"Well, I"ll do it, come what may of it. I"ll do it."
"Take the night to consider it."
"No, I am resolved on it. I"ll do it."
"Very well; we are too late for the post to-night, but I"ll write to this man after dinner, and by that time you will have fully made up your mind. Now go, or I"ll begin to regret the day and the hour I ever thought of giving you counsel."
"You are the most impatient fellow I ever met in my life," said Ladarelle, as he arose reluctantly, and with unwilling steps sauntered out of the room.
CHAPTER x.x.xIX. WITH DOCTORS
On the evening of the same day, Sir Within sat alone in his grand old dining-room. The servants had withdrawn and left him in solitary splendour, for the ma.s.sive plate glittered on the sideboard, and the blaze of many wax-lights illuminated the three or four great pictures of Rubens" on the walls, and sparkled over the richly-cut gla.s.s that figured amongst the desert, and there, amidst all, sat that old man--pale, wan, and careworn--to all seeming several years older than one short week ago. A small table at his side was littered with letters and law papers; but though he had gone for them to his study, he never noticed them, so deeply was his mind bent on other thoughts. At last he looked at his watch, and then arising, he rang the bell.
"Doctor Price is still above stairs?" said he, in a tone of inquiry.
"Yes, Sir Within."
"And you are quite certain you told him to come to me before he left the Castle?"
"Yes, Sir Within."
"That will do," said he, with a sigh.
Scarcely had the servant closed the door than he re-opened it to announce Doctor Price, a small pock-marked sharp-featured man, with an intensely keen eye, and a thin compressed mouth.
"Well, Doctor, well?" said Sir Within, as he came forward towards him with a manner of great anxiety.
"Well, Sir Within Wardle, it is as I suspected, a case of concussion; there"s no organic mischief--no lesion."
"What"s a lesion?"
"There is no fracture, nor any pressure, so far as I can detect; but there is very grave injury of another sort. There is concussion of the brain."
"And is there danger--be frank, Doctor, is there danger?"
"Certainly there is danger; but I would not p.r.o.nounce it to be imminent danger."
"London has some men of great eminence, which of them all would you select to consult with on such a case? I am certain that you would wish a consultation."
"I have no objection to one, Sir Within, and I would name Sir Henry Morland, as the first man in his profession."
"Then write for him, Sir--write at once. Here, in this room, here"--and he opened a door into a small cabinet--"you will find everything you want."
"Certainly; I obey your instructions. I will write immediately; but say in what terms. The young lady is your ward--am I to style her by that t.i.tle or by her name?"
Sir Within blushed, but it was more in anger than shame; the barest approach to any question of Kate"s position jarred upon his feelings like an insinuation, and he fixed a steadfast stare on the Doctor before he replied, to a.s.sure himself that there was no covert impertinence in the request. Apparently he was satisfied, for in a calm voice he said, "It will be unnecessary to say more than that his presence is requested by Sir Within Wildrington Wardle at Dalradem Castle, and with all the speed possible."
While the Doctor was writing, Sir Within walked to and fro with short and hurried steps, his mouth twitched from time to time, and a nervous motion of his fingers betrayed the immense agitation that possessed him, and against which he struggled hard to subdue all outward signs. Had the occasion been a ministerial conference--had the event been one in which a bold front was called for, to cover a weak position, or affront a coming peril--the old envoy would have borne himself well and bravely; no one could have worn an easier look in a trying emergency, or better baffled the searching that would try to detect a secret misgiving.
But where was all this subtlety now? Of what did it avail him? He bent before this blow as humbly as a school-girl, and soon even abandoned the attempt to dissimulate, and wrung his hands in pa.s.sionate sorrow as he went.
"Will that do, then, Sir Within?" asked the Doctor, as he handed him the note he had just written.
"I have not my gla.s.s," said he, hurriedly, while his fingers held it; "but of course it is all right. You will instruct me as to the fee--you will do whatever is necessary, and you will also, I trust, remain here.
I wish you not to leave the Castle."
"Impossible, Sir Within. Sir G.o.dfrey Wynne is very ill, and I have a very anxious case at Gla.s.snwyd."
"But none of them, I will venture to say, so needful of watching as this. You have just told me how precarious these cases are. Remember, Sir, I have some claims upon you."
"The very greatest, Sir Within. But for your munificent donation, I should never have been physician to the Wrexham Hospital."
"I did not mean that," said Sir Within, flushing scarlet; "I did not allude to that. I spoke of old family claims in your father"s time.
Dalradem was always his staunch supporter."
"I know it well, Sir; but a doctor owes allegiance to the very humblest of those who need him."
"A doctor, I presume, is bound to accord the patient whatever of his time he can pay for?"
"Not to the detriment of others who are ill, Sir Within."
"I know of no other than those under this roof, Doctor Price. I insist, therefore, that you remain here."
"I will return before evening, Sir Within."
"If you leave this now, Sir, you need not return."
"Let me entreat you to moderate your warmth, and hear me."
"Sir, I accept no lessons on the mode in which I should comport myself.
My education is not, I would hope, yet to be made in this respect. You stay now, or you never re-cross this threshold."
"Then I most respectfully take my leave, Sir."
As he moved towards the door, Sir Within placed himself against it.
"This is conduct, Sir," cried he, pa.s.sionately, "for which I was in no way prepared. It is the first time in my life I have been a physician refuse his services to those who had the right to call for, and the ability to requite them. I will not suffer it."
The Doctor moved his head mournfully, and muttered a few low and indistinct words.
"No, Sir, I want no apologies. I will not listen to excuses!" cried Sir Within, whose cheek was in a flame, and his eye flashing with anger. "I have done my best--my very best--to misunderstand your "meaning; I have tried my utmost to persuade myself that this was no intentional slight; but, apparently, Sir, you insist that I should know it, and feel it."
"You distress me greatly, Sir Within--and all the more, that I really cannot follow you in what you imply."
"I never imply, Sir--I declare--I a.s.sert!" and his voice was, now shrill with pa.s.sion. "It is no insinuation I make--it is an open declaration--that it is in what scandalous tongues have dared to allege against this young lady"s residence under my roof is the sole pretext you have to refuse your services here. Don"t deny it, Sir; I read it in your confusion half an hour ago. You intend to build a character for high morality on this event. You know this county better than I do, and you are a better judge how far your strict virtue will be remunerative; or perhaps you fancy that I will condescend to an explanation with you."