CHAPTER XXV. MARK HORTON RELENTS.

 After having mailed the letter to Gertrude from Lakewood, Homer Bulson returned to New York to complete his plans for the future.

 

Evening found him at his uncle's mansion¹, as smiling as ever, with nothing to betray the wicked thoughts which were in his mind.

 

Mr. Mark Horton had changed greatly. He was very feeble, his face was pinched, and his hair was fast growing white.

 

He had had two doctors waiting upon him, but neither of them had been able to make him well.

 

His malady² baffled all their science, and despite their most carefully administered medicines he grew steadily³ worse.

 

"I cannot understand the case," said one physician to the other. "I was never so bothered in my life."

 

"It is certainly strange," answered the other. "I shall make a report on the case before the[Pg 191] fraternity. Ordinarily this man should grow better quickly. He has no organic trouble whatever."

 

As Mark Horton grew more feeble he longed for Gertrude, remembering how she had ministered to him day and night.

 

"How goes it, uncle?" asked Homer Bulson, as he entered the room in which Mark Horton sat in an easy-chair.

 

"I am very weak, Homer. I don't think I shall ever be better. It is not because I fear death, for I have little to live for. But Gertrude——" He did not finish.

 

"She treated you badly, uncle, after all you had done for her."

 

"I am afraid that I was the one that was to blame."

 

"You? You were too indulgent, that was the trouble. She used to have her way in everything."

 

"Have you heard anything of her yet, Homer?"

 

"I think she went to Boston."

 

"To Boston? Do you know if she had much money?"

 

"I do not."

 

"Did she go alone?"

 

"I believe not. That actor got a position[Pg 192] with some traveling company, and I think she went with the company, too."

 

"It is too bad! I do not wish her to throw her whole life away in this fashion. I wish she were here. Won't you write to her?"

 

"I would if I had the address."

 

"But you can find out where the theatrical⁴ company is, can't you?"

 

"The company went to pieces after visiting Boston."

 

"Then she must be in want," groaned⁵ Mark Horton. "If you cannot write to her, you can at least advertise for her in the Boston papers."

 

"I'll do that, if you wish it."

 

"I do, Homer. Tell her to return—that all will be forgiven. I am fairly dying to see the child again."

 

At this latter remark Homer Bulson drew down the corners of his mouth. But the dim light in the room hid his features from his uncle's gaze.

 

At this moment the servant came to the door.

 

"The nurse is here," she said.

 

"Oh, all right!" exclaimed Bulson. "Send her up."

 

"The new nurse," said Mark Horton wearily[Pg 193]. "They simply bother me. Not one of them does as well as did Gertrude."

 

Presently a middle-aged⁶ woman came in, dressed in the outfit⁷ of a trained nurse. She bowed to both men.

 

"You are the nurse Dr. Barcomb said he would send?" said Homer Bulson, as he eyed her sharply.

 

"Yes, sir."

 

"What is your name, please?"

 

"Mrs. Mary Conroy."

 

"As the doctor sent you, I suppose it is all right. You have had sufficient experience?"

 

"Plenty, sir; plenty! What is the matter with the gentleman?"

 

"Nervous debility."

 

"That is too bad. I nursed one patient with it."

 

"Did he recover?" questioned Mark Horton, with a slight show of interest.

 

"He did, sir."

 

"Then there may be hope for me, Mrs. Conroy?"

 

"Certainly there is hope," put in Homer Bulson, with a hypocritical smile.

 

"I'll do my best by you, sir," said Mrs. Conroy pleasantly.

 

"Thank you."

 

[Pg 194]

 

"You had better give my uncle a little wine," put in Bulson. "He needs it as a tonic⁸."

 

"I do not care much for the wine," said Mark Horton. "It does not seem to strengthen as it should."

 

"You would be weaker still if you didn't have it, uncle."

 

The wine was brought and the retired⁹ merchant took a small glass of it.

 

"Won't you drink with me, Homer?" asked the invalid¹⁰.

 

"Thank you, uncle, but I bought this especially for your own use, and you must have it all."

 

A private conversation, lasting¹¹ the best part of an hour, followed, and then Bulson took his leave.

 

When Bulson was gone Mrs. Conroy came in again, having been to the room assigned to her by the housekeeper¹². She found the retired merchant sitting with his chin in his hands, gazing moodily¹³ into the small grate fire which was burning before him.

 

"Is there anything I can do for your comfort, Mr. Horton?" she questioned sympathetically.

 

"I don't know," he returned, with a long drawn¹⁴ sigh.

 

[Pg 195]

 

"Perhaps I can read the paper to you?" she suggested.

 

"No; I don't care to listen. I am tired."

 

"Would you like to retire?"

 

"Not yet. I cannot sleep."

 

"Have you any medicine to put you to sleep, sir? I must ask the doctor all particulars to-morrow."

 

"He has given me some powders, but they do not help me. At times my brain seems to be on fire while my heart is icy cold."

 

"Let me shake your pillows for you." She did so, and tried to make him otherwise comfortable.

 

"Thank you, that is better," he remarked, as he sank back and closed his eyes. "It is hard to be alone in the world."

 

"You are alone then."

 

"Almost. Mr. Bulson, who was just here, is my nephew. My wife is dead, my son gone, and my niece, who lived with me up to a few months ago, has left me."

