"Oh, this is dreadful!" cried his wife.
"Dreadful indeed, but not hopeless, you know. Keep in mind doctors say that his memory may come back at any time; and Hobart has the belief that the sight and voice of Helen will bring it back."
"G.o.d bless Hobart," said Helen, with a deep breath, "and G.o.d help him!
His own love inspired that belief. He"s right; I know he"s right."
"Well, perhaps he is. I don"t know. I thought Nichol would recognize me; but there wasn"t a sign."
"Oh, papa," cried Helen, smiling through her tears, "there are some things which even your experience and wisdom fail in. Albert will know me. We have talked long enough; now let us act."
"You don"t realize it all yet, Helen; you can"t. You must remember that Nichol regained consciousness in a Southern hospital. He has learned to talk and act very much like such soldiers as would a.s.sociate with him."
"The fact that he"s alive and that I now may restore him is enough, papa."
"Well, I want Dr. Barnes present when you meet him."
"Certainly; at least within call."
"I must stipulate too," said Mrs. Kemble. "I don"t wish the coming scenes to take place in a hotel, and under the eyes of that gossip, Jackson. I don"t see why Hobart took him there."
"I do," said Mr. Kemble, standing up for his favorite. "Hobart has already endured more than mortal man ought, yet he has been most delicately considerate. No one but Jackson and Dr. Barnes know about Nichol and his condition. I have also had Nichol"s father and mother sent for on my own responsibility, for they should take their share of the matter. Hobart believes that Helen can restore Nichol"s memory.
This would simplify everything and save many painful impressions. You see, it"s such an obscure trouble, and there should be no ill-advised blundering in the matter. The doctors in Washington told Hobart that a slight shock, or the sight of an object that once had the strongest hold upon his thoughts--well, you understand."
"Yes," said Helen, "I DO understand. Hobart is trying to give Albert the very best chance. Albert wrote that his last earthly thoughts would be of me. It is but natural that my presence should kindle those thoughts again. It was like Hobart, who is almost divine in his thoughtfulness of others, to wish to shield Albert from the eyes of even his own father and mother until he could know them, and know us all. He was only taken to the hotel that we all might understand and be prepared to do our part. Papa, bring Albert here and let his father and mother come here also. He should be sacredly shielded in his infirmity, and give a every chance to recover before being seen by others; and please, papa, exact from Jackson a solemn promise not to tattle about Albert."
"Yes, yes; but we have first a duty to perform. Mother, please prepare a little lunch, and put a gla.s.s of your old currant wine on the tray.
Hobart must not come to a cold, cheerless home. I"ll go and have his old servant up and ready to receive him."
"No, mamma, that is still my privilege," said Helen, with a rush, of tears. "Oh, I"m so sorry, SORRY for him! but neither he nor I can help or change what is, what"s true."
When the tray was ready, she wrote and sealed these words:
"G.o.d bless you, Hobart; G.o.d reward you! You have made me feel to-night that earth is too poor, and only heaven rich enough to reward you.
"HELEN."
CHAPTER XI
MR. KEMBLE"S APPEAL
It often happens that the wife"s disposition is an antidote to her husband: and this was fortunately true of Mrs. Jackson. She was neither curious nor gossiping, and with a quick instinct that privacy was desired by Martine, gave at an early hour her orders to close the house for the night. The few loungers, knowing that she was autocratic, slouched off to other resorts. The man and maids of all work were kept out of the way, while she and her husband waited on their unexpected guests. After Mr. Kemble"s departure, the errand-boy was roused from his doze behind the stove and seat for Dr. Barnes; then Jackson wrote another note at Martine"s dictation:
"MR. WILLIAM NICHOL:
"DEAR SIR--A relative of yours is sick at my house. He came on the evening train. You and your wife had better come at once in the carriage."
Martine retired to the room in which he had seen Mr. Kemble, that he might compose himself before meeting the physician. The sound of Helen"s voice, the mere proximity of the girl who at this hour was to have been his wife had not "old chaos" come again for him, were by no means "straws" in their final and crushing weight. Motionless, yet with mind verging on distraction, he sat in the cold, dimly lighted room until aroused by the voice of Dr. Barnes.
"Why, Hobart!" cried his old friend, starting at the bloodshot eyes and pallid face of the young man, "what is the matter? You need me, sure enough, but why on earth are you shivering in this cold room at the hotel?"
