Quietlyherepeatedthelastphrase。”’ButheisgettingwellfastandwillsoonbereadytotakeupthemanagementoftheWorkswhichwasgivenhimjustbeforehewastakenill。’ThatwillshowherthatIamworkingup，”hebrightlyremarkedasDoriscarefullypennedthelastword。”Ofmyselfyouneedsaynothingmore，unless-”hepausedandhisfacetookonawistfullookwhichDorisdarednotmeet；”unless-butno，no，shemustthinkithasbeenonlyapassingindisposition。IfsheknewIhadbeenreallyill，shewouldsuffer，andperhapsactimprudentlyorsufferandnotdaretoactatall，whichmightbesadderforherstill。Leaveitwhereitisandbeginaboutyourself。Writeagooddealaboutyourself，sothatshewillseethatyouarenotworriedandthatalliswellwithushere。Cannotyoudothatwithoutassistance?Surelyyoucantellheraboutthatlastpieceofembroideryyoushowedme。Shewillbegladtohear-why，Doris！””Oh，Mr。Brotherson，”thepoorchildburstout，”youmustletmecry！I’msogladtoseeyoubetterandinterestedinallsortsofthings。Thesearenottearsofgrief。I-I-butI’mforgettingwhatthedoctortoldme。Youaregrowingexcited，andIwastoseethatyouwerecalm，alwayscalm。Iwilltakemydeskaway。Iwillwritetherestintheotherroom，whileyoulookatthemagazines。””Butbringyourletterbackformetoseal。Iwanttoseeitinitsenvelope。Oh，Doris，youareagoodlittlegirl！”

　　Sheshookherhead，andhastenedtohideherselffromhimintheotherroom；anditwasalongtimebeforeshecamebackwiththeletterfoldedandinitsenvelope。Whenshedid，herfacewascomposedandhermannernatural。Shehadquitemadeuphermindwhatherdutywasandhowshewasgoingtoperformit。”Hereistheletter，”saidshe，layingitinhisoutstretchedhand。

　　Thensheturnedherback。Sheknew，withawoman’sunerringinstinctwhyhewishedtohandleitbeforeitwent。Shefeltthatkisshefoldedawayinit，ineveryfibreofherarousedandsympatheticheart，butthehardestpartoftheordealwasoverandhereyesbeamedsoftlywhensheturnedagaintotakeitfromhishandandaffixthestamp。”Youwillmailityourself?”heasked。”Ishouldliketohaveyouputitintotheboxwithyourownhand。””Iwillputitinto-night，aftersupper，”shepromisedhim。

　　Hissmileofcontentmentassuredherthatthistrialofhercourageandself-controlwasnotwithoutoneblessedresult。Hewouldrestforseveraldaysinthepleasureofwhathehaddoneorthoughthehaddone。SheneednotcringebeforethatimageofDreadfortwo，threedaysatleast。Meanwhile，hewouldgrowstronginbody，andshe，perhaps，inspirit。Onlyoneprecautionshemusttake。NohintofMr。Challoner’spresenceintownmustreachhim。Hemustbeguardedfromaknowledgeofthatfactascertainlyasfromthemoreseriousonewhichlaybehindit。

　　XXVIII

......

购买会员看全站小说，或者下载APP免费观看所有作品 点击立即下载，搜索"Initials Only",免费读到尾