the secret places of the heart-第43章

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every　hand。　But　this　time　it　was　not　Sir　Richmond。　。　。　。　Who　was　it？　Surely　it　was　Everyman。　Everyman　had　to　travel　at　last　along　that　selfsame　road；　leaving　love；　leaving　every　task　and　every　desire。　But　was　it　Everyman？　。　。　。　A　great　fear　and　horror　came　upon　the　doctor。　That　little　figure　was　himself！　And　the　book　which　was　his　particular　task　in　life　was　still　undone。　He　himself　stood　in　his　turn　upon　that　lonely　path　with　the　engulfing　darknesses　about　him。　。　。　。　He　seemed　to　wrench　himself　awake。　He　lay　very　still　for　some　moments　and　then　he　sat　up　in　bed。　An　overwhelming　conviction　had　arisenin　his　mind　that　Sir　Richmond　was　dead。　He　felt　he　must　know　for　certain。　He　switched　on　his　electric　light；　mutely　interrogated　his　round　face　reflected　in　the　looking　glass；　got　out　of　bed；　shuffled　on　his　slippers　and　went　along　the　passage　to　the　telephone。　He　hesitated　for　some　seconds　and　then　lifted　the　receiver。　It　was　his　call　which　aroused　the　nurse　to　the　fact　of　Sir　Richmond's　death。　Section　6　Lady　Hardy　arrived　home　in　response　to　Dr。　Martineau's　telegram　late　on　the　following　evening。　He　was　with　her　next　morning；　comforting　and　sympathetic。　Her　big　blue　eyes；　bright　with　tears；　met　his　very　wistfully；　her　little　body　seemed　very　small　and　pathetic　in　its　simple　black　dress。　And　yet　there　was　a　sort　of　bravery　about　her。　When　he　came　into　the　drawing…room　she　was　in　one　of　the　window　recesses　talking　to　a　serious…looking　woman　of　the　dressmaker　type。　She　left　her　business　at　once　to　come　to　him。　〃Why　did　I　not　know　in　time？〃　she　cried。　〃No　one；　dear　lady；　had　any　idea　until　late　last　night；〃　he　said；　taking　both　her　hands　in　his　for　a　long　friendly　sympathetic　pressure。　〃I　might　have　known　that　if　it　had　been　possible　you　would　have　told　me；〃　she　said。　〃You　know；〃　she　added；　〃I　don't　believe　it　yet。　I　don't　realize　it。　I　go　about　these　formalities〃　〃I　think　I　can　understand　that。〃　〃He　was　always；　you　know；　not　quite　here　。　。　。　。　It　is　as　if　he　were　a　little　more　not　quite　here　。　。　。　。　I　can't　believe　it　is　over。　。　。　。　〃　She　asked　a　number　of　questions　and　took　the　doctor's　advice　upon　various　details　of　the　arrangements。　〃My　daughter　Helen　comes　home　to…morrow　afternoon；〃　she　explained。　〃She　is　in　Paris。　But　our　son　is　far；　far　away　in　the　Punjab。　I　have　sent　him　a　telegram。　。　。　。　It　is　so　kind　of　you　to　come　in　to　me。〃　Dr。　Martineau　went　more　than　half　way　to　meet　Lady　Hardy's　disposition　to　treat　him　as　a　friend　of　the　family。　He　had　conceived　a　curious；　half　maternal　affection　for　Sir　Richmond　that　had　survived　even　the　trying　incident　of　the　Salisbury　parting　and　revived　very　rapidly　during　the　last　few　weeks。　This　affection　extended　itself　now　to　Lady　Hardy。　Hers　was　a　type　that　had　always　appealed　to　him。　He　could　understand　so　well　the　perplexed　loyalty　with　which　she　was　now　setting　herself　to　gather　together　some　preservative　and　reassuring　evidences　of　this　man　who　had　always　been；　as　she　put　it；　〃never　quite　here。〃　It　was　as　if　she　felt　that　now　it　was　at　last　possible　to　make　a　definite　reality　of　him。　He　could　be　fixed。　And　as　he　was　fixed　he　would　stay。　Never　more　would　he　be　able　to　come　in　and　with　an　almost　expressionless　glance　wither　the　interpretation　she　had　imposed　upon　him。　She　was　finding　much　comfort　in　this　task　of　reconstruction。　She　had　gathered　together　in　the　drawingroom　every　presentable　portrait　she　had　been　able　to　find　of　him。　He　had　never；　she　said；　sat　to　a　painter；　but　there　was　an　early　pencil　sketch　done　within　a　couple　of　years　of　their　marriage；　there　was　a　number　of　photographs；　several　of　whichshe　wanted　the　doctor's　advice　upon　this　pointshe　thought　might　be　enlarged；　there　was　a　statuette　done　by　some　woman　artist　who　had　once　beguiled　him　into　a　sitting。　There　was　also　a　painting　she　had　had　worked　up　from　a　photograph　and　some　notes。　She　flitted　among　these　memorials；　going　from　one　to　the　other；　undecided　which　to　make　the　standard　portrait。　〃　That　painting；　I　think；　is　most　like；〃　she　said：　〃as　he　was　before　the　war。　But　the　war　and　the　Commission　changed　him；　worried　him　and　aged　him。　