第40章 The Wheels Run Down (1)

Great grace, as saith Sir Thomas More, To him must needs be given, Who heareth heresy, and leaves The heretic to Heaven.Whittier.

The clock in a neighboring church tower was just striking five on a warm afternoon in June.The pillar box stood at the corner of Guilford Square nearest the church, and on this particular afternoon there chanced to be several people running at the last moment to post their letters.Among others were Brian and Erica.

Brian, with a great bundle of parish notices, had just reached the box when running down the other side of the square at full speed he saw his Undine carrying a bagful of letters.He had not met her for some weeks, for it happened to have been a busy time with him, and though she had been very good in coming to read to old Mrs.

Osmond, he had always just missed her.

"This is a funny meeting place," she exclaimed, rather breathlessly."It never struck me before what a truly national institution the post office is--a place where people of all creeds and opinions can meet together, and are actually treated alike!"Brian smiled.

"You have been very busy," he said, glancing at the innumerable envelopes, which she was dropping as fast as might be into the narrow receptacle.He could see that they were directed in her small, clear, delicate handwriting.

"And you, too," she said, looking at his diminished bundle."Mine are secularist circulars, and yours, I suppose, are the other kind of thing, but you see the same pillar eats them up quite contentedly.The post office is beautifully national, it sets a good example."She spoke lightly, but there was a peculiar tone in her voice which betrayed great weariness.It made Brian look at her more attentively than he had yet done--less from a lover's point of view, more from a doctor's.She was very pale.Though the running had brought a faint color to her cheeks, her lips were white, her forehead almost deathly.He knew that she had never really been well since her mother's death, but the change wrought within the last three weeks dismayed him; she was the mere shadow of her former self.

"This hot weather is trying you," he said.

"Something is," she replied."Work, or weather, or worry, or the three combined.""Come in and see my father," said Brian, "and be idle for a little time; you will be writing more circulars if you go home.""No, they are all done, and my examination is over, and there is nothing special going on just now; I think that is why I feel so like breaking down."After a little more persuasion, she consented to go in and see Mr.

Osmond.The house always had a peculiarly restful feeling, and the mere thought of rest was a relief to her; she would have liked the wheels of life to stop for a little while, and there was rest in the mere change of atmosphere.On the doorstep Brian encountered a patient, much to his vexation; so he could only take Erica into the study, and go in search of his father.He lingered however, just to tell him of his fears.

"She looks perfectly worn out; you must find out what is wrong, father, and make her promise to see some one."His tone betrayed such anxiety that his father would not smile although he was secretly amused at the task deputed to him.

However, clergyman as he was, he had a good deal of the doctor about him, and he had seen so much of sickness and disease during his long years of hard work among the poor that he was after all about as ready an observer and as good a judge as Brian could have selected.

Erica, leaning back in the great easy chair, which had been moved into summer quarters beside the window, heard the slow soft step she had learned to know so well, and before she had time to get up, found her hand in Charles Osmond's strong clasp.

"How comfortable your chair is," she said, smiling; "I believe Iwas nearly asleep."

He looked at her attentively, but without appearing to study her face in any way.She was very pale and there was an indefinable look of pain in her eyes.

"Any news of the examination?" he asked, sitting down opposite her.

"No, it is too soon yet," she replied."I thought I should have felt so anxious about it, but do you know, now that it is over, Ican't make myself care a bit.If I have failed altogether, I don't believe I shall mind very much.""Too tired to care for anything?"

"Yes, I seem to have come to the end.I wish I were a watch, and could run down and rest for a few days and be wound up again."He smiled."What have you been doing with yourself to get so tired?""Oh, nothing particular; it has been rather a long day.Let me see! In the morning there were two delegates from Rilchester who had to be kept in a good temper till my father was ready for them;then there was father's bag to be packed, and a rush to get him off in time for the morning express to Longstaff.Then I went to a lecture at South Kensington, and then by train to Aldersgate Street to see Hazeldine's wife, who is unconscionable enough to live at the top of one of the model lodging houses.Then she told me of another of our people whose child is ill, and they lived in another row of Compton buildings up a hundred more steps, which left my back nearly broken.And the poor little child was fearfully ill, and it is so dreadful to see pain you can do nothing for; it has made me feel wretched ever since.Then--let me think--oh, Igot home and found Aunt Jean with a heap of circulars to get off, and there was a great rush to get them ready by post time."She paused; Charles Osmond withdrew his eyes from the careful scrutiny of her face, and noticed the position she had taken up in his chair.She was leaning back with her arms resting on the arms of the chair; not merely stretched out upon them, but rather as if she used them for support.His eyes wandered back again to her face.After a short silence, he spoke.