Belief and doubt -- Fiction; Clergy -- Fiction; Methodists -- Fiction; New York (State) -- Fiction; Psychological fiction
“Do you remember? You promised--that last time I saw you--to play for
me,” he reminded her. They were passing the little covered postern door
at the side and rear of the church as he spoke, and he made a half halt
to point the coincidence.
“Oh, there's no one to blow the organ,” she said, divining his
suggestion. “And I haven't the key--and, besides, the organ is too heavy
and severe for an invalid. It would overwhelm you tonight.”
“Not as you would know how to play it for me,” urged Theron, pensively.
“I feel as if good music to-night would make me well again. I am really
very ill and weak--and unhappy!”
The girl seemed moved by the despairing note in his voice. She invited
him by a sympathetic gesture to lean even more directly on her arm.
“Come home with me, and I'll play Chopin to you,” she said, in
compassionate friendliness. “He is the real medicine for bruised and
wounded nerves. You shall have as much of him as you like.”
The idea thus unexpectedly thrown forth spread itself like some vast and
inexpressibly alluring vista before Theron's imagination. The spice of
adventure in it fascinated his mind as well, but for a shrinking moment
the flesh was weak.
“I'm afraid your people would--would think it strange,” he faltered--and
began also to recall that he had some people of his own who would be
even more amazed.
“Nonsense,” said Celia, in fine, bold confidence, and with a reassuring
pressure on his arm. “I allow none of my people to question what I do.
They never dream of such a preposterous thing. Besides, you will see
none of them. Mrs. Madden is at the seaside, and my father and brother
have their own part of the house. I shan't listen for a minute to your
not coming. Come, I'm your doctor. I'm to make you well again.”
There was further conversation, and Theron more or less knew that he was
bearing a part in it, but his whole mind seemed concentrated, in a
sort of delicious terror, upon the wonderful experience to which every
footstep brought him nearer. His magnetized fancy pictured a great
spacious parlor, such as a mansion like the Maddens' would of course
contain, and there would be a grand piano, and lace curtains, and
paintings in gold frames, and a chandelier, and velvet easy-chairs, and
he would sit in one of these, surrounded by all the luxury of the rich,
while Celia played to him. There would be servants about, he presumed,
and very likely they would recognize him, and of course they would
talk about it to Tom, Dick and Harry afterward. But he said to himself
defiantly that he didn't care.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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