第124章

Afterabriefintervalsheheardthedrawing-roomdooropen，andthevoicesofthemenoutside。ThereseemedtobesomedifficultyinpersuadingGeoffreytoascendthestairs；hepersistedindeclaringthatHesterDethridgewaswaitingforhimatthetopofthem。Afteralittletheypersuadedhimthatthewaywasfree。Anneheardthemascendthestairsandclosehisbedroomdoor。

Anotherandalongerintervalpassedbeforethedooropenedagain。Thedoctorwasgoingaway。HesaidhispartingwordstoJuliusinthepassage。“Lookinathimfromtimetotimethroughthenight，andgivehimanotherdoseofthesedativemixtureifhewakes。Thereisnothingtobealarmedaboutintherestlessnessandthefever。Theyareonlytheoutwardmanifestationsofsomeseriousmischiefhiddenunderthem。Sendforthemedicalmanwhohaslastattendedhim。Knowledgeofthepatient’sconstitutionisveryimportantknowledgeinthiscase。“

AsJuliusreturnedfromlettingthedoctorout，Annemethiminthehall。Shewasatoncestruckbythewornlookinhisface，andbythefatiguewhichexpresseditselfinallhismovements。

“Youwantrest，“shesaid。“Praygotoyourroom。Ihaveheardwhatthedoctorsaidtoyou。Leaveittothelandladyandtometositup。“

JuliusownedthathehadbeentravelingfromScotlandduringthepreviousnight。Buthewasunwillingtoabandontheresponsibilityofwatchinghisbrother。“Youarenotstrongenough，Iamsure，totakemyplace，“hesaid，kindly。“AndGeoffreyhassomeunreasoninghorrorofthelandladywhichmakesitveryundesirablethatheshouldseeheragain，inhispresentstate。Iwillgouptomyroom，andrestonthebed。Ifyouhearanythingyouhaveonlytocomeandcallme。“

Anhourmorepassed。

AnnewenttoGeoffrey’sdoorandlistened。Hewasstirringinhisbed，andmutteringtohimself。Shewentontothedoorofthenextroom，whichJuliushadleftpartlyopen。Fatiguehadoverpoweredhim；sheheard，within，thequietbreathingofamaninasoundsleep。Anneturnedbackagainresolvednottodisturbhim。

Attheheadofthestairsshehesitated——notknowingwhattodo。

HerhorrorofenteringGeoffrey’sroom，byherself，wasinsurmountable。Butwhoelsewastodoit？“Thegirlhadgonetobed。ThereasonwhichJuliushadgivenfornotemployingtheassistanceofHesterDethridgewasunanswerable。ShelistenedagainatGeoffrey’sdoor。Nosoundwasnowaudibleintheroomtoapersoninthepassageoutside。Woulditbewelltolookin，andmakesurethathehadonlyfallenasleepagain？Shehesitatedoncemore——shewasstillhesitating，whenHesterDethridgeappearedfromthekitchen。

ShejoinedAnneatthetopofthestairs——lookedather——andwrotealineonherslate：“Frightenedtogoin？LeaveittoMe。“

Thesilenceintheroomjustifiedtheinferencethathewasasleep。IfHesterlookedin，Hestercoulddonoharmnow。Anneacceptedtheproposal。

“Ifyoufindanythingwrong，“shesaid，“don’tdisturbhisbrother。Cometomefirst。“

Withthatcautionshewithdrew。Itwasthennearlytwointhemorning。She，likeJulius，wassinkingfromfatigue。Afterwaitingalittle，andhearingnothing，shethrewherselfonthesofainherroom。If