Page:Carroll - Sylvie and Bruno Concluded.djvu/441

XXV] sight of her has been new life to him." And then he went on to tell us, in would-be careless tones——I knew how he hated any display of feeling——how he had insisted on going back to the plague-stricken town, to bring away a man whom the doctor had abandoned as dying, but who might, he fancied, recover if brought to the hospital: how he had seen nothing in the wasted features to remind him of Arthur, and only recognised him when he visited the hospital a month after: how the doctor had forbidden him to announce the discovery, saying that any shock to the over-taxed brain might kill him at once: how he had staid on at the hospital, and nursed the sick man by night and day——all this with the studied indifference of one who is relating the commonplace acts of some chance acquaintance!

"And this was his rival!" I thought. "The man who had won from him the heart of the woman he loved!"

"The sun is setting," said Lady Muriel, rising and leading the way to the open window. "Just look at the western sky! What lovely crimson tints! We shall have a glorious day