Mrs Peixada

by Henry Harland

  CHAPTER X.—“SICK OF A FEVER.”

  ROMER drew near to Mr. Flint.

  “I did all I could,” he said.

  “Things look pretty desperate now, don’t they?” Mr. Flintreturned.

  Hetzel tugged at his beard.

  Mrs. Hart started up. “Oh, for mercy’s sake, Mr. Romer, you are notgoing to let them take her back to—to that place, are you?”

  “I don’t see how I can help it. Bail is out of the question, afterwhat has happened, you know.”

  “But can’t I see her and speak to her just a moment, first?”

  “Oh, certainly; you can do that.”

  Romer stepped aside and spoke to an officer.

  “Unfortunately,” he said, returning, “they have already carriedher off. But you can drive right down behind her.—Hello! What’s thematter with Ripley?”

  They looked around toward Arthur. A glance showed them that he hadfainted.

  “When did this happen?” asked Romer.

  No one could tell. No one had paid the slightest attention to Arthur,since the prisoner had first appeared in court.

  “Well, we must get him out of here right away,” said Romer.

  Mr. Flint and Hetzel lent a hand apiece; and his three friends carriedthe unhappy man out of the room, of course thereby creating a newsensation among the spectators. They bore him along the corridor,and into Mr. Romer’s office, where they laid him upon a sofa. Romertouched a bell.

  “I’ll have to send some one to take my place in court,” heexplained.

  To the subordinate who appeared, “Ask Mr. Birdsall to step here,” hesaid.

  Mr. Birdsall came, received Romer’s orders, departed.

  “There, now,” said Romer, “I’ve got that off my hands. Now,let’s bring him around. Luckily, I have a flask of brandy in mydesk.”

  He rubbed some brandy upon Arthur’s temples, and poured a drop or twobetween his lips.

  “You fan him, will you?” he asked of Hetzel.

  Mrs. Hart proffered her fan. Hetzel took it, and fanned Arthur’s facevigorously.

  Mrs. Hart looked on for a moment in silence. At length she said,“Well, I can’t wait here. I am going to the prison.”

  “Oh, to be sure; I had forgotten,” said Romer. “I’ll send a manto obtain admittance for you.”

  “May I also bear you company?” inquired Mr. Flint.

  Mrs. Hart replied, “That is very kind of you. I should like very muchto have you.”

  Romer rang his bell for a second time. A negro answered it.

  “Robert,” said Romer, “go with this lady and gentleman to theTombs, and tell the warden that they are special friends of mine, andthat I shall thank him to show them every courtesy in his power.”

  Then he returned to the sofa, on which Arthur still lay inanimate.

  “No progress?” he demanded of Hetzel.

  “None. Can you send for a physician? Is there one near by?”

  A third stroke of the bell. Hetzel’s acquaintance, Jim, entered.

  “Run right over to Chambers Street Hospital, and tell them we want adoctor up here at once,” was Romer’s behest.

  “Our friend’s in a pretty bad way,” he continued to Hetzel.“And, by Jove, his wife must be a maniac.”

  “I don’t wonder at him,” said Hetzel. “I feel rather usedup myself, after that strain in court. But her conduct is certainlyincomprehensible.”

  “The idea of pleading guilty, when I had things fixed up so neatly!She must be stark, raving mad. Insanity, by the way, was her defense atthe former trial. I guess it was a bona fide one.”

  “No doubt of it. But I suppose it’s too late to make that claimnow—isn’t it?—now that the judge has ordered her plea of guilty tobe recorded. Yet—yet it isn’t possible that she will really have togo to prison.”

  “We might have a commission appointed.”

  “What is that?”

  “Why, a commission to inquire into, and report upon, her sanity.”

  “We might? We will. That’s exactly what we’ll do. But how? Whatare the necessary steps to take?”

  “Why, when she’s brought up for sentence, next week, and asked whatshe has to say, and so forth, you have an attorney on hand, and let himdeclare his conviction, based upon affidavits, that she’s a lunatic,and then move that sentence be suspended pending the investigation ofher sanity by a commission to be appointed by the court—understand?Our side won’t oppose, and the judge will grant the motion as a matterof course.”

  “Ah, yes; I see.—Mercy upon me, I never knew a fainting fit to lastso long as this; did you?”

  “Well, I’m not much posted on fainting-fits in general, but it’does seem as though this was an uncommonly lengthy one, to be sure.”

  Arthur’s face betrayed no sign of vitality except for the gentleflutter of his nostrils as his breath came and went.

