Even Nancy Howard had been forced to admit that the Good Sainte Anne had earned her money. Excitement had not been lacking, during the past two days. It was one thing to come to her father’s aid with an offer to play nurse; it was quite another matter to give several hours of each day to the whims14 of a man who was as unused to pain as he was to the thwarting15 of his plans. Nancy had expected a playful bit of masquerade. She promptly16 discovered that she was doomed17 to work as she had never worked before. She had informed Barth that it was her custom to leave all financial arrangements in the hands of the doctor. She had no idea what value it might have pleased her father to set upon her services. She had a very distinct idea, however, that, whatever the value, she fully18 earned it. Arrogant19 and desponding, masterful and peevish20 by turns, Cecil Barth was no easy patient. Accustomed all his life to being served, he now had less notion than ever of lifting a finger to serve himself. Moreover, Nancy Howard had a rooted objection to being smoked at. Her objection was based upon chivalry21, not antipathy22 to nicotine23; nevertheless, it was active and permanent. She only regained24 her lost poise25, when she tried to reduce to systematic26 orthography27 the unspellable accent of her patient, most of all that prolonged Oh-er, raahther! which appeared to represent his superlative degree of comparison.
“Oh, nurse?”
Barth’s voice met her on the threshold, as, capped with a bit of lawn and covered with an ample apron28 from the wardrobe of Madame Gagnier, she opened the door of the invalid’s room.
“Yes, sir.”
“I thought you would never come back.”
“You have needed something?”
“Yes. The room is too warm, and I think it is time for the rubbing.”
“Not for fifteen minutes,” Nancy answered calmly. “I told you I would be back in time.”
“Yes. But it is so warm here.”
“Why didn’t you call Madame Gagnier to open a window?”
“Because she is so very clumsy. Please open it now.”
Nancy repressed a sudden longing29 to cross the room on her heels. Barth was sitting up, that day; but the lines around his lips and the brilliant patch of scarlet30 on either cheek betrayed the fact that the past two days had worn upon him.
“Is your foot aching now?” she asked, as she returned to her seat.
“Yes, intensely. Do you suppose that doctor knows how to treat it?”
Nancy’s eyes flashed.
“He ought to,” she answered shortly.
Barth turned argumentative.
“It is not a question of obligation; it is a mere31 matter of training and experience,” he observed.
“He is the best doctor in the city,” Nancy persisted.
“In Quebec?”
“No; at home.”
For the dozenth time since his catastrophe33, Barth regretted the loss of his glasses. Nancy’s tone betrayed her irritation34. Unable to see her face distinctly, he was also unable to fathom35 the cause of her displeasure. He peered at her dubiously36 for a moment; then he dropped back in his chair.
“Very likely,” he agreed languidly. “Now will you please move the foot-rest a very little to the right?”
“So?”
“Yes. Thank you, nurse.”
“Is there anything else?”
“My pipe, please; and then if you wouldn’t mind reading aloud for a time.”
Nancy did mind acutely; but she took up the book with an outward showing of indifference38, while Barth composed himself to smoke and doze32 at his pleasure.
For a long hour, Nancy read on and on. Now and then she glanced out at the sunshiny lawn beneath the window; now and then she looked up at her patient, wondering if he would never bid her cease. In spite of her rebellion at her captivity39, however, she was forced to admit that Barth had his redeeming40 traits. His faults were of race and training; his virtues41 were his own and wholly likable. Moreover, in all essential points, he was a gentleman to the very core of his soul and the marrow42 of his bones.
“‘Still of more moment than all these cures, are the graces which God has given, and continues to give every day, through the intercession of good Sainte Anne, to many a sinner for conversion43 to better life.’” Nancy’s quiet contralto voice died away, and M. Morel’s old story dropped from her hands. Barth’s eyes were closed, and she decided44 that he had dropped to sleep; but his voice showed her mistake.
“It’s a queer old story. Do you believe it all, nurse?”
“Yes, and no. I doubt the epilepsy and paralysis46; it remains47 to be seen about the conversions48 to a better life.”
“I suppose one could tell by following up the cases,” Barth said thoughtfully.
Barth took a prolonged pull at his pipe.
“But it’s not so easy to follow up cases two hundred and fifty years old,” he suggested.
Nancy laughed.
“No; I’ll content myself with the modern ones.”
“Do you suppose there are any modern ones?”
