Page:The Fruit of the Tree (Wharton 1907).djvu/183

Rh themselves to Bessy’s side—passing over at a leap the pained recognition that there were sides already—and Bessy had gathered up Justine into the circle of gentle self-absorption which left her very dimly aware of any distinctive characteristic in her friends except that of their affection for herself—since she asked only, as she appealingly put it, that they should all be “dread- fully fond” of her.

“And I’ve wanted you so often, Justine: you’re the only clever person I’m not afraid of, because your cleverness always used to make things clear instead of confusing them. I’ve asked so many people about you—but I never heard a word till just the other day—wasn’t it odd?—when our new doctor at Rushton happened to say that he knew you. I’ve been rather unwell lately—nervous and tired, and sleeping badly—and he told me I ought to keep perfectly quiet, and be under the care of a nurse who could make me do as she chose: just such a nurse as a wonderful Miss Brent he had known at St. Elizabeth’s, whose patients obeyed her as if she’d been the colonel of a regiment. His description made me laugh, it reminded me so much of the way you used to make me do what you wanted at the convent—and then it suddenly occurred to me that I had heard of your having gone in for nursing, and we compared notes, and I found it was really you! Wasn’t it odd that we should discover each other in that way? [ 167 ]