this the more willingly because who was now conscious for the greater part of the time had asked for her once or twice and had seemed easier when she was in the room but she still gave only occasional aid the other nurses when they dined or rested but keeping herself partly free in order to have an eye on the household and give a few hours daily to a this had become part of a system that already seemed as old as memory she could hardly recall what life had been before the accident � the seven dreadful days seemed as long as the days of creation every morning she rose to the same report � no change � and every day passed without a word from minor news of course had come poor mr at length overtaken at was hastening back as fast as ship and rail could carry mrs at with her invalid anxious but still no word from the correspondent at had simply not here will � and since then silence had taken to sitting in a small room beyond bedroom near enough to to be within l o the fruit of the tree call yet accessible to the rest of the household the walls were hung with old prints and with two or three photographs of early italian pictures and in a low had put the books he had brought from � the english poets the greek some text books of and kindred subjects and a few stray well worn volumes s european morals s translation of a german grammar a pocket bacon it was unlike any other room at � even through her misery felt the relief of escaping there from the rest of die great house sometimes she took up one of the books and read a page or two letting the beat of the verse lull her throbbing brain or the strong words of wisdom sink into her heart and even when there was no time for these brief flights from reality it soothed her to feel herself in the presence of great thoughts � to know that in this room among these books another restless baffled mind had sought escape from the dusty answer of life her hours there made her think less bitterly of � but also alas made her see more clearly the difference between the two natures she had to that which was the essence of life to one was a shadow to the other and the gulf between them was too wide for the imagination of either to bridge as she sat there on the seventh afternoon there was a knock on the door and entered she had only time to notice that he was very pale � she had been struck once or twice with his look of sudden exhaustion the fruit of the tree which passed as quickly as it came � then she saw that he carried a and her mind flew back to its central anxiety she grew pale herself as she read the message he has been found � at it will take him at least a month to get here a month � good god and it may take mr longer their eyes met it s too long she asked i don t know � i don t know he shivered slightly turning away into the window sat down to dash off messages to mr and the s return must be made known at once when she glanced up was standing near her his air of intense weariness had passed and he looked calm and ready for action shall i take these down no ring please i want to ask you a few questions the servant who answered the bell brought in a and having despatched the seated herself and began to pour out her tea food had been to her during the first unsettled days but with the of the nurse s habits the nurse s punctual appetite returned every drop of energy must be now and only sleep and nourishment could fill the empty she held out a cup to but he drew back with a gesture of aversion thanks not hungry you ought to eat more of the tree ii of the tree no no i m very well she lifted her head revived by the warm draught the mechanical act of nourishment performed her mind back to the prospect of s return a whole month before he reached l he had instructed her where news might find him on the way but a whole month to wait she looked at and they read each other s thoughts it s a long time he said yes but can do wonders � and she s very strong shuddered just so a skilled agent of the might have spoken calculating how much longer the power of suffering might be preserved in a body broken on the wheel how does she seem to you to day the general conditions are about the same the heart keeps up wonderfully but there is a little more oppression of the yes � her breathing is harder last night she suffered horribly at times oh � she ll suffer murmured of course the can be increased just what did dr say this morning he is astonished at her strength but there s no hope � i don t know why i ask hope looked at her you mean of what s called recovery � of death she nodded the fruit of the tree how can tell � or anyone we all know there have been cases where such injury to the cord has not caused death this may be one of those cases but the biggest man couldn t say now hid her eyes a fate recovery yes keeping people alive in such cases is one of the of cruelty that it was left for christianity to invent and and yet � it s got 