England -- Social life and customs -- 19th century -- Fiction; Short stories, English
That same afternoon, Dr. Lewis had another attack. Anne found him
sitting beside the pear-tree insensible, his head hanging over the arm
of the bench. Travelling had not brought this second attack on, that
was certain; for no man could be leading a more quiet, moping life than
he was. Save that he listened now and then to some book, read by Anne,
he had no amusement whatever, no excitement; he might have sat all day
long with his mouth closed, for all there was to open it for. Mrs.
Lewis's powers of fascination, that she had exercised so persistently
upon him as Mrs. Podd, seemed to have deserted her for good. She passed
her hours gaping, sleeping, complaining, hardly replying to a question
of his, if he by chance asked her one. Even the soft sweet voice that
had charmed the world mostly degenerated now into a croak or a scream.
Those very mild, not-say-boo-to-a-goose voices are sometimes only kept
for public life.
"I shall take you off to Worcester," cried Mrs. Lewis to him, when he
came out of his insensibility. "We will start as soon as breakfast's
over in the morning."
Dr. Lewis began to tremble. "I don't want to go to Worcester," said he.
"I want to stay here."
"But staying here is not good for you, my dear. You'll be better at Mrs.
Lake's. It is the remains of this paint that is making you ill. I can
smell it still quite strongly, and I decidedly object to stay in it."
"My dear, you can go; I shall not wish to prevent you. But, as to the
paint, I don't smell it at all now. You can all go. Anne will take care
of me."
"My dear Dr. Lewis, do you think I would leave you behind me? It _is_
the paint. And you shall see a doctor at Worcester."
He said he was a doctor himself, and did not need another; he once more
begged to be left at home in peace. All in vain: Mrs. Lewis announced
her decision to the household; and Sally, whose wits had been well-nigh
scared away by the doings and the bustle of the new inmates, was
gladdened by the news that they were about to take their departure.
"Pourtant si le ciel nous protège,
Peut-être encore le reverrai-je."
These words, the refrain of an old French song, were being sung by Anne
Lewis softly in the gladness of her heart, as she bent over the trunk
she was packing. To be going back to Worcester, where _he_ was, seemed
to her like going to paradise.
"What are you doing _that_ for?"
The emphatic question, spoken in evident surprise, came from her
stepmother. The chamber-door was open; Mrs. Lewis had chanced to look in
as she passed.
"What are you doing that for?" she stopped to ask. Anne ceased her song
at once and rose from her knees. She really did not know what it was
that had elicited the sharp query--unless it was the singing.
"You need not pack your own things. You are not going to Worcester. It
is intended that you shall remain here and take care of the house and of
Sally."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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