He wrote a telegram to Lord
Rivercourt, sent the house-physician for his electrical apparatus, and
returned to the bedside. He looked at his patient. He had not remarked
her hitherto more than other women of his acquaintance, though he had
sometimes sat at her father's table; but now he was moved by a beauty
which was enhanced by helplessness--a beauty stamped with a calm
disregard of itself--the manifest expression of a noble and loving soul,
which had lived above the plane of doubt and fear and gusty passion. Her
wealth of lustrous black hair lay abroad upon her pillow, and made an
admirable setting for her finely-modelled head and neck. As he looked at
this excellent presentment, and thought of the intelligence and activity
which had been wont to animate it, resentment rose in him against the
man who, for whatever end, had subdued the noble woman to that
condition, and a deep impatience penetrated him that he had not
discovered--had even scarcely guessed--the purpose or the method of the
subjugation!
It was, however, not speculation but action that was needed then.
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