  “Poor fellow,” mused Romer, “what an infernal pickle he’s goneand got himself into! It’s the strangest coincidence I ever heard of.There he was, pegging away at that case month after month, and neversuspecting that the lady in question was his wife! And she—she nevertold him. Queer, ain t it? As far as we were concerned, we never shouldhave lifted a finger, only I was anxious to do Ripley a good turn.He’s a nice fellow, is Ripley, and I always liked him and his fatherbefore him. That’s why we took this business up—just for the sake ofgiving him a lift, you know. As for his client, old Peixada, we’dhave seen him hanged before we’d have troubled ourselves about hisaffairs—except, as I say, for Ripley’s sake. And now, this is whatcomes of it. Well, Ripley never was cut out for a lawyer anyhow. He hadtoo many notions, and didn’t take things practically enough. Why, whenthe question of advertising first came up, he was as squeamish about it,and made as much fuss, as if he’d known all the time who she was.”

  “Here’s the doctor, sir,” cried Jim, entering at this point.

  Jim was followed by a young gentleman in uniform, who, without waitingto hear the history of the case, at once approached the sofa, and beganto exercise his craft. He undid Arthur’s cravat, unbuttoned his shirtcollar, placed one hand upon his forehead, and with the other hand felthis pulse.

  “Open all the windows, please,” he said in a quiet, business-liketone.

  He laid his ear upon the patient’s breast, and listened.

  “When did this begin?” he asked at length.

  “I should say about half an hour ago,” Romer answered, looking athis watch.

  “Is—is there any occasion for anxiety?” Hetzel inquired.

  The doctor shrugged his shoulders. “Can’t tell yet,” was hisreply.

  He drew a leather wallet from his pocket, and unclasping it, disclosedan array of tiny glass phials. One of these he extracted, and holding itup to the light, called for a glass of water. Romer brought the water.The doctor poured a few drops of medicine from his phial into thetumbler. The water thereupon clouded and became opaque. Dipping hisfinger into it, the doctor proceeded to moisten Arthur’s lips.

  “Each of you gentlemen please take one of his hands,” said thedoctor, “and chafe it till it gets warm.”

  Romer and Hetzel obeyed.

  “Want him taken to the hospital?” the doctor inquired presently.

  “Oh, no,” said Hetzel. “As soon as he is able, we want to take himhome.”

  “Where does he live?”

  “In Beekman Place—Fiftieth Street and the East River.”

  “Hum,” muttered the doctor, dubiously; “that’s quite adistance.”

  “To be sure. But after he comes to, and gets rested, he won’t mindit.”

  “Perhaps not.”

  “Why, do you mean that that he’s going to be seriously sick?”

  “Unless I’m mistaken, he’s going to lie abed for the next sixweeks.”

  “What?”

  “Sh-h-h! Not so loud. Yes, I’m afraid he’s in for a long illness.As for taking him to Beekman Place, if you’re bound to do it, we musthave an ambul
ance.”

  “I think if he’s got to be sick, he’d better be sick at home. Whatis it necessary to do, to procure an ambulance?”

  “I’ll send for one.—Can you let me have a messenger?” he askedof Romer.

  Romer summoned Jim.

  The doctor wrote a few lines on a prescription blank, and instructedJim to deliver it to the house-surgeon at the hospital. Returning toArthur’s side, “He’s beginning to come around,” he said; “andnow, I think, you gentlemen had better leave the room. He mustn’topen his mouth for some time; and if his friends are near him when herecovers consciousness, he might want to talk. So, please leave me alonewith him.”

  “But you won’t fail to call us if—if—” Hetzel hesitated.

  “Oh, you needn’t be afraid. There’s no immediate danger.”

  “You’ll find us in the next room,” said Romer, and led Hetzel out.

  Whom should they run against in the passageway but Mrs. Hart and Mr.Flint?

  “What! Back so soon?” Romer exclaimed.

  “She refused to see me,” said Mrs. Hart.

  Romer pushed open a door. “Sit down in here,” he said.

  “Where is Arthur?” asked Mr. Flint. “How is he getting on?”

  Romer explained Arthur’s situation.

  “Worse and worse,” cried Mr. Flint.

  “But how was it that she refused to see you?” Hetzel questioned,addressing Mrs. Hart.

  “She sent me this,” Mrs. Hart replied, holding out a sheet of paper.

  Hetzel took it and read:—

  “My dear one:—It will seem most ungracious and ungrateful of me tosend word that I can not see you just now, and yet that is what I amcompelled to do. My only excuse is that I am writing something whichdemands the utmost concentration and self-possession that I can command;and if I should set eyes upon the face I love so well, I should lose allcontrol of myself. It is very hard to be obliged to say this to you;but what I am writing is of great importance—to me, at least—and thesight of you would agitate me so much that I could not finish it. Oh,my dear, kind friend, will you forgive me? If you could come to see meto-morrow, it would be a great comfort. Then my writing will be donewith. I love you with all my heart, and thank you for all your goodnessto me.

  “Ruth.”

  “Don’t blame her too severely, Mrs. Hart,” said Hetzel. “She isprobably half-distracted, and scarcely knows what she is doing.”

