CHAPTER XXVII
THE EYES GARTH TRUSTED
"So you enjoy motoring, Miss Gray?"
They had been out in the motor together for the first time, and werenow having tea together in the library, also for the first time; and,for the first time, Nurse Rosemary was pouring out for her patient.This was only Monday afternoon, and already her week-end experience hadwon for her many new privileges.
"Yes, I like it, Mr. Dalmain; particularly in this beautiful air."
"Have you had a case before in a house where they kept a motor?"
Nurse Rosemary hesitated. "Yes, I have stayed in houses where they hadmotors, and I have been in Dr. Brand's. He met me at Charing Cross oncewith his electric brougham."
"Ah, I know," said Garth. "Very neat. On your way to a case, orreturning from a case?"
Nurse Rosemary smiled, then bit her lip. "To a case," she replied quitegravely. "I was on my way to his house to talk it over and receiveinstructions."
"It must be splendid working under such a fellow as Brand," said Garth;"and yet I am certain most of the best things you do are quite your ownidea. For instance, he did not suggest your week-end plan, did he? Ithought not. Ah, the difference it has made! Now tell me. When we weremotoring we never slowed up suddenly to pass anything, or tooted tomake something move out of the way, without your having already told mewhat we were going to pass or what was in the road a little way ahead.It was: 'We shall be passing a hay cart at the next bend; there will bejust room, but we shall have to slow up'; or, 'An old red cow is in thevery middle of the road a little way on. I think she will move if wehoot.' Then, when the sudden slow down and swerve came, or the toottoot of the horn, I knew all about it and was not taken unawares. Didyou know how trying it is in blindness to be speeding along andsuddenly alter pace without having any idea why, or swerve to one side,and not know what one has just been avoiding? This afternoon our spinwas pure pleasure, because not once did you let these things happen. Iknew all that was taking place, as soon as I should have known it had Ihad my sight."
Jane pressed her hand over her bosom. Ah, how able she was always tofill her boy's life with pure pleasure. How little of the needlesssuffering of the blind should ever be his if she won the right to bebeside him always.
"Well, Mr. Dalmain," said Nurse Rosemary, "I motored to the stationwith Sir Deryck yesterday afternoon, and I noticed all you describe. Ihave never before felt nervous in a motor, but I realised yesterday howlargely that is owing to the fact that all the time one keeps anunconscious look-out; measuring distances, judging speed, and knowingwhat each turn of the handle means. So when we go out you must let mebe eyes to you in this."
"How good you are!" said Garth, gratefully. "And did you see Sir Deryckoff?"
"No. I did not SEE Sir Deryck at all. But he said good-bye, and I feltthe kind, strong grip of his hand as he left me in the car. And I satthere and heard his train start and rush away into the distance."
"Was it not hard to you to let him come and go and not to see his face?"
Jane smiled. "Yes, it was hard," said Nurse Rosemary; "but I wished toexperience that hardness."
"It gives one an awful blank feeling, doesn't it?" said Garth.
"Yes. It almost makes one wish the friend had not come."
"Ah--" There was a depth of contented comprehension in Garth's sigh;and the brave heart, which had refused to lift the bandage to the verylast, felt more than recompensed.
"Next time I reach the Gulf of Partings in Sightless Land," continuedGarth, "I shall say: 'A dear friend has stood here for my sake.'"
"Oh, and one's meals," said Nurse Rosemary laughing. "Are they notgrotesquely trying?"
"Yes, of course; I had forgotten you would understand all that now. Inever could explain to you before why I must have my meals alone. Youknow the hunt and chase?"
"Yes," said Nurse Rosemary, "and it usually resolves itself into 'goneaway,' and turns up afterwards unexpectedly! But, Mr. Dalmain, I havethought out several ways of helping so much in that and making it allquite easy. If you will consent to have your meals with me at a smalltable, you will see how smoothly all will work. And later on, if I amstill here, when you begin to have visitors, you must let me sit atyour left, and all my little ways of helping would be so unobtrusive,that no one would notice."
"Oh, thanks," said Garth. "I am immensely grateful. I have often beenreminded of a silly game we used to play at Overdene, at dessert, whenwe were a specially gay party. Do you know the old Duchess of Meldrum?Or anyway, you may have heard of her? Ah, yes, of course, Sir Deryckknows her. She called him in once to her macaw. She did not mention themacaw on the telephone, and Sir Deryck, thinking he was wanted for theduchess, threw up an important engagement and went immediately. Luckilyshe was at her town house. She would have sent just the same had shebeen at Overdene. I wish you knew Overdene. The duchess gives perfectlydelightful 'best parties,' in which all the people who really enjoymeeting one another find themselves together, and are well fed and wellhoused and well mounted, and do exactly as they like; while the dearold duchess tramps in and out, with her queer beasts and birds,shedding a kindly and exciting influence wherever she goes. Last time Iwas there she used to let out six Egyptian jerboas in the drawing-roomevery evening after dinner, awfully jolly little beggars, likeminiature kangaroos. They used to go skipping about on their hind legs,frightening some of the women into fits by hiding under their gowns,and making young footmen drop trays of coffee cups. The lastimportation is a toucan,--a South American bird, with a beak like abanana, and a voice like an old sheep in despair. But Tommy, thescarlet macaw, remains prime favourite, and I must say he is clever andknows more than you would think."