“Oh, yes. The priests claim that there are several new cases, every year.”
“And you can get on the track of them?” he asked, with a sudden show of interest.
“Surely. I have my eye on one of them now,” Nancy responded gravely.
“A Sainte Anne miracle?”
“Yes.”
“Tell me where it is?” he urged.
She shook her head.
“I can’t. It concerns somebody besides myself,” she replied, with a decision which he felt it would be useless to question.
There was a prolonged pause. It was Barth who broke it.
“Strange we never heard of the place at home!” he said reflectively.
“How long since you came here?” Nancy asked, rather indifferently.
“Two weeks.”
“And you like it?”
“For a change. It is a change from the ’Varsity, though.”
“Which was your university?” she inquired, less from any interest in the answer than because she could see that her patient was in an autobiographical frame of mind, and even her brief experience of mankind had taught her to let such moods have their way.
“Kings, at Cambridge. I was at Eton before that.”
“What sent you out here?”
“Ranching. My brother went in for the army, and we didn’t care to have two of a kind in the same family.”
“I haven’t any yet. I am stopping in Quebec for the winter, and I shall go out, early in the spring.”
“Is Quebec a pleasant place?” she asked, as she crossed the room to the window and stood looking out at the river beneath.
“It’s rather charming, only I don’t know anybody there.”
“Why don’t you get acquainted, then?”
“How can I? I brought some letters; but the people have moved to Vancouver.”
“Yes; but they aren’t the only people in Quebec.”
“Of course not; but I don’t know any of the others.”
“But you can?”
“Why, talk to them, do the things they do—oh, just get acquainted; that’s all,” the girl answered, with some impatience53.
He raised his brows inquiringly. It was not the first time that Nancy had been annoyed by the expression.
“Talk to people, before you have been introduced to them?”
“Yes. Why not?”
“No reason; only it’s not our way.”
“Whose way?”
“The way we English people do.”
“Oh, what a Britisher you are!” she said, with a momentary54 impatience that led her to forget her self-imposed r?le as hireling.
His lips straightened.
“Certainly. Why not?” he asked quietly.
Baffled, she attempted another line of attack.
“But you were never introduced to me,” she told him.
“Oh, no.”
“And you talk to me.”
“Yes. But that is different.”
“How different?” she demanded.
“You are my nurse.”
Her color came hotly.
“I wasn’t at first.”
But the door banged sharply, and Barth found himself alone with his ankle and with his thoughts.
“Where is the nurse?” he asked Dr. Howard, a long hour later.
“She went out for a walk.”
“Again?”
“Yes. Have you needed her?”
“Not exactly; but—” Barth hesitated. Then, like the honest Englishman he was, he went straight to the point. “The fact is, doctor, I am afraid I said something that vexed57 her. I didn’t mean to; I really had no idea of annoying her. I should dislike to hurt her feelings, for she has been very good to me.”
For the first time in their acquaintance, Dr. Howard could confess to a liking58 for his patient. Nevertheless, he only nodded curtly59, as he said,—
“You couldn’t have had a better or more loyal nurse.”
According to her custom, Nancy remained on duty, that evening, until nine o’clock. Then she moved softly up and down, setting the room in order for the night. Barth had been lying quiet, staring idly up at the mammoth60 shadow of Madame Gagnier, rocking to and fro just outside the door. Then, as Nancy paused beside him, he turned to face her.
“Can I do anything more, sir?” she asked, with the gentle seriousness which marked her moods now and then.
“Nothing, thank you. I am quite comfortable.”
“I am glad. I hope you may have a quiet night.”
“Thank you. I hope I may. You have been very good to me, nurse, and—” his speech hurried itself a little; “I appreciate it. As I understand, your wa—salary is paid through the doctor; but perhaps some little thing that—”
His gesture was too swift and sure to be avoided. The next instant, Nancy Howard found herself stalking out of the room with blazing cheeks and with a shining golden guinea clasped in the hot palm of her left hand.
