CHAPTER XXVIII. PH?BE.

notshowthattoanyoneinBriarfieldbutyou,becauseyoucantakeitquietly." "Certainlythereisnothinginthelittlemarktoshock.Itshistorywillexplain." "Smallasitis,ithastakenmysleepaway,andmademenervous,thin,andfoolishbecause,onaccountofthatlittlemark,Iamobligedtolookforwardtoapossibilitythathasitsterrors." Thesleevewasreadjusted,thebraceletreplaced. "Doyouknowthatyoutryme?"hesaid,smiling."Iamapatientsortofman,butmypulseisquickening." "Whateverhappens,youwillbefriendme,Mr.Moore?Youwillgivemethebenefitofyourself-possession,andnotleavemeatthemercyofagitatedcowards?" "Imakenopromisenow.Tellmethetale,andthenexactwhatpledgeyouwill." "Itisaveryshorttale.ItookawalkwithIsabellaandGertrudeoneday,aboutthreeweeksago.TheyreachedhomebeforemeIstayedbehindtospeaktoJohn.Afterleavinghim,Ipleasedmyselfwithlingeringinthelane,whereallwasverystillandshady.Iwastiredofchatteringtothegirls,andinnohurrytorejointhem.AsIstoodleaningagainstthegate-pillar,thinkingsomeveryhappythoughtsaboutmyfuturelife—forthatmorningIimaginedthateventswerebeginningtoturnasIhadlongwishedthemtoturn——" "Ah!Nunnelyhadbeenwithhertheeveningbefore!"thoughtMooreparenthetically. "Iheardapantingsoundadogcamerunningupthelane.Iknowmostofthedogsinthisneighbourhood.ItwasPh?be,oneofMr.SamWynne'spointers.Thepoorcreatureranwithherheaddown,hertonguehangingoutshelookedasifbruisedandbeatenallover.Icalledher.Imeanttocoaxherintothehouseandgivehersomewateranddinner.Ifeltsureshehadbeenill-used.Mr.Samoftenflogshispointerscruelly.ShewastooflurriedtoknowmeandwhenIattemptedtopatherhead,sheturnedandsnatchedatmyarm.Shebititsoastodrawblood,thenranpantingon.Directlyafter,Mr.Wynne'skeepercameup,carryingagun.HeaskedifIhadseenadog.ItoldhimIhadseenPh?be. "'YouhadbetterchainupTartar,ma'am,'hesaid,'andtellyourpeopletokeepwithinthehouse.IamafterPh?betoshoother,andthegroomisgoneanotherway.Sheisragingmad.'" Mr.Mooreleanedbackinhischairandfoldedhisarmsacrosshischest.MissKeeldarresumedhersquareofsilkcanvas,andcontinuedthecreationofawreathofParmeseviolets. "Andyoutoldnoone,soughtnohelp,nocure?Youwouldnotcometome?" "Igotasfarastheschoolroomdoortheremycouragefailed.Ipreferredtocushionthematter." "Why?WhatcanIdemandbetterinthisworldthantobeofusetoyou?" "Ihadnoclaim." "Monstrous!Andyoudidnothing?" "Yes.Iwalkedstraightintothelaundry,wheretheyareironingmostoftheweek,nowthatIhavesomanyguestsinthehouse.Whilethemaidwasbusycrimpingorstarching,ItookanItalianironfromthefire,andappliedthelightscarletglowingtiptomyarm.Iboreditwellin.Itcauterizedthelittlewound.ThenIwentupstairs." "Idaresayyouneveroncegroaned?" "IamsureIdon'tknow.Iwasverymiserable—notfirmortranquilatall,Ithink.Therewasnocalminmymind." "Therewascalminyourperson.Irememberlisteningthewholetimewesatatluncheon,tohearifyoumovedintheroomabove.Allwasquiet." "Iwassittingatthefootofthebed,wishingPh?behadnotbittenme." "Andalone.Youlikesolitude." "Pardonme." "Youdisdainsympathy." "DoI,Mr.Moore?" "Withyourpowerfulmindyoumustfeelindependentofhelp,ofadvice,ofsociety." "Sobeit,sinceitpleasesyou." Shesmiled.Shepursuedherembroiderycarefullyandquickly,buthereyelashtwinkled,andthenitglittered,andthenadropfell. Mr.Mooreleanedforwardonhisdesk,movedhischair,alteredhisattitude. "Ifitisnotso,"heasked,withapeculiar,mellowchangeinhisvoice,"howisit,then?" "Idon'tknow." "Youdoknow,butyouwon'tspeak.Allmustbelockedupinyourself." "Becauseitisnotworthsharing." "Becausenobodycangivethehighpriceyourequireforyourconfidence.Nobodyisrichenoughtopurchaseit.Nobodyhasthehonour,theintellect,thepoweryoudemandinyouradviser.ThereisnotashoulderinEnglandonwhichyouwouldrestyourhandforsupport,farlessabosomwhichyouwouldpermittopillowyourhead.Ofcourseyoumustlivealone." "Icanlivealone,ifneedbe.Butthequestionisnothowtolive,buthowtodiealone.Thatstrikesmeinamoregrislylight." "Youapprehendtheeffectsofthevirus?Youanticipateanindefinitelythreatening,dreadfuldoom?" Shebowed. "Youareverynervousandwomanish." "Youcomplimentedmetwominutessinceonmypowerfulmind." "Youareverywomanish.Ifthewholeaffairwerecoollyexaminedanddiscussed,Ifeelassureditwouldturnoutthatthereisnodangerofyourdyingatall." "Amen!Iamverywillingtolive,ifitpleaseGod.Ihavefeltlifesweet." "Howcanitbeotherwisethansweetwithyourendowmentsandnature?Doyoutrulyexpectthatyouwillbeseizedwithhydrophobia,anddieravingmad?" "Iexpectit,andhavefearedit.JustnowIfearnothing." "NordoI,onyouraccount.Idoubtwhetherthesmallestparticleofvirusmingledwithyourbloodandifitdid,letmeassureyouthat,young,healthy,faultlesslysoundasyouare,noharmwillensue.Fortherest,Ishallinquirewhetherthedogwasreallymad.Iholdshewasnotmad." "Tellnobodythatshebitme." "WhyshouldI,whenIbelievethebiteinnocuousasacutofthispenknife?Makeyourselfeasy.Iameasy,thoughIvalueyourlifeasmuchasIdomyownchanceofhappinessineternity.Lookup." "Why,Mr.Moore?" "Iwishtoseeifyouarecheered.Putyourworkdownraiseyourhead." "There——" "Lookatme.Thankyou.Andisthecloudbroken?" "Ifearnothing." "Isyourmindrestoredtoitsownnaturalsunnyclime?" "IamverycontentbutIwantyourpromise." "Dictate." "Youknow,incasetheworstIhavefearedshouldhappen,theywillsmotherme.Youneednotsmile.Theywilltheyalwaysdo.Myunclewillbefullofhorror,weakness,precipitationandthatistheonlyexpedientwhichwillsuggestitselftohim.Nobodyinthehousewillbeself-possessedbutyou.Nowpromisetobefriendme—tokeepMr.Sympsonawayfromme,nottoletHenrycomenear,lestIshouldhurthim.Mind—mindthatyoutakecareofyourselftoo.ButIshallnotinjureyouIknowIshallnot.Lockthechamberdooragainstthesurgeonsturnthemoutiftheygetin.LetneithertheyoungnortheoldMacTurklayafingeronmenorMr.Greaves,theircolleagueandlastly,ifIgivetrouble,withyourownhandadministertomeastrongnarcotic—suchasuredoseoflaudanumasshallleavenomistake.Promisetodothis." Moorelefthisdesk,andpermittedhimselftherecreationofoneortwoturnsthroughtheroom.StoppingbehindShirley'schair,hebentoverher,andsaid,inalow,emphaticvoice,"Ipromiseallyouask—withoutcomment,withoutreservation." "Iffemalehelpisneeded,callinmyhousekeeper,Mrs.Gill.LetherlaymeoutifIdie.Sheisattachedtome.Shewrongedmeagainandagain,andagainandagainIforgaveher.Shenowlovesme,andwouldnotdefraudmeofapin.Confidencehasmadeherhonestforbearancehasmadeherkind-hearted.AtthisdayIcantrustbothherintegrity,hercourage,andheraffection.Callherbutkeepmygoodauntandmytimidcousinsaway.Oncemore,promise." "Ipromise." "Thatisgoodinyou,"shesaid,lookingupathimashebentoverher,andsmiling. "Isitgood?Doesitcomfort?" "Verymuch." "Iwillbewithyou—IandMrs.Gillonly—inany,ineveryextremitywherecalmandfidelityareneeded.Norashorcowardhandshallmeddle." "Yetyouthinkmechildish?" "Ido." "Ah!youdespiseme." "Dowedespisechildren?" "Infact,Iamneithersostrong,norhaveIsuchprideinmystrength,aspeoplethink,M