第26章

“Andyouthinkaninchortwolessofhernow。”TherewasalittletremorinWinterborne’svoiceashespoke。

“Well。”saidthedoctor，withrecoveredwarmth，“IamnotsosurethatIthinklessofher。Atfirstitwasasortofblow；but，dammy！I’llstickupforher。She’scharming，everyinchofher！”

“Sosheis。”saidWinterborne，“butnottome。”

Fromthisambiguousexpressionofthereticentwoodlander’s，Dr。

FitzpiersinferredthatGilesdislikedMissMelburybecauseofsomehaughtinessinherbearingtowardshim，andhad，onthataccount，withheldhername。Thesuppositiondidnottendtodiminishhisadmirationforher。

Grace’sexhibitionofherself，intheactofpulling-tothewindow-curtains，hadbeentheresultofanunfortunateincidentinthehousethatday——nothinglessthantheillnessofGrammerOliver，awomanwhohadnevertillnowlaindownforsuchareasoninherlife。Likeotherstowhomunbrokenyearsofhealthhasmadetheideaofkeepingtheirbedalmostasrepugnantasdeathitself，shehadcontinuedonfoottillsheliterallyfellonthefloor；andthoughshehad，asyet，beenscarcelyadayoffduty，shehadsickenedintoquiteadifferentpersonagefromtheindependentGrammeroftheyardandspar-house。Illasshewas，ononepointshewasfirm。Onnoaccountwouldsheseeadoctor；

inotherwords，Fitzpiers。

TheroominwhichGracehadbeendiscernedwasnotherown，buttheoldwoman’s。Onthegirl’swaytobedshehadreceivedamessagefromGrammer，totheeffectthatshewouldmuchliketospeaktoherthatnight。

Graceentered，andsetthecandleonalowchairbesidethebed，sothattheprofileofGrammerasshelaycastitselfinakeenshadowuponthewhitenedwall，herlargeheadbeingstillfurthermagnifiedbyanenormousturban，whichwas，really，herpetticoatwoundinawreathroundhertemples。Graceputtheroomalittleinorder，andapproachingthesickwoman，said，“Iamcome，Grammer，asyouwish。Doletussendforthedoctorbeforeitgetslater。”

“Iwillnothavehim。”saidGrammerOliver，decisively。

“Thensomebodytositupwithyou。”

“Can’tabearit！No；Iwantedtoseeyou，MissGrace，because’chhavesomethingonmymind。DearMissGrace，ITOOKTHATMONEYOF

THEDOCTOR，AFTERALL！”

“Whatmoney？”

“Thetenpounds。”

Gracedidnotquiteunderstand。

“Thetenpoundsheofferedmeformyhead，becauseI’vealargebrain。IsignedapaperwhenItookthemoney，notfeelingconcernedaboutitatall。Ihavenotlikedtotellyethatitwasreallysettledwithhim，becauseyoushowedsuchhorroratthenotion。Well，havingthoughtitovermoreatlength，IwishI

hadn’tdoneit；anditweighsuponmymind。JohnSouth’sdeathoffearaboutthetreemakesmethinkthatIshalldieofthis。’Chhavebeengoingtoaskhimagaintoletmeoff，butIhadn’ttheface。”

“Why？”

“I’vespentsomeofthemoney——more’ntwopoundso’t。Itdowherritmeterribly；andIshalldieo’thethoughtofthatpape