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for the nurse to do。 I put the bell…rope within reach of her
hand； and I went downstairs again。
〃Half an hour more； as well as I can guess it； passed。 I kept
within hearing of the bell； but it never rang。 I was not quite at
my easewithout exactly knowing why。 That odd； muffled voice in
which she had spoken to me hung on my mind； as it were。 I was not
quite satisfied about leaving her alone for too long a time
togetherand then； again； I was unwilling to risk throwing her
into one of her fits of passion by going back before she rang for
me。 It ended in my venturing into the room on the ground…floor
called the Morning…Room； to consult Mr。 Macallan。 He was usually
to be found there in the forenoon of the day。
〃On this occasion； however； when I looked into the Morning…Room
it was empty。
〃At the same moment I heard the master's voice on the terrace
outside。 I went out； and found him speaking to one Mr。 Dexter； an
old friend of his； and （like Mrs。 Beauly） a guest staying in the
house。 Mr。 Dexter was sitting at the window of his room upstairs
（he was a cripple； and could only move himself about in a chair
on wheels）； and Mr。 Macallan was speaking to him from the terrace
below。
〃'Dexter！' I heard Mr。 Macallan say。 'Where is Mrs。 Beauly？ Have
you seen anything of her？'
〃Mr。 Dexter answered； in his quick； off…hand way of speaking；
'Not I。 I know nothing about her。'
〃Then I advanced； and； begging pardon for intruding； I mentioned
to Mr。 Macallan the difficulty I was in about going back or not
to his wife's room without waiting until she rang for me。 Before
he could advise me in the matter； the footman made his appearance
and informed me that Mrs。 Macallan's bell was then ringingand
ringing violently。
〃It was then close on eleven o'clock。 As fast as I could mount
the stairs I hastened back to the bedroom。
〃Before I opened the door I heard Mrs。 Macallan groaning。 She was
in dreadful pain； feeling a burning heat in the stomach and in
the throat； together with the same sickness which had troubled
her in the early morning。 Though no doctor； I could see in her
face that this second attack was of a far more serious nature
than the first。 After ringing the bell for a messenger to send to
Mr。 Macallan； I ran to the door to see if any of the servants
happened to be within call。
〃The only person I saw in the corridor was Mrs。 Beauly。 She was
on her way from her own room； she said； to inquire after Mrs。
Macallan's health。 I said to her； 'Mrs。 Macallan is seriously ill
again； ma'am。 Would you please tell Mr。 Macallan； and send for
the doctor？' She ran downstairs at once to do as I told her。
〃I had not been long back at the bedside when Mr。 Macallan and
Mrs。 Beauly both came in together。 Mrs。 Macallan cast a strange
look on them （a look I cannot at all describe）； and bade them
leave her。 Mrs。 Beauly； looking very much frightened； withdrew
immediately。 Mr。 Macallan advanced a step or two nearer to the
bed。 His wife looked at him again in the same strange way； and
cried outhalf as if she was threatening him； half as if she was
entreating him'Leave me with the nurse。 Go！' He only waited to
say to me in a whisper； 'The doctor is sent for；' and then he
left the room。
〃Before Mr。 Gale arrived Mrs。 Macallan was violently sick。 What
came from her was muddy and frothy； and faintly streaked with
blood。 When Mr。 Gale saw it he looked very serious。 I heard him
say to himself； 'What does this mean？' He did his best to relieve
Mrs。 Macallan； but with no good result that I could see。 After a
time she seemed to suffer less。 Then more sickness came on。 Then
there was another intermission。 Whether she was suffering or not；
I observed that her hands and feet （whenever I touched them）
remained equally cold。 Also； the doctor's report of her pulse was
always the same'very small and feeble。' I said to Mr。 Gale；
'What is to be done； sir？' And Mr。 Gale said to me； 'I won't take
the responsibility on myself any longer； I must have a physician
from Edinburgh。'
〃The fastest horse in the stables at Gleninch was put into a
dog…cart； and the coachman drove away full speed to Edinburgh to
fetch the famous Doctor Jerome。
〃While we were waiting for the physician； Mr。 Macallan came into
his wife's room with Mr。 Gale。 Exhausted as she was； she
instantly lifted her hand and signed to him to leave her。 He
tried by soothing words to persuade her to let him stay。 No！ She
still insisted on sending him out of her room。 He seemed to feel
itat such a time； and in the presence of the doctor。 Before she
was aware of him； he suddenly stepped up to the bedside and
kissed her on the forehead。 She shrank from him with a scream。
Mr。 Gale interfered； and led him out of the room。
〃In the afternoon Doctor Jerome arrived。
〃The great physician came just in time to see her seized with
another attack of sickness。 He watched her attentively； without
speaking a word。 In the interval when the sickness stopped； he
still studied her； as it were； in perfect silence。 I thought he
would never have done examining her。 When he was at last
satisfied； he told me to leave him alone with Mr。 Gale。 'We will
ring；' he said； 'when we want you here again。'
〃It was a long time before they rang for me。 The coachman was
sent for before I was summoned back to the bedroom。 He was
dispatched to Edinburgh for the second time； with a written
message from Dr。 Jerome to his head servant； saying that there
was no chance of his returning to the city and to his patients
for some hours to come。 Some of us thought this looked badly for
Mrs。 Macallan。 Others said it might mean that the doctor had
hopes of saving her； but expected to be a long time in doing it。
〃At last I was sent for。 On my presenting myself in the bedroom；
Doctor Jerome went out to speak to Mr。 Macallan； leaving Mr。 Gale
along with me。 From that time as long as the poor lady lived I
was never left alone with her。 One of the two doctors was always
in her room。 Refreshments were prepared for them； but still they
took it in turns to eat their meal； one relieving the other at
the bedside。 If they had administered remedies to their patient；
I should not have been surprised by this proceeding。 But they
were at the end of their remedies； their only business the seemed
to be to keep watch。 I was puzzled to account for this。 Keeping
watch was the nurse's business。 I thought the conduct of the
doctors very strange。
〃 By the time that the lamp was lighted in the sick…room I could
see that the end was near。 Excepting an occasional feeling of
cramp in her legs； she seemed to suffer less。 But her eyes looked
sunk in her head； her skin was cold and clammy； her lips had
turned to a bluish paleness。 Nothing roused her nowexcepting
the last attempt made by her husband to see her。 He came in with
Doctor Jerome； looking like a man terror…struck。 She was past
speaking； but the moment she saw him she feebly made signs and
sounds which showed that she was just as resolved as ever not to
let him come near her。 He was so overwhelmed that Mr。 Gale was
obliged to help him out of the room。 No other person was allowed
to see the patient。 Mr。 Dexter and M