  “Oh, I don’t blame her,” replied Mrs. Hart; “only—only—itwas a little hard to be denied.”

  “Have you any idea what it is that she is writing?”

  “Not the remotest.”

  “Perhaps it is an explanation of her conduct today in court.”

  “Perhaps,”

  Mr. Flint said, “Well, Mr. Romer, the bright plans that we were makinglast night have been knocked in the head, haven’t they? But I won’tbelieve that there isn’t some way out of our troubles, in spite ofall. It isn’t seriously possible that she’ll be sentenced to prison,is it?”

  “As I was suggesting to Mr. Hetzel, a while ago, her friends mightclaim that she’s insane.”

  “Well, insane she must be, in point of fact. A lady like Mrs.Ripley—to plead guilty of murder—why, of course, she’s insane.It’s absurd on its face.”

  “You don’t any of you happen to be posted on the circumstances ofthe case, do you?” Romer asked. “I mean her side of the story. I’mfamiliar with the other side myself.”

  “I know absolutely nothing about it,” said Mr. Flint.

  “All I know,” said Hetzel, “is what Arthur has let drop inconversation, from time to time, during the last few months. Butthen, you know, he was looking at it from the point of view of theprosecution. I should imagine that if any one would understand the trueinwardness of the matter, it would be Mrs. Hart.”

  Mrs. Hart said, “I know that she is as innocent as the babe at itsmother’s breast. When she and I first met each other, in England, twoyears ago, and became friends, she told me all about it; but it was along and complicated story, and I can’t remember it clearly enough torepeat it. You see, I always regarded it as a dark bygone that had bestbe forgotten. I believe that as far as the mere bodily act went, shedid fire off the pistol that killed her husband and that other man. Butthere were some circumstances that cleared her of all responsibility,though I can’t recall exactly what they were. But it wasn’t that shewas insane. She never was insane. I think she said her lawyers defendedher on that plea when she was tried; but she insisted that she was notinsane, and explained it in some other way.”

  “Oh, that don’t signify,” said Romer. “When defendants reallyare insane, they invariably fancy that they’re not, and get highlyindignant at their counsel for maintaining that they are. At any rate,lunacy is what you must fight for now. As I told Mr. Hetzel, you want toretain a lawyer, and have him move for a commission when the case comesup next week. You’ll have your motion granted on application, becausewe shan’t oppose.”

  “And in the event of the commission declaring her to be insane?”queried Mr. Flint.

  “Why, then, her plea will be rendered null and void.”

  “And in case they say that she’s of sound mind?”

  “There’ll be the devil to pay. Sentence will have to be passed.”

  “And she will—will actually—?”

  “I wouldn’t worry about that. The chances are that they will reportas you wish. And if they shouldn’t—if worse came to worst—why,there’s the governor, who has power to pardon.”

  “The ambulance has arrived,” said the doctor, coming into theroom. “Some one had better run on ahead, and get a bed ready for thepatient. Please, also, prepare plenty of chopped ice, and have sometowels handy, and a bottle of hot water for his feet. By the way, youdidn’t give me the number of the house. How’s that? No. 46? Thanks.We’ll drive slowly, so as not to shake him up; and consequentlyyou’ll have time enough to get there first, and make every thingready.”

  “Well,” said Hetzel, rising, “good-by, Mr. Romer, and I trust thatyou know how grateful we are to you.”

  “Oh, that’s all right,” said Romer. “Don’t mention it.Good-by.”

  In the street Mr. Flint said, “I’ll invite myself to go home withyou. I want to see how badly off the poor boy is.”

  In Beekman Place they made the ’arrangements, that the doctorhad indicated for Arthur’s reception, and then sat down in thedrawing-room to await his coming. By and by the ambulance rolled up tothe door.

  They hurried out upon the stoop. A good many of the neighbors had cometo their windows, and there was a small army of inquisitive childrenbivouacked upon the curbstone. Mrs. Berle ran across from her house, andtalked excitedly to Mrs. Hart. Of course, all Beekman Place had read inthe newspapers of Judith Peixada’s arrest.

  The doctor, assisted by the driver, lifted the sick man out. He lay atfull length upon a canvas stretcher. His face had assumed a cadaverous,greenish tinge. His big blue eyes, wide open, were fixed upon the emptyair above them. To all appearances, he was still unconscious.

  They carried him up the stoop; through the hall, and into the roomabove-stairs to which Mrs. Hart conducted them. There they laid him onthe bed.

  “Now,” said the doctor, “first of all, send for your ownphysician. I must see him and confer with him, before I go away.”

  Mrs. Hart left the room, to obey the doctor’s injunction.

  “You, Jake,” the doctor went on, addressing the driver, “needn’twait. Drive back to the hospital, and tell them that I’ll come as soonas I can be spared.”