Martine again said to Jackson: "Don"t leave him," and closed the door.
Then, to the physician: "Dr. Barnes, I am ill and worn-out. I know it only too well. You must listen carefully while I in brief tell you why you were sent for; then you and others must take charge and act as you think best. I"m going home. I must have rest and a respite. I must be by myself;" and he rapidly began to sketch his experiences in Washington.
"Hold!" said the sensible old doctor, who indulged in only a few strong exclamations of surprise, which did not interrupt the speaker, "hold!
You say you left the ward to think it over, after being convinced that you had discovered Nichol. Did you think it over quietly?"
"Quietly!" repeated Martine, with intense bitterness. "Would a man, not a mummy, think over such a thing quietly? Judge me as you please, but I was tempted as I believe never man was before. I fought the Devil till morning."
"I thought as much," said the doctor, grasping Martine"s hand, then slipping a finger on his pulse. "You fought on foot too, didn"t you?"
"Yes, I walked the streets as if demented."
"Of course. That in part accounts for your exhaustion. Have you slept much since?"
"Oh, Doctor, let me get through and go home!"
"No, Hobart, you can"t get through with me till I am with you. My dear fellow, do you think that I don"t understand and sympathize with you?
There"s no reason why you should virtually risk your life for Captain Nichol again. Take this dose of quinine at once, and then proceed. I can catch on rapidly. First answer, how much have you slept since?"
"The idea of sleep! You can remedy this, Doctor, after my part in this affair is over. I must finish now. Helen may return, and I cannot meet her, nor am I equal to seeing Mr. and Mrs. Nichol. My head feels queer, but I"ll get through somehow, if the strain is not kept up too long;"
and he finished in outline his story. In conclusion he said, "You will understand that you are now to have charge of Nichol. He is prepared by his experience to obey you, for he has always been in hospitals, where the surgeon"s will is law. Except with physicians, he has a sort of rough waywardness, learned from the soldiers."
"Yes, I understand sufficiently now to manage. You put him in my charge, then go home, and I"ll visit you as soon as I can."
"One word more, Doctor. As far as you think best, enjoin reticence on Jackson. If the sight of Helen restores Nichol, as I believe it will, little need ever be said about his present condition. Jackson would not dare to disobey a physician"s injunction."
"Don"t you dare disobey them, either. I"ll manage him too. Come."
Nichol had slept a good deal during the latter part of his journey, and now was inclined to wakefulness--a tendency much increased by his habit of waiting on hospital patients at night. In the eager and curious Jackson he had a companion to his mind, who stimulated in him a certain child-like vanity.
"h.e.l.lo, Ma"tine," he said, "ye"re gittin" tired o" me, I reckon, ye"re off so much. I don"t keer. This yere Jackson"s a lively cuss, en I "low we"ll chin till mawnin"."
"Yes, Nichol, Mr. Jackson is a good friend of yours; and here is another man who is more than a friend. You remember what the surgeon at the hospital said to you?"
"I reckon," replied Nichol, anxiously. "Hain"t I minded yer tetotally?"
"Yes, you have done very well indeed--remarkably well, since you knew I was not a doctor. Now this man is a doctor--the doctor I was to bring you to. You won"t have to mind me any more, but you must mind this man, Dr. Barnes, in all respects, just as you did the doctors in the hospitals. As long as you obey him carefully he will be very good to you."
"Oh, I"ll mind, Doctor," said Nichol, rising and a.s.suming the respectful att.i.tude of a hospital nurse. "We uns wuz soon larned that"t wuzn"t healthy to go agin the doctor. When I wuz Yankee Blank, "fo" I got ter be cap"n, I forgot ter give a Johnny a doze o" med"cine, en I"m doggoned ef the doctor didn"t mek me tek it myse"f. Gee wiz! sech a time ez I had! Hain"t give the doctors no trouble sence."
"All right, Captain Nichol," said Dr. Barnes, quietly, "I understand my duties, and I see that you understand yours. As you say, doctors must be obeyed, and I already see that you won"t make me or yourself any trouble. Good-night, Hobart, I"m in charge now."
"Good-night, Doctor. Mr. Jackson, I"m sure you will carry out Dr.
Barnes" wishes implicitly."