"Well, at Overdene we used to play a silly game at dessert withmuscatels. We each put five raisins at intervals round our plates, thenwe shut our eyes and made jabs at them with forks. Whoever succeededfirst in spiking and eating all five was the winner. The duchess neverwould play. She enjoyed being umpire, and screaming at the people whopeeped. Miss Champion and I--she is the duchess's niece, youknow--always played fair, and we nearly always made a dead heat of it."
"Yes," said Nurse Rosemary, "I know that game. I thought of it at oncewhen I had my blindfold meals."
"Ah," cried Garth, "had I known, I would not have let you do it!"
"I knew that," said Nurse Rosemary. "That was why I week-ended."
Garth passed his cup to be refilled, and leaned forward confidentially.
"Now," he said, "I can venture to tell you one of my minor trials. I amalways so awfully afraid of there being a FLY in things. Ever since Iwas a small boy I have had such a horror of inadvertently eating flies.When I was about six, I heard a lady visitor say to my mother: 'Oh, oneHAS to swallow a fly--about once a year! I have just swallowed mine, onthe way here!' This terrible idea of an annual fly took possession ofmy small mind. I used to be thankful when it happened, and I got itover. I remember quickly finishing a bit of bread in which I had seensigns of legs and wings, feeling it was an easy way of taking it and Ishould thus be exempt for twelve glad months; but I had to run up anddown the terrace with clenched hands while I swallowed it. And when Idiscovered the fallacy of the annual fly, I was just as particular inmy dread of an accidental one. I don't believe I ever sat down tosardines on toast at a restaurant without looking under the toast formy bugbear, though as I lifted it I felt rather like the old woman whoalways looks under the bed for a burglar. Ah, but since the accidentthis foolishly small thing HAS made me suffer! I cannot say: 'Simpson,are you sure there is not a fly in this soup?' Simpson would say:'No--sir; no fly--sir,' and would cough behind his hand, and I couldnever ask him again."
Nurse Rosemary leaned forward and placed his cup where he could reachit easily, just touching his right hand with the edge of the saucer."Have all your meals with me," she said, in a tone of such completeunderstanding, that it was almost a caress; "and I can promise thereshall never be any flies in anything. Could you not trust my eyes forthis?"
Nurse Rosemary glanced out of the window and looked at her watch. "Weordered tea early," she said, "because we came in from our drive quitehungry. It is not five o'clock yet, and a radiant afternoon. The sunsets at half-past seven."
"Then the light is good," said Garth. "Have you finished tea? The sunwill be shining in at the west window of the studio. You know my studioat the top of the house? You fetched the studies of Lady Brand fromthere. I dare say you noticed stacks of canvases in the corners. Someare unused; some contain mere sketches or studies; some are finishedpictures. Miss Gray, among the latter are two which I am most anxiousto identify and to destroy. I made Simpson guide me up the other dayand leave me there alone. And I tried to find them by touch; but Icould not be sure, and I soon grew hopelessly confused amongst all thecanvases. I did not wish to ask Simpson's help, because the subjects,are--well, somewhat unusual, and if he found out I had destroyed themit might set him wondering and talking, and one hates to awakencuriosity in a servant. I could not fall back on Sir Deryck because hewould have recognised the portraits. The principal figure is known tohim. When I painted those pictures I never dreamed of any eye but myown seeing them. So you, my dear and trusted secretary, are the oneperson to whom I can turn. Will you do what I ask? And will you do itnow?"
Nurse Rosemary pushed back her chair. "Why of course, Mr. Dalmain. I amhere to do anything and everything you may desire; and to do it whenyou desire it."
Garth took a key from his waistcoat pocket, and laid it on the table."There is the studio latch-key. I think the canvases I want are in thecorner furthest from the door, behind a yellow Japanese screen. Theyare large--five feet by three and a half. If they are too cumbersomefor you to bring down, lay them face to face, and ring for Simpson. Butdo not leave him alone with them."
Nurse Rosemary picked up the key, rose, and went over to the piano,which she opened. Then she tightened the purple cord, which guidedGarth from his chair to the instrument.
"Sit and play," she said, "while I am upstairs, doing your commission.But just tell me one thing. You know how greatly your work interestsme. When I find the pictures, is it your wish that I give them a merecursory glance, just sufficient for identification; or may I look atthem, in the beautiful studio light? You can trust me to do whicheveryou desire."
The artist in Garth could not resist the wish to have his work seen andappreciated. "You may look at them of course, if you wish," he sail."They are quite the best work I ever did, though I painted them whollyfrom memory. That is--I mean, that used to be--a knack of mine. Andthey are in no sense imaginary. I painted exactly what I saw--at least,so far as the female face and figure are concerned. And they make thepictures. The others are mere accessories." He stood up, and went tothe piano. His fingers began to stray softly amongst the harmonies ofthe Veni.
Nurse Rosemary moved towards the door. "How shall I know them?" sheasked, and waited.
The chords of the Veni hushed to a murmur, Garth's voice from the pianocame clear and distinct, but blending with the harmonies as if he werereciting to music.
"A woman and a man ... alone, in a garden--but the surroundings areonly indicated. She is in evening dress; soft, black, and trailing;with lace at her breast. It is called: 'The Wife.'"
"Yes?"
"The same woman; the same scene; but without the man, this time. Noneed to paint the man; for now--visible or invisible--to her, he isalways there. In her arms she holds"--the low murmur of chords ceased;there was perfect silence in the room-"a little child. It is called:'The Mother.'"
The Veni burst forth in an unrestrained upbearing of confident petition:
"Keep far our foes; give peace at home"--and the door closed behindNurse Rosemary.
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