  “Here, Jake, before you go,” said Mr. Flint, producing his purse.

  “Oh, thanks. Can’t accept any thing, sir,” responded Jake, andvanished.

  “Now, gentlemen,” resumed the doctor, “just lend a hand, and helpundress him.”

  Following the doctor’s directions, they got the patient out of hisclothes. He seemed to be a mere limp, inert mass of flesh, and displayedno symptoms
of realizing what was going on. His extremities wereice-cold. His forehead was hot. His breath was labored.

  “A very sick man, I’m afraid, isn’t he, doctor?” asked Mr.Flint.

  “I’m afraid so.”

  The doctor covered him with the bed-clothes.

  “What do you think is the matter with him?” Mr. Flint pursued.

  “Oh, it hasn’t developed sufficiently yet to be classified. Hismind must have been undergoing a strain for some time, I guess; and nowhe’s broken down beneath it.”

  “He’s quite unconscious, apparently.”

  “Yes, in a sort of lethargy. That’s what makes the case a puzzle.Won’t you order a hot-water bottle, somebody?”

  Hetzel left the room. In a moment he brought the bottle of hot water.The doctor applied it to Arthur’s feet.

  “And the chopped ice?” Hetzel inquired.

  The doctor placed his hand upon Arthur’s brow.

  “N—no; we won’t use the chopped ice yet a while,” he answered.

  By and by a bell rang down-stairs. A little later Mrs. Hart came in.

  “Our doctor—Dr. Letzup—is here,” she announced.

  Dr. Letzup entered.

  “I suppose you medical men would like to be left alone?” said Mr.Flint.

  “Yes, I guess so,” said the hospital-doctor.

  Mrs. Hart led the way into the adjoining room. There our friendsmaintained a melancholy silence. Mrs. Hart’s cats slept comfortably,one upon the sofa, the other upon the rug before the mantelpiece. Thevoices of the two physicians, in earnest conversation, were audiblethrough the closed door.

  Presently Mr. Hart jumped up.

  “What—what now?” Mr. Flint questioned.

  “I heard one of them step into the hall. Perhaps they needsomething.”

  She hurried to the threshold. There she confronted the hospital-doctor.He had his hand raised, as if on the point of rapping for admittance.

  “Ah, I was looking for you,” he explained. “I am going now. Idon’t see that I can be of any further use.”

  “How is Arthur?”

  “About as he was. Dr. Letzup has taken charge of him. Well, goodday.”

  “Oh, you shan’t leave us in this way,” protested Mrs. Hart. “Youmust at least wait and let me offer you a glass of wine.”

  “I’m much obliged,” said the doctor; “but they are expecting mein Chambers Street.”

  Mrs. Hart, flanked by Mr. Flint and Hetzel, accompanied him to thevestibule. All three did their utmost to thank him adequately for thepains he had taken in their behalf. Returning up-stairs, they werejoined by Dr. Letzup.

  “Well, doctor?” began Mrs. Hart.

  “Well, Mrs. Hart,” the doctor replied, “our friend in the nextroom has been exciting himself lately, hasn’t he? What he wants nowis a trained nurse, soothing medicines, and perfect quiet. The first twoI’m going to send around, as soon as I leave the house. For the last,he must depend upon you. That is equivalent to saying that he willhave it. Therefore, so far as I can see, you have every reason to behopeful.”

  “What do you take his trouble to be, doctor?” asked Hetzel.

  “Oh, I don’t know of any special name for it,” said thedoctor. “The poor fellow must have been careless of himselfrecently—worrying, probably, about something—and then came a shockof one kind or another—collapse of stock he’d been investing in,or what not—and so he went under. We’ll fetch him up again, fastenough. The main thing is to steer him clear of brain fever. I thinkwe can do it. If it turns out that we can’t—if the fever shoulddevelop—then, we’ll go to work and pilot him safely through it. NowI must be off. Some one had better stay with him till the nurse comes.Keep him warm—hot water at his feet, you know, and bed-clothes tuckedin about his shoulders. When the nurse turns up, she’ll give him hismedicines. I’ll call again after dinner.”

  Mr. Flint left a little later.

  “I suppose I shan’t be of any assistance, but merely in the way,by remaining here. So I’ll go home. But of course you’ll notifyme instantly if there should be a change for the worse,” was hisvaledictory.

  After dinner the doctor called, pursuant to his promise. Having visitedhis patient, and held an interview with the nurse, he beckoned Hetzel toone side.

  “Don’t be frightened,” he said, “but I’m afraid it’s goingto be brain fever, after all. He’s a little delirious just now,and his temperature is higher than I should like. The nurse will takeperfect care of him. You’d better go to bed early and sleep well, soas to be fresh and able to relieve her in the morning. Good night.”

  “Good night.”

  “What did the doctor say to you?” inquired Mrs. Hart.

  Hetzel told her.