第75章

"Of course," said Jane."And you cannot imagine the humiliation of following your food all round the plate, and then finding it on the table-cloth; of being quite sure there was a last bit somewhere, and when you had given up the search and gone on to another course, discovering it, eventually, in your lap.I do not wonder my poor boy would not let me come to his meals.But after this I believe he will, and I shall know exactly how to help him and how to arrange so that very soon he will have no difficulty.Oh, Dicky, I had to do it! There was no other way.""Yes," said the doctor quietly, "you had to do it." And Jane in her blindness could not see the working of his face, as he added below his breath: "You being YOU, dear, there was no other way.""Ah, how glad I am you realise the necessity, Deryck! I had so feared you might think it useless or foolish.And it was now or never; because I trust--if he forgives me--this will be the only week-end I shall ever have to spend away from him.Boy, do you think he will forgive me?"It was fortunate Jane was blind: The doctor swallowed a word, then:

"Hush, dear," he said."You make me sigh for the duchess's parrot.

And I shall do no good here, if I lose patience with Dalmain.Now tell me; you really never remove that bandage?" "Only to wash my face," replied Jane, smiling."I can trust myself not to peep for two minutes.And last night I found it made my head so hot that Icould not sleep; so I slipped it off for an hour or two, but woke and put it on again before dawn." "And you mean to wear it until to-morrow morning?"

Jane smiled rather wistfully.She knew what was involved in that question.

"Until to-morrow night, Boy," she answered gently.

"But, Jeanette," exclaimed the doctor, in indignant protest; "surely you will see me before I go! My dear girl, would it not be carrying the experiment unnecessarily far?""Ah, no," said Jane, leaning towards him with her pathetic bandaged eyes."Don't you see, dear, you give me the chance of passing through what will in time be one of his hardest experiences, when his dearest friends will come and go, and be to him only voice and touch; their faces unseen and but dimly remembered? Deryck, just because this hearing and not seeing you IS so hard, I realise how it is enriching me in what I can share with him.He must not have to say: 'Ah, but you saw him before he left.' I want to be able to say:

'He came and went,--my greatest friend,--and I did not see him at all.'"The doctor walked over to the window and stood there, whistling softly.Jane knew he was fighting down his own vexation.She waited patiently.Presently the whistling stopped and she heard him laugh.

Then he came back and sat down near her.

"You always were a THOROUGH old thing!" he said.

"No half-measures would do.I suppose I must agree."Jane reached out for his hand."Ah, Boy," she said, "now you will help me.But I never before knew you so nearly selfish.""The 'other man' is always a problem," said the doctor."We male brutes, by nature, always want to be first with all our women; not merely with the one, but with all those in whom we consider, sometimes with egregious presumption, that we hold a right.You see it everywhere,--fathers towards their daughters, brothers as regards their sisters, friends in a friendship.The 'other man,' when he arrives, is always a pill to swallow.It is only natural, I suppose;but it is fallen nature and therefore to be surmounted.Now let me go and forage for your hat and coat, and take you out upon the moors.No? Why not? I often find things for Flower, so really I know likely places in which to search.Oh, all right! I will send Margery.But don't be long.And you need not be afraid of Dalmain hearing us, for I saw him just now walking briskly up and down the terrace, with only an occasional touch of his cane against the parapet.How much you have already accomplished! We shall talk more freely out on the moor; and, as I march you along, we can find out tips which may be useful when the time comes for you to lead the 'other man' about.Only do be careful how you come downstairs with old Margery.Think if you fell upon her, Jane! She does make such excellent coffee!"