Yet there were a hundred reasons against her
taking his advice. What would the others say? What of all the
arrangements ... the expectation...?
"I don't see how it's possible now," she began. "I think I know what
you mean. But--"
"Indeed, I trust you have no idea," cried the old gentleman, with a
queer little falsetto note coming into his voice--"no idea at all. I
come to you merely on the plea of nervous excitement; it is injuring
his health, Lady Laura."
She looked at him curiously.
"But--" she began.
"Oh, I will go further," he said. "Have you never heard of--of
insanity in connection with all this? We will call it insanity, if you
wish."
For a moment her heart stood still. The word had a sinister sound, in
view of an incident she had once witnessed; but it seemed to her that
some meaning behind, unknown to her, was still more sinister. Why had
he said that it might be "called insanity" only...?
"Yes.... I--I have once seen a case," she stammered.
"Well," said the old gentleman, "is it not enough when I tell you that
I--I who was a spiritualist for ten years--have never seen a more
dangerous subject than Mr. Baxter? Is the risk worth it...? Lady
Laura, do you quite understand what you are doing?"
He leaned forward a little; and again she felt anxiety, sickening and
horrible, surge within her.
Pages:
237
238
239
240
241
242
243
244
245
246
247
248
249
250
251
252
253
254
255
256
257
258
259
260
261