When I gave up the attempt to read, I had gone to the farther
end of it to lie on a sofa which was quite in the shade. About midnight
the door into Ideala's room opened and she stood on the threshold with
a loose white wrapper round her. She could not see me, and I ought to
have spoken and let her know I was there, but I was startled at first
by her sudden appearance, and afterwards I was afraid of startling her.
She was so nervous and fragile then that a very little might have led
to serious consequences. I did not like to play the spy, but it was a
choice of two evils, and I thought she had come for a book or
something, and would go directly, and if she did discover me she would
suppose me to be asleep. She walked about the room, however, for a
little in an objectless way; then she sank down on the floor with a low
moan beside a chair, and hid her face on her arm. Presently she looked
up, and I saw she held something in her hand. It was a gold crucifix,
and she fixed her eyes on it. The lamplight fell on her face, and I
could see that it was drawn and haggard. Claudia had maintained
latterly that her illness arose more from mental than from physical
trouble; did this explain it? And was it a religious difficulty?
A weary while she remained in the same attitude, gazing at the
crucifix; but evidently there was no pity for her pain, and no relief.
Pages:
201
202
203
204
205
206
207
208
209
210
211
212
213
214
215
216
217
218
219
220
221
222
223
224
225