She was sorry for Victoria, sorry for
herself, and more miserable than ever. Her nerves were rasped by an
intolerable irritation as she looked at the girl, and felt that her
thoughts were being read. She had a hideous feeling, almost an
impression, that her face had been lifted off like a mask, and that the
workings of her brain were open to her sister's eyes, like the exposed
mechanism of a clock.
"Noura has brought some food for you," she went on hastily. "You must
eat a little, before you go to bed--to please me."
"I will," Victoria assured her. "You mustn't worry about me at all."
"You'll go to sleep, won't you?--or would you rather talk--while you're
eating, perhaps?"
The girl looked at the woman, and saw that her nerves were racked; that
she wanted to go, but did not wish her sister to guess.
"You've talked too much already," Victoria said. "The surprise of my
coming gave you a shock. Now you must rest and get over it, so you can
be strong for to-morrow. Then we'll make up our minds about everything."
"There's only one way to make up our minds," Saidee insisted, dully.
Victoria did not protest. She kissed her sister good-night, and gently
refused help from Noura. Then Saidee went away, followed by the negress,
who softly closed the door between the two rooms. Her mistress had not
told her to do this, but when it was done, she did not say, "Open the
door." Saidee was glad that it was shut, because she felt that she could
think more freely.
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