the secret places of the heart-第41章

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g　of　the　circumstances　of　their　parting　or　if　she　did　she　did　not　betray　her　knowledge。　〃That　holiday　did　him　a　world　of　good；〃　she　said。　〃He　came　back　to　his　work　like　a　giant。　I　feel　very　grateful　to　you。〃　Dr。　Martineau　said　it　was　a　pleasure　to　have　helped　Sir　Richmond's　work　in　any　way。　He　believed　in　him　thoroughly。　Sir　Richmond　was　inspired　by　great　modern　creative　ideas。　〃Forgive　me　if　I　keep　you　talking　about　him；〃　said　Lady　Hardy。　〃I　wish　I　could　feel　as　sure　that　I　had　been　of　use　to　him。〃　Dr。　Martineau　insisted。　〃I　know　very　well　that　you　are。〃　〃I　do　what　I　can　to　help　him　carry　his　enormous　burthen　of　toil〃　she　said。　〃I　try　to　smooth　his　path。　But　he　is　a　strange　silent　creature　at　times。　〃　Her　eyes　scrutinized　the　doctor's　face。　It　was　not　the　doctor's　business　to　supplement　Sir　Richmond's　silences。　Yet　he　wished　to　meet　the　requirements　of　this　lady　if　he　could。　〃He　is　one　of　those　men；〃　he　said；　〃who　are　driven　by　forces　they　do　not　fully　understand。　A　man　of　genius。〃　〃Yes；〃　she　said　in　an　undertone　of　intimacy。　Genius。　。　。　。　A　great　irresponsible　genius。　。　。　。　Difficult　to　help。　。　。　。　I　wish　I　could　do　more　for　him。〃　A　very　sweet　and　charming　lady。　It　was　with　great　regret　that　the　doctor　found　the　time　had　come　to　turn　to　his　left…hand　neighbour。　Section　2　It　was　with　some　surprise　that　Dr。　Martineau　received　a　fresh　appeal　for　aid　from　Sir　Richmond。　It　was　late　in　October　and　Sir　Richmond　was　already　seriously　ill。　But　he　was　still　going　about　his　business　as　though　he　was　perfectly　well。　He　had　not　mistaken　his　man。　Dr。　Martineau　received　him　as　though　there　had　never　been　a　shadow　of　offence　between　them。　He　came　straight　to　the　point。　〃Martineau；〃　he　said；　〃I　must　have　those　drugs　I　asked　you　for　when　first　I　came　to　you　now。　I　must　be　bolstered　up。　I　can't　last　out　unless　I　am。　I'm　at　the　end　of　my　energy。　I　come　to　you　because　you　will　understand。　The　Commission　can't　go　on　now　for　more　than　another　three　weeks。　Whatever　happens　afterwards　I　must　keep　going　until　then。〃　The　doctor　did　understand。　He　made　no　vain　objections。　He　did　what　he　could　to　patch　up　his　friend　for　his　last　struggles　with　the　opposition　in　the　Committee。　〃Pro　forma；〃　he　said；　stethoscope　in　hand；　〃I　must　order　you　to　bed。　You　won't　go。　But　I　order　you。　You　must　know　that　what　you　are　doing　is　risking　your　life。　Your　lungs　are　congested；　the　bronchial　tubes　already。　That　may　spread　at　any　time。　If　this　open　weather　lasts　you　may　go　about　and　still　pull　through。　But　at　any　time　this　may　pass　into　pneumonia。　And　there's　not　much　in　you　just　now　to　stand　up　against　pneumonia。　。　。　。〃　〃I'll　take　all　reasonable　care。〃　〃Is　your　wife　at　home！〃　〃She　is　in　Wales　with　her　people。　But　the　household　is　well　trained。　I　can　manage。〃　〃Go　in　a　closed　car　from　door　to　door。　Wrap　up　like　a　mummy。　I　wish　the　Committee　room　wasn't　down　those　abominable　House　of　Commons　corridors。　。　。　。〃　They　parted　with　an　affectionate　handshake。　Section　3　Death　approved　of　Sir　Richmond's　determination　to　see　the　Committee　through。　Our　universal　creditor　gave　this　particular　debtor　grace　to　the　very　last　meeting。　Then　he　brushed　a　gust　of　chilly　rain　across　the　face　of　Sir　Richmond　as　he　stood　waiting　for　his　car　outside　the　strangers'　entrance　to　the　House。　For　a　couple　of　days　Sir　Richmond　felt　almost　intolerably　tired；　but　scarcely　noted　the　changed　timbre　of　the　wheezy　notes　in　his　throat。　He　rose　later　each　day　and　with　ebbing　vigour；　jotted　down　notes　and　corrections　upon　the　proofs　of　the　Minority　Report。　He　found　it　increasingly　difficult　to　make　decisions；　he　would　correct　and　alter　back　and　then　repeat　the　correction；　perhaps　half　a　dozen　times。　On　the　evening　of　the　second　day　his　lungs　became　painful　and　his　breathing　difficult。　His　head　ached　and　a　sense　of　some　great　impending　evil　came　upon　him。　His　skin　was　suddenly　a　detestable　garment　to　wear。　He　took　his　temperature　with　a　little　clinical　thermometer　he　kept　by　him　and　found　it　was　a　hundred　and　one。　He　telephoned　hastily　for　Dr。　Martineau　and　without　waiting　for　his　arrival　took　a　hot　bath　and　got　into　bed。　