Chapter 1

Thedaybrokegrayanddull.Thecloudshungheavily,andtherewasarawnessintheairthatsuggestedsnow.Awomanservantcameintoaroominwhichachildwassleepinganddrewthecurtains.Sheglancedmechanicallyatthehouseopposite,astuccohousewithaportico,andwenttothechild』sbed.

「Wakeup,Philip,」shesaid.

Shepulleddownthebed-clothes,tookhiminherarms,andcarriedhimdownstairs.Hewasonlyhalfawake.

「Yourmotherwantsyou,」shesaid.

Sheopenedthedoorofaroomonthefloorbelowandtookthechildovertoabedinwhichawomanwaslying.Itwashismother.Shestretchedoutherarms,andthechildnestledbyherside.Hedidnotaskwhyhehadbeenawakened.Thewomankissedhiseyes,andwiththin,smallhandsfeltthewarmbodythroughhiswhiteflannelnightgown.Shepressedhimclosertoherself.

「Areyousleepy,darling?」shesaid.

Hervoicewassoweakthatitseemedtocomealreadyfromagreatdistance.Thechilddidnotanswer,butsmiledcomfortably.Hewasveryhappyinthelarge,warmbed,withthosesoftarmsabouthim.Hetriedtomakehimselfsmallerstillashecuddledupagainsthismother,andhekissedhersleepily.Inamomentheclosedhiseyesandwasfastasleep.Thedoctorcameforwardsandstoodbythebed-side.

「Oh,don』ttakehimawayyet,」shemoaned.

Thedoctor,withoutanswering,lookedathergravely.Knowingshewouldnotbeallowedtokeepthechildmuchlonger,thewomankissedhimagain;

andshepassedherhanddownhisbodytillshecametohisfeet;sheheldtherightfootinherhandandfeltthefivesmalltoes;andthenslowlypassedherhandovertheleftone.Shegaveasob.

「What』sthematter?」saidthedoctor.「You』retired.」

Sheshookherhead,unabletospeak,andthetearsrolleddownhercheeks.Thedoctorbentdown.

「Letmetakehim.」

Shewastooweaktoresisthiswish,andshegavethechildup.Thedoctorhandedhimbacktohisnurse.

「You』dbetterputhimbackinhisownbed.」

「Verywell,sir.」Thelittleboy,stillsleeping,wastakenaway.Hismothersobbednowbroken-heartedly.

「Whatwillhappentohim,poorchild?」

Themonthlynursetriedtoquiether,andpresently,fromexhaustion,thecryingceased.Thedoctorwalkedtoatableontheothersideoftheroom,uponwhich,underatowel,laythebodyofastill-bornchild.Heliftedthetowelandlooked.Hewashiddenfromthebedbyascreen,butthewomanguessedwhathewasdoing.

「Wasitagirloraboy?」shewhisperedtothenurse.

「Anotherboy.」

Thewomandidnotanswer.Inamomentthechild』snursecameback.Sheapproachedthebed.

「MasterPhilipneverwokeup,」shesaid.Therewasapause.Thenthedoctorfelthispatient』spulseoncemore.

「Idon』tthinkthere』sanythingIcandojustnow,」hesaid.「I』llcallagainafterbreakfast.」

「I』llshowyouout,sir,」saidthechild』snurse.

Theywalkeddownstairsinsilence.Inthehallthedoctorstopped.

「You』vesentforMrs.Carey』sbrother-in-law,haven』tyou?」

「Yes,sir.」

「D』youknowatwhattimehe』llbehere?」

「No,sir,I』mexpectingatelegram.」

「Whataboutthelittleboy?Ishouldthinkhe』dbebetteroutoftheway.」

「MissWatkinsaidshe』dtakehim,sir.」

「Who』sshe?」

「She』shisgodmother,sir.D』youthinkMrs.Careywillgetoverit,sir?」

Thedoctorshookhishead.