Wyllard's Weird: A NovelBraddon, M. E. (Mary Elizabeth)
General
Wyllard's Weird: A Novel
Braddon, M. E. (Mary Elizabeth)
Murder -- Fiction; Mystery and detective stories
And now the spell was broken; the dream had come to an end all at
once. He could never believe in sweet words or kisses again. He had
looked into the heart of this woman he had loved so well, and he knew
that it was false to the core.
* * * * *
The next day was wild and stormy--rain and wind, wind and rain--a gray
sky, a heavy pall of cloud, through which the sun pierced not once in
the long bleak day; one of those days which Nature keeps in stock for
the funerals of our friends.
General Harborough stood in the dreary cemetery, and let the wind and
rain beat upon him unflinchingly for about forty minutes. He paid
every tribute of respect that could be paid to his old comrade and
then he went off to the railway-station, to go back to Plymouth by the
train which left Bath at five o'clock, and would arrive in Plymouth a
little before eleven. He had given up the idea of going on to London to
execute the codicil. That could be done at Fox Hill, if need were. He
felt tired and ill and shivery. He thought he had taken a chill in the
cemetery, and that the best thing he could do was to go home.
He had a bad night, disturbed by a short, hard cough, which was worse
next morning. Lady Valeria sent for the doctor, who pronounced the
indisposition an acute attack of bronchitis. The patient was very
feverish, and the utmost care was needed. Happily, the valet was a
good nurse, and Lady Valeria seemed devoted. She sat by her husband's
bedside; she read to him, and ministered to him with the tenderest care.
"You could not be better off," said the medical man, who was of the
cheery old school. "We shall make you all right in a day or two,"
knowing perfectly well that the patient was in for a fortnight's close
confinement and severe regimen.
The General endured his poultices and blisters meekly, but chafed at
the hot room and the hissing steam-kettle.
"It is worse than being wounded on the field of battle," he said.
And then, half asleep and half delirious, he began to talk about Sir
George Varney's summons.
"The scoundrel wants to make a public scandal," he muttered; "he will
bring my wife's name before the public. 'I thought by this time you
must have been tired of Bothwell Grahame,'" he said, repeating the
words which had stung him almost to madness.
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.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account