He　was　already　thoroughly　ill　when　the　doctor　arrived。　〃Forgive　my　sending　for　you；〃　he　said。　〃Not　your　line。　I　know。　。　。　。　My　wife's　G。P。an　exasperating　sort　of　ass。　Can't　stand　him。　No　one　else。〃　He　was　lying　on　a　narrow　little　bed　with　a　hard　pillow　that　the　doctor　replaced　by　one　from　Lady　Hardy's　room。　He　had　twisted　the　bed…clothes　into　a　hopeless　muddle；　the　sheet　was　on　the　floor。　Sir　Richmond's　bedroom　was　a　large　apartment　in　which　sleep　seemed　to　have　been　an　admitted　necessity　rather　than　a　principal　purpose。　On　one　hand　it　opened　into　a　business…like　dressing　and　bath　room；　on　the　other　into　the　day　study。　It　bore　witness　to　the　nocturnal　habits　of　a　man　who　had　long　lived　a　life　of　irregular　impulses　to　activity　and　dislocated　hours　and　habits。　There　was　a　desk　and　reading　lamp　for　night　work　near　the　fireplace；　an　electric　kettle　for　making　tea　at　night；　a　silver　biscuit　tin；　all　the　apparatus　for　the　lonely　intent　industry　of　the　small　hours。　There　was　a　bookcase　of　bluebooks；　books　of　reference　and　suchlike　material；　and　some　files。　Over　the　mantelpiece　was　an　enlarged　photograph　of　Lady　Hardy　and　a　plain　office　calendar。　The　desk　was　littered　with　the　galley　proofs　of　the　Minority　Report　upon　which　Sir　Richmond　had　been　working　up　to　the　moment　of　his　hasty　retreat　to　bed。　And　lying　among　the　proofs；　as　though　it　had　been　taken　out　and　looked　at　quite　recently　was　the　photograph　of　a　girl。　For　a　moment　Dr。　Martineau's　mind　hung　in　doubt　and　then　he　knew　it　for　the　young　American　of　Stonehenge。　How　that　affair　had　ended　he　did　not　know。　And　now　it　was　not　his　business　to　know。　These　various　observations　printed　themselves　on　Dr。　Martineau's　mind　after　his　first　cursory　examination　of　his　patient　and　while　he　cast　about　for　anything　that　would　give　this　large　industrious　apartment　a　little　more　of　the　restfulness　and　comfort　of　a　sick　room。　〃I　must　get　in　a　night　nurse　at　once；〃　he　said。　〃We　must　find　a　small　table　somewhere　to　put　near　the　bed。　〃I　am　afraid　you　are　very　ill；〃　he　said；　returning　to　the　bedside。　〃This　is　not；　as　you　say；　my　sort　of　work。　Will　you　let　me　call　in　another　man；　a　man　we　can　trust　thoroughly；　to　consult？〃　〃I'm　in　your　hands；　said　Sir　Richmond。　I　want　to　pull　through。〃　〃He　will　know　better　where　to　get　the　right　sort　of　nurse　for　the　caseand　everything。〃　The　second　doctor　presently　came；　with　the　right　sort　of　nurse　hard　on　his　heels。　Sir　Richmond　submitted　almost　silently　to　his　expert　handling　and　was　sounded　and　looked　to　and　listened　at。　〃H'm；〃　said　the　second　doctor；　and　then　encouragingly　to　Sir　Richmond：　〃We've　got　to　take　care　of　you。　〃There's　a　lot　about　this　I　don't　like；〃　said　the　second　doctor　and　drew　Dr。　Martineau　by　the　arm　towards　the　study。　For　a　moment　or　so　Sir　Richmond　listened　to　the　low　murmur　of　their　voices；　but　he　did　not　feel　very　deeply　interested　in　what　they　were　saying。　He　began　to　think　what　a　decent　chap　Dr。　Martineau　was；　how　helpful　and　fine　and　forgiving　his　professional　training　had　made　him；　how　completely　he　had　ignored　the　smothered　incivilities　of　their　parting　at　Salisbury。　All　men　ought　to　have　some　such　training；　Not　a　bad　idea　to　put　every　boy　and　girl　through　a　year　or　so　of　hospital　service。　。　。　。　Sir　Richmond　must　have　dozed；　for　his　next　perception　was　of　Dr。　Martineau　standing　over　him　and　saying　〃I　am　afraid；　my　dear　Hardy；　that　you　are　very　ill　indeed。　Much　more　so　than　I　thought　you　were　at　first。〃　Sir　Richmond's　raised　eyebrows　conveyed　that　he　accepted　this　fact。　〃I　think　Lady　Hardy　ought　to　be　sent　for。〃　Sir　Richmond　shook　his　head　with　unexpected　vigour。　〃Don't　want　her　about；〃　he　said；　and　after　a　pause；　〃Don't　want　anybody　about。〃　〃But　if　anything　happens…？〃　〃Send　then。〃　An　expression　of　obstinate　calm　overspread　Sir　Richmond's　face。　He　seemed　to　regard　the　matter　as　settled。　He　closed　his　eyes。　For　a　time　Dr。　Martineau　desisted。　He　went　to　the　window　and　turned　to　look　again　at　the　impassive　figure　on　the　bed。　Did　Sir　Richmond　fully　understand？　He　made　a　step　towards　his　patient　and　hesitated。　Then　he　brought　a　chair　and　sat　down　at　the　bedside。　Sir　Richmond　opened　his　eyes　and　regarded　him　with　a　slight