CHAPTER II
"IT WAS INEVITABLE"
I ought to have had a ravenous appetite but I had none at all. I oughtto have been glad and thankful from the depths of my heart, but I wasso depressed that everything I said was forced and unnatural. My headfelt as if it were bursting, and I was enraged with myself and thewretched result of my bright dream. Indeed I found myself inclined to aspirit of recklessness and irritation that was wellnigh irresistible.
Miss Warren seemed as wholly free from any morbid, unnatural tendenciesas Mr. Yocomb himself, and she did her utmost to make the hour asgenial as it should have been. At first I imagined that she was tryingto satisfy herself that I had recovered my senses, and that myunexpected words, spoken in the morning, were the result of a mood thatwas as transient as it was abnormal. I think I puzzled her; I certainlydid not understand myself any better than did poor Adah, whose mindappeared to be in solution from the effects of the lightning, and Ifelt that I must be appearing worse than idiotic.
Miss Warren, resolutely bent on banishing every unnatural constraint,asked Mr. Yocomb:
"How is my genuine friend, Old Plod? Did the lightning wake him up?"
"No, he plods as heavily as ever this morning. Thee only can wake himup."
"You've no idea what a compliment that is," she said, with a low laugh."Old Plod inspires me with a sense of confidence and stability that isvery reassuring in a world full of lightning flashes."
"Yes," I said, "he is safe as a horse-block, and quite as exhilarating.Give me Dapple."
She looked at me quickly and keenly, and colored slightly. Sheevidently had some association in her mind with the old plow-horse thatI did not understand.
"Exhilaration scarcely answers as a steady diet, Mr. Morton."
"Little chance of its lasting long," I replied, "even in a worldovercharged with electricity."
"I prefer calm, steady sunshine to these wild alternations."
"I doubt it; 'calm, steady sunshine' would make the world as dry andmonotonous as a desert."
"That's true, Richard Morton," said Mr. Yocomb. "I like peace and quietmore than most men, but even if we had all burned up last night, thispart of the world would have been wonderfully the better for the storm.I reckon it was worth a million or more dollars to the county."
"That's the right way to look at it, Mr. Yocomb," I said carelessly."The greatest good to the greatest number. Individuals are of noaccount."
"Your philosophy may be true, but I don't like it," Miss Warrenprotested. "A woman doesn't generalize."
"Thy philosophy is only half true, Richard Morton. God cares for eachone of His children, and every one in my house counts for much to me."
"There's no getting ahead of thee, mother. If we want to talk heresy,Richard Morton, we must go off by ourselves."
"I think God showed His love for us in a queer way last night," saidAdah, abruptly.
Both her father and mother looked pained at this speech, and Mrs.Yocomb said gravely:
"Thee'll see things in the true light some day, I hope. The lightningbolt may have been a message from Heaven to thee."
"It seems to me that Zillah got more of the message than I did, and shedidn't need any," said the matter-of-fact Adah, "At any rate I hopeRichard Morton may be here if I ever get another message."
"I shall surely be struck next time," I laughed, a trifle bitterly;"for according to Mrs. Yocomb's view I need a message more than any ofyou."
It was evident that neither Adah nor I was in a frame of mind that Mrs.Yocomb could commend.
"As you suggested, Mr. Morton, if some other tramp from New York hadbeen present, what a thrilling narrative you could write for yourpaper," Miss Warren began. Seemingly she had had enough of clouds theprevious evening, and was bent on clear skies to-night.
She found me incorrigible, however, for I said briefly:
"Oh, no, it would only make an item among the crimes and casualties."
Undaunted, she replied: "And such might have been its appropriate placehad not the doctor arrived so promptly. The casualty had alreadyoccurred, and I'm quite sure you would have finished us all withoriginal remedies if left to yourself."
"I agree with you, Miss Warren; blunders are worse than crimes, andI've a genius for them."
"Well, I'm not a genius in any sense of the word. Miss Adah and I lookat things as they are. One would think, Mr. Morton, accepting your viewof yourself, that you could supply your paper with all the crimes andcasualties required, as the result of the genius you claim."
"Stupid blunders would make stupid reading."
"Oh, that column in your paper is very interesting, then?"
"Why shouldn't it be? I've never had the bad taste to publish in itanything about myself."
"I fail to find any logic in that remark. Have you a conscience, Mr.Morton?"
"The idea of an editor having a conscience! I doubt whether you haveever seen New York, Miss Warren, you are so unsophisticated."
"Emily, thee shouldn't be afraid of lightning when thee and RichardMorton are so ready to flash back and forth at one another."
"My words are only heat lightning, very harmless, and Mr. Morton'spartake of the aurora in character--they are cool and distant."
"I hope they are not so mysterious," I replied.
"Their cause is, quite."
"I think I understand the cause," said Mrs. Yocomb as we rose from thetable; and she came and took my hand. "Richard Morton, thee has fever;thy hands are hot and thy temples are throbbing."
