Pullman herald. [volume] (Pullman, W.T. [Wash.]) 1888-1989, 1905-05-20
CHAPTER XXIu

CHAPTER XXIII.
} Wild. grotesque phantasma-a sense
of intense suffering aching pains, parch-
ing thirst, and an awful oppression up
on the brain And then | seemed to
awake from a long, troubled sleep, and
an agony beyond my power to describe
| made an effort and succeeded in
drawing little apart the curtains at
the foot Of the bed. Almost within my
reach stood a table, upon which was
a moderator lamp, burning low, a jug,
tumbler and some bottles.
The faint rays of the lamp showed me
a large gloomy oak-panelled room, with
the ceiling painted to match. The win
dows opposite me were covered with
heavy curtains, and the furniture was
dark and very old-fashioned. On one
side was a huge fireplace, decorated with
oak carvings; in the crate burned a
cheerful fire, and there, sitting beside it,
doing, with her face half towards me,
was an elderly woman, q stranger to
! me.
Having finished my survey, | crawled
! back to my pillow and lay still for a
time, feeling very much exhausted with
my slight exerton. Presently the wom-
|
drew the curtains, and looked at me.
You are better" she said, kindly.
81 am so glad. You have had a long,
weary time of it, but the doctor said
| there would be a change one way or the
other tonight You're with friends, who
have taken every care of you"
Tell me, is Clara found?" l asked,
eagerly.
81, - Ill uS,.l,A
and see you as soon as you grow strong
err, but you mustn't talk, or you'll have
a relapse"
If | had asked for the Emperor of
| Russia, | believe she would have told
me that he was coming to see me as
soon as | was better Her answers were
| by no means satisfactory, but | could
| perceive that it was useless to try to
extract others from her.
Several days passed, and l saw no
person except the nurse and the doctor.
| put some questions to the latter, but
he answered crabbedly, that if l wished
to get we'll | must keep my mind calm,
sand not ask questions.
To keep my mind calm with such
memories as were haunting me was inn
possible, vet, in spite of my anxieties,
| grew stronger and better day by day.
| But the anguish of my mind waxed
strength with my body.
Nurse" | said one day, determined
| ly. Il must know where | am, under
| whose care, and | must have certain
questions of vital Importance to me sov-
! eel. | know you are concealing these
! things from me for a good motive, hut
! it is a mistaken one. Instead of calm
| ~, =, l..
tarding my recovery. For heavens sake,
| tell me where | am, whose house this is,
and what people | am with 2"
well, sir" she answered, 81 am only
obeying my instructions; if | was to go
! fl ON them, | should offend my employ
ers and the doctor, too, and | can't af-
ford to do that. | will ask leave to tell
you what | know, which | can assure
you is very little. But if you make haste
and get strong, and get about, you will
lie able to find out everything for your
self"
That day | got out of bed for the
| first time, and sat at the window 1t
! looked into an extensive garden. encom-
passed, as far as | could see, by a high
wall. lined within by rows of tall poplar
trees. My room was upon the ground
floor, and this wall and the trees bound
ed my vision. l could see naught beyond
| them.
One afternoon l had fallen asleep over
the fire, suddenly I awoke with a jerk;
the rays Of a red autumn sun were
streaming across me, and falling full
upon the face of Judith, who was lean
ing against the fireplace, looking at me-
At first, thought it was a specter of
my sleep. | could not believe my eyes;
but l was not long left in doubt as to
the reality of the vision. An ironcal
smile curled her lips at the sight of my
dismay.
"A visit from your wife is evidently an
uneXp ected pleasure" she said, hooking
ly.
bury my face in my hands and shudder
at her appearance.
els this my reward for all the tender
care that has been given you during
your illness?-for bringing you away
from those wretched lodgings, where
you might have died? Our married life
seems likely to be a bright one"
Would to heaven you had left me to
dier' cried. "You are no wife of
mine"
you will find it rather difficult to
prove that, or to shake me Off"
What pleasure can it be to you to
torture me in this manner?" l cried.
why not leave me to myself2'
Because l hate you. and because l
have motives of my own. 1t gives me