第58章

ItwassomewhatsingularthatGilesinhissemi-consciousstateacquiescedunresistinglyinallthatshedid。Butheneverforamomentrecognizedher——continuinghisrapidconversationtohimself，andseemingtolookuponherassomeangel，orothersupernaturalcreatureofthevisionaryworldinwhichhewasmentallyliving。Theundertakingoccupiedhermorethantenminutes；butbythattime，tohergreatthankfulness，hewasintheinnerroom，lyingonthebed，hisdampouterclothingremoved。

ThentheunhappyGraceregardedhimbythelightofthecandle。

Therewassomethinginhislookwhichagonizedher，intherushofhisthoughts，acceleratingtheirspeedfromminutetominute。Heseemedtobepassingthroughtheuniverseofideaslikeacomet——

erratic，inapprehensible，untraceable。

Grace’sdistractionwasalmostasgreatashis。Inafewmomentsshefirmlybelievedhewasdying。Unabletowithstandherimpulse，shekneltdownbesidehim，kissedhishandsandhisfaceandhishair，exclaiming，inalowvoice，“HowcouldI？HowcouldI？”

Hertimidmoralityhad，indeed，underratedhischivalrytillnow，thoughsheknewhimsowell。Thepurityofhisnature，hisfreedomfromthegrosserpassions，hisscrupulousdelicacy，hadneverbeenfullyunderstoodbyGracetillthisstrangeself-

sacrificeinlonelyjuxtapositiontoherownpersonwasrevealed。

Theperceptionofitaddedsomethingthatwaslittleshortofreverencetothedeepaffectionforhimofawomanwho，herself，hadmoreofArtemisthanofAphroditeinherconstitution。

Allthatatendernursecoulddo，Gracedid；andthepowertoexpresshersolicitudeinaction，unconsciousthoughthesuffererwas，broughthermournfulsatisfaction。Shebathedhishothead，wipedhisperspiringhands，moistenedhislips，cooledhisfieryeyelids，spongedhisheatedskin，andadministeredwhatevershecouldfindinthehousethattheimaginationcouldconceiveaslikelytobeinanywayalleviating。Thatshemighthavebeenthecause，orpartiallythecause，ofallthis，interfusedmiserywithhersorrow。

Sixmonthsbeforethisdateascene，almostsimilarinitsmechanicalparts，hadbeenenactedatHintockHouse。Itwasbetweenapairofpersonsmostintimatelyconnectedintheirliveswiththese。Outwardlylikeasithadbeen，itwasyetinfiniteinspiritualdifference，thoughawoman’sdevotionhadbeencommontoboth。

Gracerosefromherattitudeofaffection，and，bracingherenergies，sawthatsomethingpracticalmustimmediatelybedone。

Muchasshewouldhaveliked，intheemotionofthemoment，tokeephimentirelytoherself，medicalassistancewasnecessarywhilethereremainedapossibilityofpreservinghimalive。Suchassistancewasfataltoherownconcealment；butevenhadthechanceofbenefitinghimbeenlessthanitwas，shewouldhaverunthehazardforhissake。Thequestionwas，whereshouldshegetamedicalman，competentandnear？

Therewasonesuchman，andonlyone，withinaccessibledistance；

amanwho，ifitwerepossibletosaveWinterborne’slife，hadthebrainmostlikelytodoit。Ifhumanpressurecouldbringhim，thatmanoughttobebroughttothesickGiles’sside。Theattemptshouldbemade。

Yetshedreadedtoleaveherpatient，andtheminutesracedpast，andyetshepostponedherdeparture。Atlast，whenitwasaftereleveno’clock，Winterbornefellintoafitfulsleep，anditseemedtoaffordheranopportunity。

Shehastilymadehimascomfortableasshecould，putonherthings，cutanewcandlefromthebunchhanginginthecupboard，andhavingsetitup，andplaceditsothatthelightdidnotfalluponhiseyes，sheclosedthedoorandstarted。

ThespiritofWinterborneseemedtokeephercompanyandbanishallsenseofdarknessfromhermind。Therainshadimpartedaphosphorescencetothepiecesoftouchwoodandrottingleavesthatlayaboutherpath，which，asscatteredbyherfeet，spreadabroadlikespiltmilk。Shewouldnotrunthehazardoflosingherwaybyplungingintoanyshort，unfrequentedtrackthroughthedenserpartsofthewoodland，butfollowedamoreopencourse，whicheventuallybroughthertothehighway。Oncehere，sheranalongwithgreatspeed，animatedbyadevotedpurposewhichhadmuchaboutitthatwasstoical；anditwaswithscarcelyanyfalteringofspiritthat，afteranhour’sprogress，shepassedoverRubdownHill，andonwardtowardsthatsameHintock，andthatsamehouse，outofwhich