I saw that Miss Warren was looking at me with an expression that wasfull of kind, regretful interest; but with the perversity of a childthat should have been shaken, I replied, recklessly:
"I've taken cold, I fear. I sat on the piazza like an owl last night,and I learned that an owl would have been equally useful there. I fearI'm going to be ill, Mrs. Yocomb, and I think I had better make aprecipitate retreat to my den in New York."
"Who'll take care of thee in thy den?" she asked, with a smile thatwould have disarmed cynicism itself.
"Oh, they can spare a devil from the office occasionally," I saidcarelessly; but I felt that my remark was brutal. In answer to her lookof pained surprise I added, "Pardon me that I used the vile slang ofthe shop; I meant one of the boys employed in the printing-rooms. Mrs.Yocomb, I have now satisfied you that I'm too much of a bear to deserveany gentler nurse. I truly think I had better return to town at once.I've never been very ill, and have no idea how to behave. It's alreadyclear that I wouldn't prove a meek and interesting patient, and I don'twant to lose your good opinion."
"Richard Morton, if thee should leave us now I should feel hurt beyondmeasure. Thee's not thyself or thee wouldn't think of it."
"Richard Morton, thee cannot go," said Mr. Yocomb in his hearty way."If thee knew mother as I do, thee'd give right in. I don't often putmy foot down, but when I do, it's like old South Mountain there. Ah,here comes the doctor. Doctor Bates, if thee doesn't prescribe severalweeks of quiet life in this old farmhouse for Friend Morton, I'll startright off to find a doctor who will."
"Please stay, and I'll gather wild strawberries for thee," said Adah,in a low tone. She had stolen close to my side, and still had thewistful, intent look of a child.
"You might do worse," Doctor Bates remarked.
"You'll never make him believe that," laughed Miss Warren, whoevidently believed in tonic treatment and counter-irritants. "He wouldmuch prefer sultry New York and an imp from the printing-rooms."
"Thee may drive Dapple all thee wishes if thee'll only stay," saidReuben, his round, boyish face shadowed with unwonted anxiety.
We were standing in the hallway, and Zillah heard our talk, for herlittle figure came tottering out of the parlor in her trailing wrapper,and her eyes were full of tears.
"Richard Morton, if thee doesn't stay I'll cry myself sick."
I caught her up in my arms and carried her back to the sofa, and Iwhispered in her ear:
"I'll stay, Zillah; I'll d
o anything for you."
The child clapped her hands gleefully as she exclaimed:
"Now I've got thee. He's promised me to stay, mother."
"Yes," said the physician, after feeling my pulse, "you certainly must,and you ought to be in bed this moment. Your pulse indicates a veryhigh fever. What's more, you seem badly run down. I shall put you underactive treatment at once; that is, if you'll trust me."
"Go ahead, doctor," I said, "and get me through one way or the otherbefore very long. Because these friends are so good and kind is noreason why I should become a burden to them," and I sank down on thesofa in the hall.
"Thee'll do us a great wrong if thee ever thinks that, Richard Morton,"said Mrs. Yocomb earnestly. "Adah, thee see that his room is ready. I'mgoing to take thee in hand myself;" and she bustled off to the kitchen.
"You couldn't be in better hands, Mr. Morton," said the physician; "andMrs. Yocomb can do more for you than I can. I'll try and help a little,however, and will prescribe for you after I've seen Zillah;" and he andMr. Yocomb went into the parlor, while Reuben, with a triumphantchuckle, started for the barn.
Now that I was alone for a moment, Miss Warren, who had been standingin the doorway, and a little aloof, came to me, and her face was fullof trouble as she said hurriedly, in a low tone:
"I fear I'm to blame for this. You'll never know how sorry I am. I _do_owe you so much! Please get well quickly or I'll--" and she hesitated.
"You are the only one who did not ask me to stay," I said reproachfully.
"I know it; I know, too, that I'd be ill in your place if I could."
"How could I help loving you!" I said impetuously. "There, forgive me,"I added hastily as I saw her look of pain and almost fright. "RememberI'm ill, delirious it may be; but whatever happens, also remember thatI said I wouldn't change anything. Were it all to do over again I'd dothe same. It was inevitable: I'm sane enough to know that. You are notin the least to blame."
She hung on my last words as if I were giving her absolution from amortal sin.
"It's all a mistake. Oh, if you but knew how I regret--"
Steps were approaching. I shook my head, with a dreary glimmer of asmile.
"Good-by," I said in a whisper, and wearily closed my eyes.
Everything soon became very confused. I remembered Mr. Yocomb's helpingme to my room. I saw Adah's intent, wistful look as I tried to thankher. Mrs. Yocomb's kind, motherly face changed into the features of myown mother, and then came a long blank.
A Day of Fate Page 17