"Well, take him out of my sight. His footstep is like a knife in my side. I could shriek even to hear his voice. Oh, doctor! doctor!"--her own voice sank to a moan--"if I could tell you--oh, if I could only tell you!--how I have always hated the boy. Take him back--the gutter brat--take him back to that creature, his mother. He is worthy of her."
Sir Robert sat down again and took her hand in his. "Dear lady"--his voice was soft and soothing, and yet commanding; his hand was large and comforting, yet strong; his eyes were kindly, yet masterful--"your position is very trying. You want rest. In an hour or two, I hope, we shall settle this business. Then you will be easy in your mind again. Come. I shall send you news that will be worth the whole pharmacopoeia, if I know the heart of woman."
She burst again into sobs and tears. "Oh, if you knew--if you knew!"
"Yes, I know. Now I am going. You will be better when I am gone. Once there were two mothers," he murmured, "in the parable." He looked down upon her bowed head. "One thought of herself--the other---- I go to see the other."
"Sir Robert? Been to see my mother? She's not ill, I hope?"
"Best not go to her just now. She is a little troubled about herself."
"Nothing serious, I hope?" He spoke with the cold show of interest in which one might speak of a servant.
"Anything may become serious; but we will hope that in this case----"
"Come into my room for a moment, if you can spare the time." He led the way to his study. "I want to ask you about a man I met at your house--that fellow with the money, who says he was a gardener once, and looks it still."
"He's been here. He called here the other day. Sat half an hour--said he wasn't used to my kind of conversation."
"I dare say not. But as we don't regulate our discourse by the acquirements of gardeners, it doesn't matter. However, I asked him what he came for, and hinted that I wasn't going to take any shares, if that was what he wanted. Then he began to talk conundrums."
"Told me nothing. Hinted that there was a lot that I ought to know."
"He didn't give you any hint of what that was?"
"No. Why? I thought that you, who know everything, might know what he meant."
"My young friend, I learn a good deal about the private affairs of many people. They remain private affairs."
