"I don't know, Martin," I said, in a sort of desperation. "But I have
the most curious feeling that she is depending on me. The way she spoke
the day I saw her, and her eyes and everything; I know you think it
nonsense," I finished lamely.
"I think you'd better give up the place and go back to town," he said.
But I saw that he watched me carefully, and when, at last he got up to
go, he put a hand on my shoulder.
"I think you are right, after all," he said. "There are a good many
things that can't be reasoned out with any logic we have, but that are
true, nevertheless. We call it intuition, but it's really subconscious
intelligence. Stay, by all means, if you feel you should."
In the doorway he said: "Remember this, Miss Agnes. Both a crime of
violence and a confession like the one in your hand are the products of
impulse. They are not, either of them, premeditated. They are not
the work, then, of a calculating or cautious nature. Look for a big,
emotional type."
It was a day or two after that that I made my visit to Miss Emily. I had
stopped once before, to be told with an air of finality that the invalid
was asleep. On this occasion I took with me a basket of fruit. I had
half expected a refusal, but I was admitted.
The Bullard girl was with Miss Emily. She had, I think, been kneeling
beside the bed, and her eyes were red and swollen. But Miss Emily
herself was as cool, as dainty and starched and fragile as ever. More
so, I thought. She was thinner, and although it was a warm August day,
a white silk shawl was wrapped around her shoulders and fastened with an
amethyst brooch. In my clasp her thin hand felt hot and dry.
"I have been waiting for you," she said simply. She looked at Anne
Bullard, and the message in her eyes was plain enough. But the girl
ignored it. She stood across the bed from me and eyed me steadily.
"My dear," said Miss Emily, in her high-bred voice, "if you have
anything to do, Miss Blakiston will sit with me for a little while."
"I have nothing to do," said the girl doggedly. Perhaps this is not the
word. She had more the look of endurance and supreme patience. There was
no sharpness about her, although there was vigilance.
Miss Emily sighed, and I saw her eyes seek the Bible beside her. But she
only said gently: "Then sit down, dear. You can work at my knitting if
you like. My hands get very tired."
She asked me questions about the house and the garden. The raspberries
were usually quite good, and she was rather celebrated for her lettuces.
If I had more than I needed, would I mind if Mr. Staley took a few in to
the doctor, who was fond of them.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account