。　。　。　I　grudged　him　to　that　Commission。　He　let　it　worry　him　frightfully。〃　〃It　meant　very　much　to　him；〃　said　Dr。　Martineau。　〃It　meant　too　much　to　him。　But　of　course　his　ideas　were　splendid。　You　know　it　is　one　of　my　hopes　to　get　some　sort　of　book　done；　explaining　his　ideas。　He　would　never　write。　He　despised　itunreasonably。　A　real　thing　done；　he　said；　was　better　than　a　thousand　books。　Nobody　read　books；　he　said；　but　women；　parsons　and　idle　people。　But　there　must　be　books。　And　I　want　one。　Something　a　little　more　real　than　the　ordinary　official　biography。　。　。　。　I　have　thought　of　young　Leighton；　the　secretary　of　the　Commission。　He　seems　thoroughly　intelligent　and　sympathetic　and　really　anxious　to　reconcile　Richmond's　views　with　those　of　the　big　business　men　on　the　Committee。　He　might　do。　。　。　。　Or　perhaps　I　might　be　able　to　persuade　two　or　three　people　to　write　down　their　impressions　of　him。　A　sort　of　memorial　volume。　。　。　。　But　he　was　shy　of　friends。　There　was　no　man　he　talked　to　very　intimately　about　his　ideas　unless　it　was　to　you　。　。　。　I　wish　I　had　the　writer's　gift；　doctor。〃　Section　7　It　was　on　the　second　afternoon　that　Lady　Hardy　summoned　Dr。　Martineau　by　telephone。　〃Something　rather　disagreeable；〃　she　said。　〃If　you　could　spare　the　time。　If　you　could　come　round。　〃It　is　frightfully　distressing；〃　she　said　when　he　got　round　to　her；　and　for　a　time　she　could　tell　him　nothing　more。　She　was　having　tea　and　she　gave　him　some。　She　fussed　about　with　cream　and　cakes　and　biscuits。　He　noted　a　crumpled　letter　thrust　under　the　edge　of　the　silver　tray。　〃He　talked；　I　know；　very　intimately　with　you；〃　she　said；　coming　to　it　at　last。　〃He　probably　went　into　things　with　you　that　he　never　talked　about　with　anyone　else。　Usually　he　was　very　reserved；　Even　with　me　there　were　things　about　which　he　said　nothing。〃　〃We　did；〃　said　Dr。　Martineau　with　discretion；　〃deal　a　little　with　his　private　life。　〃There　was　someone〃　Dr。　Martineau　nodded　and　then；　not　to　be　too　portentous；　took　and　bit　a　biscuit。　〃Did　he　by　any　chance　ever　mention　someone　called　Martin　Leeds？〃　Dr。　Martineau　seemed　to　reflect。　Then　realizing　that　this　was　a　mistake；　he　said：　〃He　told　me　the　essential　facts。〃　The　poor　lady　breathed　a　sigh　of　relief。　〃I'm　glad；〃　she　said　simply。　She　repeated；　〃Yes；　I'm　glad。　It　makes　things　easier　now。〃　Dr。　Martineau　looked　his　enquiry。　〃She　wants　to　come　and　see　him。〃　〃Here？〃　〃Here！　And　Helen　here！　And　the　servants　noticing　everything！　I've　never　met　her。　Never　set　eyes　on　her。　For　all　I　know　she　may　want　to　make　a　scene。〃　There　was　infinite　dismay　in　her　voice。　Dr。　Martineau　was　grave。　〃You　would　rather　not　receive　her？〃　〃I　don't　want　to　refuse　her。　I　don't　want　even　to　seem　heartless。　I　understand；　of　course；　she　has　a　sort　of　claim。　〃　She　sobbed　her　reluctant　admission。　〃I　know　it。　I　know。　。　。　。　There　was　much　between　them。〃　Dr。　Martineau　pressed　the　limp　hand　upon　the　little　tea　table。　〃I　understand；　dear　lady；〃　he　said。　〃I　understand。　Now　。　。　。　suppose　_I_　were　to　write　to　her　and　arrangeI　do　not　see　that　you　need　be　put　to　the　pain　of　meeting　her。　Suppose　I　were　to　meet　her　here　myself？　〃If　you　COULD！〃　The　doctor　was　quite　prepared　to　save　the　lady　any　further　distresses；　no　matter　at　what　trouble　to　himself。　〃You　are　so　good　to　me；〃　she　said；　letting　the　tears　have　their　way　with　her。　〃I　am　silly　to　cry；〃　she　said；　dabbing　her　eyes。　〃We　will　get　it　over　to…morrow；〃　he　reassured　her。　〃You　need　not　think　of　it　again。〃　He　took　over　Martin's　brief　note　to　Lady　Hardy　and　set　to　work　by　telegram　to　arrange　for　her　visit。　She　was　in　London　at　her　Chelsea　flat　and　easily　accessible。　She　was　to　come　to　the　house　at　mid…day　on　the　morrow；　and　to　ask　not　for　Lady　Hardy　but　for　him。　He　would　stay　by　her　while　she　was　in　the　house；　and　it　would　be　quite　easy　for　Lady　Hardy　to　keep　herself　and　her　daughter　out　of　the　way。　They　could；　for　example；　go　out　quietly　to　the　dressmakers　in　the　closed　car；　for　many　little　things　about　the　mourning　still　remained　to　be　seen　to。　Section　8　Miss　Martin　Leeds　arrived　punctually；　but　the　doctor　was　well　ahead　of　his　time　and　ready　to　receive　her。　She　was　ushered　into　the　drawing　room　where　he　awaited　h