The Faith Doctor: A Story of New YorkEggleston, Edward
General
The Faith Doctor: A Story of New York
Eggleston, Edward
New York (N.Y.) -- Fiction
"I am glad of it," said Mrs. Callender. "Did you ask him in?"
"Not I," said Agatha, with a high head. "If he wants to renew his
acquaintance with Phillida, he can do it without our asking him. I was
just as stiff as I could be with him, and I told him that Cousin Phil
had gone for the doctor. That'll be a thorn in his side, for he always
was a little jealous of Philip, I believe."
"Why, Agatha, I'm afraid you haven't done right. You oughtn't to be so
severe. For my part, I hope the engagement will be renewed. I am sick
and tired of having Phillida risk her life in the tenements. It was very
kind of Mr. Millard to call and inquire, I am sure."
"He ought to," said Agatha. "She got this dreadful disease taking care
of his relations. I don't want him to think we're dying to have him take
Phillida off our hands." Agatha's temper was ruffled by her anxiety at
Phillida's sickness. "I'm sure his high and mighty tone about Phillida's
faith-cures has worried her enough. Now just let him worry awhile."
Certainly, Agatha Callender's bearing toward him did not reassure
Millard. He thought she might have called him Charley; or if that was
not just the thing to do, she might have made her voice a little less
frosty. He could not get rid of a certain self-condemnation regarding
Phillida, and he conjectured that her family were disposed to condemn
him also. He thought they ought to consider how severely his patience
had been tried; but then they could not know how Phillida was talked
about. How could they ever imagine Meadows's brutal impertinence?
He was not clear regarding the nature of the change in Phillida's views.
Had she wholly renounced her faith-healing, or was she only opposed to
the Christian Science imposture? Or did she think that medicine should
be called in after an appeal to Heaven had failed? If he had felt that
there was any probability of a renewal of his engagement with Phillida,
he could have wished that she might not yet have given up her career as
a faith-doctor. He would then have a chance to prove to her that he was
not too cowardly to endure reproach for her sake. But, from the way
Agatha spoke, it must be that Philip Gouverneur was now in favor rather
than he. Nothing had been more evident to him than that Philip was in
love with his cousin. What was to be expected but that Philip, with the
advantage of cousinly intimacy, should urge his suit, once Phillida was
free from her engagement?
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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