Nurse Elisia Part 14

"My dear Elthorne, would to Heaven I could say that there is a doubt.

There is none. You know there is none."

Neil uttered a low groan.

"It comes hard from one who feels toward you as I do, my dear brother,"

said the old man gently; "but we doctors and surgeons can have no concealment from each other. Your examination must have shown you that the spine is hopelessly injured."

"Yes, yes," groaned Neil; "but I clung to the hope that I might be wrong. Then you can give me no hope?"

"Yes, I can do that. With careful nursing you may save his life, and he may have many years before him. There will be little physical suffering, and fortunately for him, being a wealthy man, he can palliate much of this by attendants and the many contrivances our mechanicians have invented for the benefit of the injured. It is a terrible case, but nothing compared to what it would be if some poor breadwinner had suddenly been stricken down--a case such as we have seen hundreds of times. Your father has everything to soften the hards.h.i.+p, and, above all, the love of his children."

"Then you feel that nothing more can be done?"

"Frankly, nothing. It is the greatest kindness to tell you so, Elthorne. As you well know, the treatment is of the simplest. Time, and a thoroughly good, trustworthy nurse. There is the prescription that forty years of earnest study have taught me to offer you."

"Yes," said Neil, after a pause, "I felt all this--thanks to your teachings. Poor old father!" he continued as if to himself; "so full of vitality, so determined and energetic, so full of plans, and in an instant all at an end."

"Oh, no," said Sir Denton. "You must look at the brighter side of the accident, my dear fellow. He will--I am speaking plainly--he will be utterly paralysed in his lower limbs, but in all probability the mental faculties will be sharpened, and from what I have seen of your father I should say he will be more energetic and active than ever."

"Thank you," said Neil warmly; "thank you--"

"Now go and break the bad news to your people at once, and all of you face the worst. You are spared a great deal. You know as well as I do that his accident might have meant a few hours' hopeless struggle against death and then the end."

"Yes, yes," said Neil. "You are right, and I will try--we will all try--to face the trouble as we should. But you will stay the night and see him in the morning."

"No, I can do no good. You will act in everything exactly as I should, and there are others waiting in agony for my return."

"But--"

"You know in your heart what I say is just, my dear Elthorne. Come, pupil, your old master trusts you," said the surgeon, taking his hand.

"Forget for the time being that the patient is a relative; sink everything in the scientific aspects of the case; do your duty, and trust yourself. Now, G.o.d bless you, and good-bye."

He grasped the young surgeon's hands warmly and turned to go, but stopped short.

"I shall get someone to come and lend me a hand, so that you can stay down here as long as is necessary, but you will be able to come up for a day or two at the end of a week. Of course the first thing is to send you down an efficient nurse. Everything will depend upon her, as you know."

"Yes," said Neil huskily, and he walked out into the hall.

"I will not ask to see your sister or your aunt, Elthorne. My kindest regards, and I hope to renew my friends.h.i.+p with them at some happier time."

He stepped into the waiting fly and looked at his watch.

"Tell him to drive fast, and I shall just catch the last up-train.

Good-bye."

The wheels grated on the gravel drive, and the sounds were dying away as Neil turned to find that the drawing-room door had opened.

Isabel ran to him and threw her arms about his neck, trying vainly to speak, as he held her to his breast, while her eyes looked imploringly into his.

"What does he say, Neil?" said Alison huskily. "Tell us the worst."

"The worst," replied Neil gloomily.

"Then he will die?" cried Alison excitedly.

"No, no."

"But he has gone so soon. Don't keep it back, man. He said he could do nothing?"

"He said that with care our father will live, but--"

He stopped short for a few moments and a sigh that was almost a groan escaped him.

"The poor old dad. Al," he said softly, "I am afraid he will be a hopeless cripple if the knowledge of his state does not kill him right off."

"What's that? What's the matter?" cried Alison sharply, as the door opened and the butler appeared. "We are engaged."

"Beg pardon, sir," said the man. "Mrs Barnett, sir, rang the bell.

Master wants Mr Neil directly."

"O Neil, he is worse," sobbed Isabel; and, as her brother hurried out of the room and across the hall, she followed, and they all entered together, just as Aunt Anne was coming to summon them, her ruddy face looking blanched and strange in places, while her eyes were wide open and she seemed to have been scared.

"Pray come to him, my dear," she whispered. "He frightens me."

"What is that?" said Mr Elthorne sharply. "What is the meaning of that whispering? Am I to lie here without any attention because I have had a bit of a fall? Here, Neil, quick. It is disgraceful. Anne--Isabel-- you can go. I want to talk to Neil." Isabel crept deprecatingly to the speaker's side and bent down to kiss him.

He responded to her kiss, and then seemed annoyed with himself, as if he considered his conduct weak.

"There, there," he cried. "Don't hang about me, my dear. You make me hot. There is nothing much the matter. Go and nurse up your aunt, and try to teach her to be sensible."

"Oh, papa, dear!"

"Now, don't you begin to be absurd too. I'm hurt and in pain. Let me ask you one question--Is it likely to do me good to have a foolish woman sitting close to me soaking her pocket handkerchief?"

"Ralph, dear, I was only sympathetic," cried Aunt Anne.

"I don't want sympathy," cried Mr Elthorne. "I want help. I want you to go now. Shut the door after them, Alison. You can stop. Now," he continued angrily, as soon as they were alone, and he fixed his eyes fiercely upon his elder son's, "you chose to be a doctor, sir, and I gave way unwillingly. I studied no expense, and you have gone on studying up your profession. But, once for all, if I am to take any of your a.s.sistance, I warn you that I will have none of the tricks of your trade played upon me."

"My dear father, pray be calm," said Neil anxiously.

"Did you hear what I said, sir? Be calm! Am I not calm? There you are bringing out all your medical stock in trade--medical cant to bear."

Neil looked at him anxiously, and saw that he was wild in his manner, and that there was a curiously excited glare in his eyes which troubled him a good deal, and affected his words as he replied.

"Now," cried his father, "tell me at once, what did Sir Denton say?"

"That you must be kept perfectly quiet, sir, and be troubled by nothing exciting."