The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1903-06-12
THE WOMAN IN WHITE
BY WILLIAM w. COLLINS.
(Continued.)

trast 10 dear Marianl 80 cANohhcas Wa
sIderate in all his movements!
.Iight," he said, IN that delightfully."-
confidential tone which is so soothing 10
an Invalid. "is the first essential Light
stimulates, nourishes. preserves You
can no more do without II, Mr.. Fairlie'
than ~ YOU were flower. Observe. Here
where YOU sit. close the shutters, TO
compose you. There, where you do not
sit. I draw up the blind and let In the
tnvieoratlng sun. Admit the light into
your room, it you can not bear IL on
yourself. Light, sir. is the grand decree
OF Providence. You accept providence
with your own restrictions. Accept light
on the same terms"
thought this very convincing ana at
tentive lie had taken men in-up to that
point about the light. he had certainly
taken me in.
..You see me confused" he said. re-
turning 10 his place-"on my word or
honor, Mr.. Fairlie. you see me confused
IN your presence"
Shocked 10 hear II, / am sure May
inquire why?"
.ssir. can / enter this room (where you
sit a sufferer. and see you surrounded
by these admirable objects OF Art with
out discovering that you are man
whose feelings are acutely impressiona-
BILE, whose sympathies are perpetually
alive? Tell me. can do this?'
IL had been strong enough TO sit up
IN my chair. / should, OF course. nave
bowed. Not being strong enough, 1 smll-
ed my Acknowledgements instead. IL ala
Just as well--we both understood each
other.
Pray follow my train OF thought,
continued the count. "I sit here. man
OF refined sympathies myself, in the
presence OF another man or renned
sympathies also. am conscious OF a ter
rible necessity for lacerating those
events OF very melancholy kind. What
Is the inevitable consequence? have
done myself the honor OF pointing II out
20 you already. / sit confused.
Was 1t at this point that / began to
suspect he was going TO bore me? rath-
er think II was
s'Is II absolutely necessary to refer 20
these unpleasant matters7" / inquired.
I'm our homely English phrase, Count
Fosco, won't they keep?'
The count, with the most alarming
solemnity, sighed and shook his head
Must really hear them?"
He shrugged his shoulders OF was the
had been in the room). and looked at me
in an unpleasantly penetrating manner.
NY instincts told me that / had better
close my eyes. obeyed my instincts.
please break II gently" pleaded.
anybody dead?'
Dead cried the count, with unneces-
sary foreign fierceness. Mr. Fairliel
your national composure terrifics me. In
the name OF Heaven. what have l said or
done TO make you think me the messen-
ger OF death?"
Pray accept my apologies ] answer
ed. ''You have said and done nothing l
make II a rule. In these distressing cases.
always to anticipate the worst. 1t breaks
the blow by meeting It halfway, and so
on. Inexpressibly relieved, l am sure. to
hear that nobody is dead. Anybody ill7"
opened my eyes, and looked at him. !
Was he very yellow when he came in? OF !
had he turned very yellow In the last
minute or two? ] really can't say: and
can't ask Louis. because he was not
in the room at the time.
Anybody ill?" / repeated. observing |
that my national composure still appear
ed TO affect him.
THAT Is part OF my bad news, Mr. |
Fairlie. Yes. Somebody is ILL.,"
"Grfeved, ] am sure. Which OF them is
it?''
ITO my profound sorrow. Miss Hal
combe. Perhaps you were in some degree !
prepared 10 hear this? Perhaps. when |
you found that Miss Halcombe did not /
come here by herself as you proposed. /
and did not write a second time, your af- 4
fectionate anxiety may have made you
fear that she was ill?''
have no doubt my affectionate an |
xiety had led to that melancholy appre- |
hension at some time or other but at |
the moment my wretched memory entire /
ly failed 10 remind me Of the clrcum- /
stance. However l said yes. In Justice TO /
myself. / was much shocked. IL was so /
very uncharacteristlc OF such a robust |
person as dear Marian to be ILL., that I \
could only suppose she had met with an /
accident
A horse. or false step on the stairs. /
or something OF that sort.
lis II serious?" / asked
''Serious-beyond n doubt" he replied !
sDangerous-I hope and trust not. Miss |
Halcombs unhappily exposed herself 20 1
be weited through by heavy rain. The /
kind. and II has now brought with IL the /
worst consequence-fever'
When heard the word fever and when I
remembered at the same moment, that \
the interruptions person. who was now /
addressing me had just come from Black 4
water Park ] thought ] should have
Good God!' I said. lis II infectious?"
Not AT present. he answered. with de- /
testable composure III may turn 20 /
cation had taken place when left Black /
water Park. / have felt the deepest in 1
terest In the case. Mr.. Fairlic--I have /
endeavored 20 assist the regular medical !
attendant in watching it-accept my per
sonal assurances OF the uninfectious ma /
ture OF the fever when last saw IL u"
Accept his assurances! never was
further from accepting anything I'm my /
life. I would not have believed him on |
his oath. He was too yellow TO re be- /
licved. He looked like walking West
Indian epidemic. He was big enough 10
carry typhus by the ton. and 20 dye tho
Ssry carpet he walked on with scarlet
fever. In certain emergencies my mind
r. remarkably soon made up. 1 instantly
determined 20 get rid OF him
You will kindly excuse an invalid"
raid-"but long conferences Of any kinn
invariably upset me May beg 20 know
exactly what the object IL IN which i am
Indebted for the honor OF your visit %
fervently hoped that this remarkably
broad hint would throw him OF his bai-
ance-confuse him-reduce him 10 polite
apoiogies-in short. get him out of the
room. On the contrary. II only settled
him IN his chair. lie became additionally
solemn and diRnifed and confidential lie
- a.. a.