第67章

LadyLundieshookherheadcompassionately，andsmiledwithangelicsadness。“Ourlittlebesettingsins!“shesaid。“Whatslaveswearetoourlittlebesettingsins!Takeaturnintheroom——do!“

Anyordinarymanwouldhavelosthistemper。Butthelaw(asSirPatrickhadtoldhisniece)hasaspecialtemperofitsown。

Withoutexhibitingthesmallestirritation，SirPatrickdextrouslyappliedhissister-in-law’sblistertohissister-in-lawherself。

“Whataneyeyouhave!“hesaid。“Iwasimpatient。I_am_

impatient。IamdyingtoknowwhatBlanchesaidtoyouwhenshegotbetter？“

TheBritishMatronfrozeupintoamatronofstoneonthespot。

“Nothing!“answeredherladyship，withavicioussnapofherteeth，asifshehadtriedtobitethewordbeforeitescapedher。

“Nothing!“exclaimedSirPatrick。

“Nothing，“repeatedLadyLundie，withhermostformidableemphasisoflookandtone。“Iappliedalltheremedieswithmyownhands；Icutherlaceswithmyownscissors，Icompletelywettedherheadthroughwithcoldwater；Iremainedwithheruntilshewasquiteexhausted-Itookherinmyarms，andfoldedhertomybosom；Isenteverybodyoutoftheroom；Isaid，’Dearchild，confideinme。’Andhowweremyadvances——mymotherlyadvances——met？Ihavealreadytoldyou。Byheartlesssecrecy。Byundutifulsilence。“

SirPatrickpressedtheblisteralittleclosertotheskin。“Shewasprobablyafraidtospeak，“hesaid。

“Afraid？Oh!“criedLadyLundie，distrustingtheevidenceofherownsenses。“Youcan’thavesaidthat？Ihaveevidentlymisapprehendedyou。Youdidn’treallysay，afraid？“

“Isaidshewasprobablyafraid——“

“Stop!Ican’tbetoldtomyfacethatIhavefailedtodomydutybyBlanche。No，SirPatrick!Icanbearagreatdeal；butI

can’tbearthat。Afterhavingbeenmorethanamothertoyourdearbrother’schild；afterhavingbeenaneldersistertoBlanche；afterhavingtoiled——Isay_toiled，_SirPatrick!——tocultivateherintelligence(withthesweetlinesofthepoeteverpresenttomymemory：’Delightfultasktorearthetendermind，andteachtheyoungideahowtoshoot!’)；afterhavingdoneallI

havedone——aplaceinthecarriageonlyyesterday，andavisittothemostinterestingrelicoffeudaltimesinPerthshire——afterhavingsacrificedallIhavesacrificed，tobetoldthatIhavebehavedinsuchamannertoBlancheastofrightenherwhenIaskhertoconfideinme，isalittletoocruel。Ihaveasensitive——anundulysensitivenature，dearSirPatrick。ForgivemeforwincingwhenIamwounded。ForgivemeforfeelingitwhenthewoundisdealtmebyapersonwhomIrevere。“

Herladyshipputherhandkerchieftohereyes。Anyothermanwouldhavetakenofftheblister。SirPatrickpresseditharderthanever。

“Youquitemistakeme，“hereplied。“ImeantthatBlanchewasafraidtotellyouthetruecauseofherillness。ThetruecauseisanxietyaboutMissSilve