"She was the most splendid lady you could wish to see, Sir Charles," the
stolid creature finished with. "Her servants worshipped her--and if
Mr. Verdayne is ill now, he is ill for no less than a Queen"'
This fact comforted Tompson greatly, but Paul's father found in it no
consolation.
The difficulty had been to prevent his mother from descending upon
them. She must ever be kept in ignorance of this episode in her son's life.
She belonged to the class of intellect which could never have
understood. It would have been an undying shock and horrified grief to the
end of her life--excellent, loving, conventional lady!
So after the first terrible danger was over, Sir Charles made light of
their son's illness. Paul and he were enjoying Venice, he said, and would
soon be home. "D--d hard luck the boy getting fever like this!" he wrote
in his laconic style, "but one never could trust foreign countries'
drains!"
And the Lady Henrietta waited in unsuspecting, well-bred patience.
Those were weary days for every one concerned. It wrung his father's heart
to see Paul prostrate there, as weak as an infant. All his splendid youth
and strength conquered by this raging blast. It was sad to have to listen
to his ever-constant moan:
"Darling, come back to me--darling, my Queen.
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