I shall take a
long rest now. I hope I shall get strong again. When one is as
delicate as this, life is not worth having."
And then, before I could answer, she stopped suddenly, and looked
across the room at me with dilated eyes.
"Is there any brandy I could have?" she asked, abruptly.
My handbag stood in the corner of the room. There was a flask of
brandy there. In two seconds I had got it out and was beside her
with the traveling-glass half filled.
She took it with a fluttering, uncertain hand, and drank a little,
but not even then did the colour come back to her lips--they were
apart and grey. She set the glass down on the table with a
wandering, undecided movement, and then turned towards me and linked
two ice-cold hands round my neck,--
"Hold me up! I am sinking!" and her head fell heavily against my
shoulder.
I clasped my arm firmly round her waist. I was startled, distressed,
alarmed, but still, even then, I did not think there was any serious
danger. I thought she was hysterical, as she had said; over-
strained, and over-excited. I thought at most this was a fainting
attack. I thought--God knows what I thought. I must have been blind.
She put her hand to her throat, and I saw she wanted air. Supporting
her, I crossed to the window, and stood where the cool night breeze
came blowing in upon her face.
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