“I believe it is true,” he said to himself. He rose softly, left the room, and returned with his stethoscope. Clara’s dress was partly open at the thin neck. With the delicate hand of the practised surgeon, he was able to apply the stethoscope to her chest without rousing her. He listened attentively, not making a thorough examination of her lungs, but one sufficient for his purpose.
“It is too true,” he muttered. He let the lace fall back over her heaving chest, and looked at her again. The woman stirred in her sleep. Her long training as a nurse had accustomed her to wake up bright and alert. Tarbot put the stethoscope in his pocket. Clara opened her eyes and started upright.
“I am very sorry I slept,” she said. “Have you been long here? Shall I ring for coffee—the servants have not yet gone to bed?”
“No, thanks. I want to talk to you, Clara. Are you wide awake? Can you attend to me?”
“Certainly. I am very wide awake. I have had my little nap. I do not need more sleep to-night—that is, if you really wish to speak to me.”
“I want to say something, but I shall not keep you long.”
“Have you been in the room many minutes?”
“You were seated here close to me, looking at me?”
“Aye, I looked at you. By the way, Clara, I wish you would not wear those diamonds every night.”
“I do. It is bad form. You are not going out anywhere. Only a _parvenu_ would load herself with jewels in the way you do. You coughed, too, in your sleep, and when you did I noticed the diamonds. Do you ever feel ill, or tired, or weary?”
“Of late I have done so from time to time.”
“I thought as much. I must send you to a warmer climate, but we will talk of that later on. You cannot leave England at present. You are useful to me.”
“I know that, Luke. I am glad to be useful to you.”
“Then take care of yourself, and don’t go out too much at night. By the way, does that cough hurt?”
“I will only tell you that you ought to be careful. A cough is a thing no one should trifle with. Your mother is alive, I think I heard you say?”
“Consumption. ‘Galloping consumption’ they called it down in Cornwall.”
Clara’s eyes began to dilate with a sort of terror. Tarbot looked away from her.
“We won’t talk any more of your health now,” he said after a pause. “We will get to business.”