The old homoeopathist at the other end of the town talked quietly on ...
the afternoon light shone on his long white hair ... the principle of
health, God-given health, governing life. To be well one must trust in
it absolutely. One must practise trusting in God every day.... The
patient grew calm, quietly listening and accepting everything he said,
agreeing again and again. Miriam sat wondering impatiently why they
could not stay. Here in this quiet place with this quiet old man, the
only place in the world where anyone had seemed partly to understand,
mother might get better. He could help. He knew what the world was like
and that nobody understood. He must know that he ought to keep her. But
he did not seem to want to do anything but advise them and send them
away. She hated him, his serene white-haired pink-faced old age. He told
them he was seventy-nine and had never taken a dose in his life. Leaving
his patient to sip a glass of water into which he had measured drops of
tincture he took Miriam to look at the greenhouse behind his consulting
room. As soon as they were alone he told her speaking quickly and
without benevolence and in the voice of a younger man that she must
summon help, a trained attendant. There ought to be someone for night
and day. He seemed to know exactly the way in which she had been taxed
and spoke of her youth. It is very wrong for you to be alone with her he
added gravely.
Vaguely, burning with shame at the confession she explained that it
could not be afforded. He listened attentively and repeated that it was
absolutely necessary. She felt angrily for words to explain the
uselessness of attendants. She was sure he must know this and wanted to
demand that he should help, then and there at once, with his quiet house
and his knowledge. Her eye covered him. He was only a pious old man with
artificial teeth making him speak with a sort of sibilant woolliness.
Perhaps he too knew that in the end even this would fail. He made her
promise to write for help and refused a fee. She hesitated helplessly,
feeling the burden settle. He indicated that he had said his say and
they went back.
On the way home they talked of the old man. “He is right; but it is too
late” said Mrs. Henderson with clear quiet bitterness, “God has deserted
me.” They walked on, tiny figures in a world of huge grey-stone houses.
“He will not let me sleep. He does not want me to sleep.... He does not
care.”
A thought touched Miriam, touched and flashed. She grasped at it to hold
and speak it, but it passed off into the world of grey houses. Her
cheeks felt hollow, her feet heavy. She summoned her strength, but her
body seemed outside her, empty, pacing forward in a world full of
perfect unanswering silence.
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