When I re-entered the little sitting-room which I shared with Arthur, he was standing with his back to me, looking out of the open window, and evidently had not heard me enter. A cup of tea, apparently just tasted and pushed aside, stood on the table, on the opposite side of which was a letter, just begun, with the pen lying across it: an open book lay on the sofa: the London paper occupied the easy chair; and on the little table, which stood by it, I noticed an unlighted cigar and an open box of cigar-lights: all things betokened that the Doctor, usually so methodical and so self-contained, had been trying every form of occupation, and could settle to none!
“This is very unlike _you_, Doctor!” I was beginning, but checked myself, as he turned at the sound of my voice, in sheer amazement at the wonderful change that had taken place in his appearance. Never had I seen a face so radiant with happiness, or eyes that sparkled with such unearthly light! “Even thus,” I thought, “must the herald-angel have looked, who brought to the shepherds, watching over their flocks by night, that sweet message of ‘_peace on earth, good-will to men_’!”
“Yes, dear friend!” he said, as if in answer to the question that I suppose he read in my face. “It is true! It is true!”
No need to ask _what_ was true. “God bless you both!” I said, as I felt the happy tears brimming to my eyes. “You were made for each other!”
“Yes,” he said, simply, “I believe we were. And _what_ a change it makes in one’s Life! This isn’t the same world! That isn’t the sky I saw yesterday! Those clouds—I never saw such clouds in all my life before! They look like troops of hovering angels!”
To _me_ they looked very ordinary clouds indeed: but then _I_ had not fed ‘_on honey-dew, And drunk the milk of Paradise_’!
“She wants to see you—at once,” he continued, descending suddenly to the things of earth. “She says _that_ is the _one_ drop yet wanting in her cup of happiness!”
“I’ll go at once,” I said, as I turned to leave the room. “Wo’n’t you come with me?”
“No, Sir!” said the Doctor, with a sudden effort—which proved an utter failure—to resume his professional manner. “Do I _look_ like coming with you? Have you never heard that two is company, and——”