The Bars of Iron

by Ethel M. Dell

  CHAPTER XX

  THE STRAIGHT TRUTH

  "Ah, my worthy physician, enter, enter!" was Mr. Lorimer's blandgreeting. "What news of the patient?"

  Tudor tramped up to the hearth, looking very square and resolute. "I'vecome from the schoolroom," he said, "where I went to take a look atJeanie. But I found Gracie required more of my attention than she did.Are you absolutely mad, I wonder, to inflict corporal punishment upon ahighly-strung child like that? Let me tell you this! You'll turn her intoa senseless idiot if you persist! The child is nearly crazed with terroras it is. I've told them to put her to bed, and I'm going up to give hera soothing draught directly."

  Mr. Lorimer rose with dignity. "You somewhat magnify your office,doctor," he said.

  "No, I don't!" said Tudor rudely. "I do what I must. And I warn you thatchild is wrought up to a highly dangerous pitch of excitement. You don'twant her to have brain-fever, I suppose?"

  "Pooh!" said Mr. Lorimer.

  Tudor stamped a furious foot, and let himself go. He had no scruplesabout losing his temper at that moment. He poured forth his indignationin a perfect tornado of righteous anger.

  "That's all you have to say, is it? You--a man of God, so-called--killingyour wife by inches and not caring a damn what suffering you cause! Itell you, she has been at death's door all day, thanks to your infernalbehaviour. She may die yet, and you will be directly responsible. You'vecrushed her systematically, body and soul. As to the children, if youtouch that little girl again--or any of 'em--I'll haul you before theBench for cruelty. Do you hear that?"

  Mr. Lorimer, who had been waving a protesting hand throughout thisvigorous denunciation, here interposed a lofty: "Sir! Youforget yourself!"

  "Not I!" flung back Tudor. "I know very well what I'm about. I spoke toyou once before about your wife, and you wouldn't listen. But--byHeaven--you shall listen this time, and hear the straight truth for once.Her life has been a perpetual martyrdom for years. You've tortured herthrough the children as cruelly as any victim was ever tortured on therack. But it's got to stop now. I don't deal in empty threats. What I'vesaid I shall stick to. You may be the Vicar of the parish, but you'reunder the same law as the poorest of 'em. And if anything more of thiskind happens, you shall feel the law. And a pretty scandal it'll make."

  He paused a moment, but Mr. Lorimer stood in frozen silence; and almostimmediately he plunged on.

  "Now as regards Mrs. Denys; I heard you give her notice just now. Thatmust be taken back--if she will consent to stay. For Mrs. Lorimerliterally can't do without her yet. Mrs. Lorimer will be an invalid forsome time to come, if not for good and all. And who is going to takecharge of the house if you kick out the only capable person it contains?Who is going to look after your precious comfort, not to mention that ofyour wife and children? I tell you Mrs. Denys is absolutely indispensableto you all for the present. If you part with her, you part with everyshred of ease and domestic peace you have. And you will have to keep aproperly qualified nurse to look after your wife. And it isn't everynurse that is a blessing in the home, I can assure you."

  He stopped again; and finding Mr. Lorimer still somewhat dazed by thissudden attack, he turned and began to pace the room to give him timeto recover.

  There followed a prolonged silence. Then at last, with a deep sigh, theVicar dropped down again in his chair.

  "My good, doctor," he said, "I am convinced that your motives are goodthough your language be somewhat lacking in restraint. I am sorelyperplexed; let me admit it! Mrs. Denys is, I believe, a thoroughlyefficient housekeeper, but--" he paused impressively--"her presence is adisturbing element with which I would gladly dispense. She is continuallyinventing some pretext for presenting herself at the study-door.Moreover, she is extremely injudicious with the children, and I am boundto think of their spiritual welfare before their mere bodily needs."

  He was evidently anxious to avoid an open rupture, so perhaps it was aswell that he did not see the look on Tudor's face as he listened tothis harangue.

  "Why don't you pack them off to school?" said Tudor, sticking to thepoint with commendable resolution. "Peace in the house is absolutelyessential to Mrs. Lorimer. All the elder ones would be better out ofit--with the exception of Jeanie."

  "And why with the exception of Jeanie, may I ask?" There was a touch ofasperity in Mr. Lorimer's voice. He had been badly browbeaten, and--forsome reason--he had had to submit. But he was in no docile moodthereafter.

  Tudor heard the note of resentment in his tone, and came back to thehearth. "I have been awaiting a suitable opportunity to talk to you aboutJeanie," he said.

  "What next? What next?" said Mr. Lorimer fretfully.

  Tudor proceeded to tell him, his tone deliberately unsympathetic. "Sheneeds most careful treatment, most vigilant watching. There is a weaknessof the lungs which might develop at any time. Mrs. Denys understands herand can take care of her. But she is in no state to be entrusted tostrangers."

  "Why was this not mentioned to me before?" said Mr. Lorimer querulously."Though the head of the house, I am always the last to be told ofanything of importance. I suppose you are sure of what you say?"

  "Quite sure," said Tudor, "though I should be absolutely willing for youto have another opinion at any time. As to not telling you, I have alwaysfound it difficult to get you to listen, and, as a rule, I have no timeto waste on persuasion." He looked at the clock. "I ought to be goingnow. You will consider what I have said about sending the other childrenaway to school? You'll find it's the only thing to do."

  Mr. Lorimer sighed again with deep melancholy.

  Tudor squared his shoulders aggressively. "And with your permission I'lltell Mrs. Denys that you have reconsidered the matter and hope she willremain for a time at least, if she can see her way to do so."

  He paused very definitely for a reply to this. Mr. Lorimer's mouth wasdrawn down at the corners, but he looked into the fire with the aloofnessof a mind not occupied with mundane things.

  Tudor faced him and waited with grim resolution; but several secondspassed ere his attitude seemed to become apparent to the abstractedVicar. Then with extreme deliberation his eyelids were raised.

  "Excuse me, doctor! My thoughts were for the moment elsewhere. Yes, youhave my permission to tell her that. And--I agree with you. It seemsadvisable to remove the elder children from her influence without delay.I shall therefore take steps to do so."

  Tudor nodded with a shrug of the shoulders. It did not matter to him inwhat garb his advice was dressed, so long as it was followed.

  "Very well," he said. "I am now going to settle Gracie, and I shall tellher you have issued a free pardon all round, and no more will be said toanyone. I was told one of the boys was in hot water too, but you can lethim off for once. You're much more likely to make him ashamed of himselfthat way."

  Mr. Lorimer resumed his contemplation of the fire without speaking.

  Tudor turned to go. He was fairly satisfied that he had established peacefor the time being, and he was not ill-pleased with his success.

  He told himself as he departed that he had discovered how to deal withthe Reverend Stephen. It had never occurred to him to attempt suchtreatment before.

  To Avery later he gave but few details of the interview, but she couldnot fail to see his grim elation and smiled at it.

  "I am to stay then, am I?" she said.

  "If you will graciously consent to do so," said Tudor, with hisbrief smile.

  "I couldn't do anything else," she said.

  "I'm glad of that," he said abruptly, "for my own sake."

  And with that very suddenly he turned the subject.