of course they did
not dare let her into Dal's room; so her ministry of consolation
appears to have consisted in letting Dal's old housekeeper weep on her
beautiful shoulder. It was somewhat of a comedy, hearing about it, when
one happened to know them all, better than they knew each other. But to
return to practical details. He has had a fully trained male nurse and
his own valet to wait on him. He absolutely refused one of our London
hospital nurses, who might have brought a little gentle comfort and
womanly sympathy to his sick-room. He said he could not stand being
touched by a woman; so there it remained. A competent man was found
instead. But we can now dispense with him, and I have insisted upon
sending up a lady nurse of my own choosing; not so much to wait on him,
or do any of a sick-nurse's ordinary duties--his own man can do these,
and he seems a capable fellow--but to sit with him, read to him, attend
to his correspondence,--there are piles of unopened letters he ought to
hear,--in fact help him to take up life again in his blindness. It will
need training; it will require tact; and this afternoon I engaged
exactly the right person. She is a gentlewoman by birth, has nursed for
me before, and is well up in the special knowledge of mental things
which this case requires. Also she is a pretty, dainty little thing;
just the kind of elegant young woman poor Dal would have liked to have
about him when he could see. He was such a fastidious chap about
appearances, and such a connoisseur of good looks. I have written a
descriptive account of her to Dr. Mackenzie, and he will prepare his
patient for her arrival. She is to go up the day after to-morrow. We
are lucky to get her, for she is quite first-rate, and she has only
just finished with a long consumptive case, now on the mend and ordered
abroad. So you see, Jeanette, all is shaping well.--And now, my dear
girl, you have a story of your own to tell me, and my whole attention
shall be at your disposal. But first of all I am going to ring for tea,
and you and I will have it quietly down here, if you will excuse me for
a few minutes while I go upstairs and speak to Flower."

* * * * *

It seemed so natural to Jane to be pouring out the doctor's tea, and to
watch him putting a liberal allowance of salt on the thin
bread-and-butter, and then folding it over with the careful accuracy
which had always characterised his smallest action. In the