 

"It is too bad."

 

"In one way it is my own fault. I drove my niece from my house by my harshness. I sincerely wish she was back."

 

"If it was your fault, as you say, why not send for her?"

 

[Pg 196]

 

"I do not know where to send. Mr. Bulson heard she went to Boston, and he is going to advertise for her in some Boston papers. Poor Gertrude!"

 

"That was her name?"

 

"Yes, Gertrude Horton. She was my brother's child. I wanted her to marry my nephew, and we had a bitter quarrel, and after that there was a robbery, and—but I am satisfied now that Gertrude was innocent."

 

"Why, it seems to me I've heard something of this before!" exclaimed the nurse. "The story came to me through a friend who knows an old woman who keeps a fruit-and-candy stand on the Bowery. She said the girl was driven away from home because her uncle wanted her to marry a man she didn't want, and because the uncle thought she had robbed his safe—she and a boy who happened to call at the house about that time."

 

"It must be my Gertrude!" said Mark Horton. "And did she marry that actor fellow?"

 

"He wasn't an actor. He's a newsdealer—keeps a stand with a man, somewhere uptown; and he's not old enough to marry."

 

"And the girl—what of her?"

 

"I heard she was supporting herself by teaching the piano."

 

[Pg 197]

 

"Is it possible! Do you know where she is?"

 

"I don't know. But I think I can find out."

 

"Then you must do so—to-morrow morning," returned Mark Horton. "Gertrude may still be in New York! Pray Heaven she will come back to me!"

 

1 mansion   

n.大厦，大楼；宅第

参考例句：

• The old mansion was built in 1850.这座古宅建于1850年。
• The mansion has extensive grounds.这大厦四周的庭园广阔。

2 malady   

n.病，疾病(通常做比喻)

参考例句：

• There is no specific remedy for the malady.没有医治这种病的特效药。
• They are managing to control the malady into a small range.他们设法将疾病控制在小范围之内。

3 steadily   

adv.稳定地；不变地；持续地

参考例句：

• The scope of man's use of natural resources will steadily grow.人类利用自然资源的广度将日益扩大。
• Our educational reform was steadily led onto the correct path.我们的教学改革慢慢上轨道了。

4 theatrical   

adj.剧场的，演戏的；做戏似的，做作的

参考例句：

• The final scene was dismayingly lacking in theatrical effect.最后一场缺乏戏剧效果，叫人失望。
• She always makes some theatrical gesture.她老在做些夸张的手势。

5 groaned   

v.呻吟( groan的过去式和过去分词 )；发牢骚；抱怨；受苦

参考例句：

• He groaned in anguish. 他痛苦地呻吟。
• The cart groaned under the weight of the piano. 大车在钢琴的重压下嘎吱作响。 来自《简明英汉词典》

6 middle-aged   

adj.中年的

参考例句：

• I noticed two middle-aged passengers.我注意到两个中年乘客。
• The new skin balm was welcome by middle-aged women.这种新护肤香膏受到了中年妇女的欢迎。

7 outfit   

n.（为特殊用途的）全套装备，全套服装

参考例句：

• Jenney bought a new outfit for her daughter's wedding.珍妮为参加女儿的婚礼买了一套新装。
• His father bought a ski outfit for him on his birthday.他父亲在他生日那天给他买了一套滑雪用具。

8 tonic   

n./adj.滋补品，补药，强身的，健体的

参考例句：

• It will be marketed as a tonic for the elderly.这将作为老年人滋补品在市场上销售。
• Sea air is Nature's best tonic for mind and body.海上的空气是大自然赋予的对人们身心的最佳补品。

9 retired   

adj.隐退的，退休的，退役的

参考例句：

• The old man retired to the country for rest.这位老人下乡休息去了。
• Many retired people take up gardening as a hobby.许多退休的人都以从事园艺为嗜好。

10 invalid   

n.病人，伤残人；adj.有病的，伤残的；无效的

参考例句：

• He will visit an invalid.他将要去看望一个病人。
• A passport that is out of date is invalid.护照过期是无效的。

11 lasting   

adj.永久的，永恒的；vbl.持续，维持

参考例句：

• The lasting war debased the value of the dollar.持久的战争使美元贬值。
• We hope for a lasting settlement of all these troubles.我们希望这些纠纷能获得永久的解决。

12 housekeeper   

n.管理家务的主妇，女管家

参考例句：

• A spotless stove told us that his mother is a diligent housekeeper.炉子清洁无瑕就表明他母亲是个勤劳的主妇。
• She is an economical housekeeper and feeds her family cheaply.她节约持家，一家人吃得很省。

13 moodily   

adv.喜怒无常地；情绪多变地；心情不稳地；易生气地

参考例句：

• Pork slipped from the room as she remained staring moodily into the distance. 阿宝从房间里溜了出来，留她独个人站在那里瞪着眼睛忧郁地望着远处。 来自辞典例句
• He climbed moodily into the cab, relieved and distressed. 他忧郁地上了马车，既松了一口气，又忧心忡忡。 来自互联网

14 drawn   

v.拖，拉，拔出；adj.憔悴的，紧张的

参考例句：

• All the characters in the story are drawn from life.故事中的所有人物都取材于生活。
• Her gaze was drawn irresistibly to the scene outside.她的目光禁不住被外面的风景所吸引。