterly. "Miss Torry, will you go downstairs and tell them to get me a mutton chop and to send it up as soon as possible? I see it doesn't pay me to be ill. I'm going to get well, portrait or no portrait, and stand up against that boy." "I don't really think he can know how very ill you've been," said Miss Torry gently. "If he does know, I'm ashamed of him for a heartless wretch. But, you must remember, he's not accustomed to your ever having anything the matter with you and he may think the news sent him was exaggerated. But, anyhow, I'm cancelling the order I was sending to the Stores for him. He shall have no cake, no biscuits and no meat tabloids--and I only hope he's got no pocket money to get them on the spot for himself." After this, for the first time since he had been born, I fought against my great and too-forgiving love for him and tried to cast it down. And when he came home for the holidays and on the first evening said to me, as always: "Come and see me in bed, mother." I answered him very coldly: "No." There is no anger in the world like the anger of a great love that is hurt. I saw a shadow come into his deep and very sad eyes. "I shan't be able to sleep unless you come and see me in bed," he said, with something very like a break in his voice. I did not speak. I felt as if I were choking. He slid one hand to a bowl of flowers, took a piece of pink hyacinth and held it out to me. "Come--and wear that." Still I did not answer. Then a knock came at the door and Old Nurse walked into the room. "If you please, 'm, when I asked you if I might go out for two hours this afternoon, it was so as I might go and see the doctor. I 'aven't been feeling at all well lately. So I went and 'e kept me an hour in 'is insulting-room, making an examination. An' 'e says I must leave here and go into 'ospital and 'ave an operation." The Boy and I looked at each other with laughter in our eyes, in spite of the gravity of her announcement. It was her phrase "insulting-room" that had done it.