Pagina 783 de 896

"I always observed that their pride bitterly resented the younger

brother's (as I call him) having crossed swords with a peasant,

and that peasant a boy. The only consideration that appeared to

affect the mind of either of them was the consideration that this

was highly degrading to the family, and was ridiculous. As often

as I caught the younger brother's eyes, their expression reminded

me that he disliked me deeply, for knowing what I knew from the

boy. He was smoother and more polite to me than the elder; but I

saw this. I also saw that I was an incumbrance in the mind of the

elder, too.

"My patient died, two hours before midnight--at a time, by my

watch, answering almost to the minute when I had first seen her.

I was alone with her, when her forlorn young head drooped gently

on one side, and all her earthly wrongs and sorrows ended.