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1
pier
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| n.码头；桥墩，桥柱；[建]窗间壁，支柱 | |
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2
juts
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| v.（使）突出( jut的第三人称单数 )；伸出；（从…）突出；高出 | |
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3
scraps
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| 油渣 | |
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mighty
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| adj.强有力的；巨大的 | |
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guise
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| n.外表，伪装的姿态 | |
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relics
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| [pl.］n.遗物，遗迹，遗产；遗体，尸骸 | |
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shrine
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| n.圣地，神龛，庙；v.将...置于神龛内，把...奉为神圣 | |
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8
dismantled
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| 拆开( dismantle的过去式和过去分词 )； 拆卸； 废除； 取消 | |
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proprietors
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| n.所有人，业主( proprietor的名词复数 ) | |
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inventory
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| n.详细目录，存货清单 | |
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11
virgin
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| n.处女，未婚女子；adj.未经使用的；未经开发的 | |
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12
impersonal
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| adj.无个人感情的，与个人无关的，非人称的 | |
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13
cleansing
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| n. 净化(垃圾) adj. 清洁用的 动词cleanse的现在分词 | |
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14
WHIMS
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| 虚妄，禅病 | |
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15
thwarting
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| 阻挠( thwart的现在分词 )； 使受挫折； 挫败； 横过 | |
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16
promptly
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| adv.及时地，敏捷地 | |
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doomed
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| 命定的 | |
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fully
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| adv.完全地，全部地，彻底地；充分地 | |
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arrogant
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| adj.傲慢的，自大的 | |
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20
peevish
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| adj.易怒的，坏脾气的 | |
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21
chivalry
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| n.骑士气概，侠义；（男人）对女人彬彬有礼，献殷勤 | |
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22
antipathy
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| n.憎恶；反感，引起反感的人或事物 | |
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nicotine
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| n.(化)尼古丁，烟碱 | |
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24
regained
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| 复得( regain的过去式和过去分词 )； 赢回； 重回； 复至某地 | |
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25
poise
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| vt./vi. 平衡，保持平衡；n.泰然自若，自信 | |
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26
systematic
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| adj.有系统的，有计划的，有方法的 | |
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orthography
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| n.拼字法，拼字式 | |
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apron
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| n.围裙；工作裙 | |
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29
longing
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| n.（for）渴望 | |
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30
scarlet
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| n.深红色，绯红色，红衣；adj.绯红色的 | |
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31
mere
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| adj.纯粹的；仅仅，只不过 | |
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32
doze
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| v.打瞌睡；n.打盹，假寐 | |
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33
catastrophe
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| n.大灾难，大祸 | |
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34
irritation
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| n.激怒，恼怒，生气 | |
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35
fathom
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| v.领悟，彻底了解 | |
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36
dubiously
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| adv.可疑地，怀疑地 | |
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37
pointed
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| adj.尖的，直截了当的 | |
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38
indifference
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| n.不感兴趣，不关心，冷淡，不在乎 | |
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39
captivity
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| n.囚禁；被俘；束缚 | |
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40
redeeming
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| 补偿的，弥补的 | |
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41
virtues
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| 美德( virtue的名词复数 )； 德行； 优点； 长处 | |
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42
marrow
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| n.骨髓；精华；活力 | |
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43
conversion
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| n.转化，转换，转变 | |
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44
decided
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| adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的 | |
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45
mischief
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| n.损害，伤害，危害；恶作剧，捣蛋，胡闹 | |
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46
paralysis
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| n.麻痹(症)；瘫痪(症) | |
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47
remains
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| n.剩余物，残留物；遗体，遗迹 | |
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48
conversions
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| 变换( conversion的名词复数 )； （宗教、信仰等）彻底改变； （尤指为居住而）改建的房屋； 橄榄球（触地得分后再把球射中球门的）附加得分 | |
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49
incisive
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| adj.敏锐的，机敏的，锋利的，切入的 | |
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50
ranch
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| n.大牧场，大农场 | |
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51
assented
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| 同意，赞成( assent的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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52
queried
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| v.质疑，对…表示疑问( query的过去式和过去分词 )；询问 | |
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53
impatience
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| n.不耐烦，急躁 | |
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54
momentary
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| adj.片刻的，瞬息的；短暂的 | |
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55
repented
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| 对（自己的所为）感到懊悔或忏悔( repent的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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56
spoke
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| n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说 | |
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57
vexed
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| adj.争论不休的；（指问题等）棘手的；争论不休的问题；烦恼的v.使烦恼( vex的过去式和过去分词 )；使苦恼；使生气；详细讨论 | |
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58
liking
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| n.爱好；嗜好；喜欢 | |
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59
curtly
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| adv.简短地 | |
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60
mammoth
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| n.长毛象；adj.长毛象似的，巨大的 | |
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