第33章

Quietlyherepeatedthelastphrase。”’ButheisgettingwellfastandwillsoonbereadytotakeupthemanagementoftheWorkswhichwasgivenhimjustbeforehewastakenill。’ThatwillshowherthatIamworkingup，”hebrightlyremarkedasDoriscarefullypennedthelastword。”Ofmyselfyouneedsaynothingmore，unless-”hepausedandhisfacetookonawistfullookwhichDorisdarednotmeet；”unless-butno，no，shemustthinkithasbeenonlyapassingindisposition。IfsheknewIhadbeenreallyill，shewouldsuffer，andperhapsactimprudentlyorsufferandnotdaretoactatall，whichmightbesadderforherstill。Leaveitwhereitisandbeginaboutyourself。Writeagooddealaboutyourself，sothatshewillseethatyouarenotworriedandthatalliswellwithushere。Cannotyoudothatwithoutassistance?Surelyyoucantellheraboutthatlastpieceofembroideryyoushowedme。Shewillbegladtohear-why，Doris！””Oh，Mr。Brotherson，”thepoorchildburstout，”youmustletmecry！I’msogladtoseeyoubetterandinterestedinallsortsofthings。Thesearenottearsofgrief。I-I-butI’mforgettingwhatthedoctortoldme。Youaregrowingexcited，andIwastoseethatyouwerecalm，alwayscalm。Iwilltakemydeskaway。Iwillwritetherestintheotherroom，whileyoulookatthemagazines。””Butbringyourletterbackformetoseal。Iwanttoseeitinitsenvelope。Oh，Doris，youareagoodlittlegirl！”

Sheshookherhead，andhastenedtohideherselffromhimintheotherroom；anditwasalongtimebeforeshecamebackwiththeletterfoldedandinitsenvelope。Whenshedid，herfacewascomposedandhermannernatural。Shehadquitemadeuphermindwhatherdutywasandhowshewasgoingtoperformit。”Hereistheletter，”saidshe，layingitinhisoutstretchedhand。

Thensheturnedherback。Sheknew，withawoman’sunerringinstinctwhyhewishedtohandleitbeforeitwent。Shefeltthatkisshefoldedawayinit，ineveryfibreofherarousedandsympatheticheart，butthehardestpartoftheordealwasoverandhereyesbeamedsoftlywhensheturnedagaintotakeitfromhishandandaffixthestamp。”Youwillmailityourself?”heasked。”Ishouldliketohaveyouputitintotheboxwithyourownhand。””Iwillputitinto-night，aftersupper，”shepromisedhim。

Hissmileofcontentmentassuredherthatthistrialofhercourageandself-controlwasnotwithoutoneblessedresult。Hewouldrestforseveraldaysinthepleasureofwhathehaddoneorthoughthehaddone。SheneednotcringebeforethatimageofDreadfortwo，threedaysatleast。Meanwhile，hewouldgrowstronginbody，andshe，perhaps，inspirit。Onlyoneprecautionshemusttake。NohintofMr。Challoner’spresenceintownmustreachhim。Hemustbeguardedfromaknowledgeofthatfactascertainlyasfromthemoreseriousonewhichlaybehindit。

XXVIII

IHOPENEVERTOSEETHATMAN

Thatthiswouldbeadifficultthingtodo，Doriswassoontorealise。Mr。Challonercontinuedtopassthehousetwiceadayandthetimefinallycamewhenheventuredupthewalk。

Doriswasinthewindowandsawhimcoming。Sheslippedsoftlyoutandinterceptedhimbeforehehadsteppedupontheporch。Shehadcaughtupherhatasshepassedthroughthehall，andwasfittingittoherheadashelookedupandsawher。”MissScott?”heasked。”Yes，Mr。Challoner。””Youknowme?”hewenton，onefootonthestepandonestillonthewalk。

Beforereplyingsheclosedthedoorbehindher。Thenasshenotedhissurpriseshecarefullyexplained：”Mr。Brotherson，ourboarder，isjustrecoveringfromtyphoid。Heisstillweakandacutelysusceptibletotheleastnoise。Iwasafraidthatourvoicesmightdisturbhim。Doyoumindwalkingalittlewayuptheroad?Thatis，ifyourvisitwasintendedforme。”

Herflush，thebeautywhichmusthavestruckever

后续内容为VIP可读请开通VIP，或购买此章节