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But that evening a bottle of vintage champagne was produced by our obsequious table steward. "With Mr. 'Eathcroft's compliments, sir, thank you, sir," announced the latter. Hephzibah looked at the gilt-topped bottle. "WHAT in the world will we do with it, Hosy?" she demanded. "Why, drink it, I suppose," I answered. "It is the only thing we can do. We can't send it back."
There remained three long hours before it would be time for us to take the cab for the 'Plutonia's' wharf. I suggested another theater, but Hephzy, to my surprise, declined the invitation. "If you don't mind, Hosy," she said, "I guess I'd rather stay right here in the room. I I feel sort of solemn and as if I wanted to sit still and think. Perhaps it's just as well.
As soon as she is well enough to understand what has happened she will want to know what 'proposition' we have to make. And when we tell her we have none to make, she'll probably collapse again. And then and then what shall we do?" "I don't know, Hosy. I declare I don't know." I strode into my own room and slammed the door. "Damn!" said I, with enthusiasm.
Hephzy called to me from the room adjoining mine at twelve that night. "Just think, Hosy!" she cried, "this is the last night either of us will spend on dry land." "Heavens! I hope it won't be as bad as that," I retorted. "Holland is pretty wet, so they say, but we should be able to find some dry spots." She did not laugh. "You know what I mean," she observed.
Again Hephzy and I looked at each other. Without speaking we reached the same conclusion. Hephzy voiced that conclusion. "I guess, Doctor Bayliss," she said, "that the time has come when you had better be told the whole truth, or as much of the whole truth about Frances as Hosy and I know. I'm goin' to tell it to you. It's a kind of long story, but I guess likely you ought to know it."
I lacked the pluck to face the situation. But I could not tell Hephzy this. "Why didn't you tell her?" she repeated. "Oh, bosh!" I exclaimed, impatiently. "This is nonsense and you know it, Hephzy. She'll have to be told and you and I must tell her. DON'T look at me like that. What else are we to do?" Another shake of the head. "I don't know. I can't decide any more than you can, Hosy.
By that time Hephzy was as anxious and fretful as I. And, when I proposed going in search of her, Hephzy, for a wonder, considering how very, very careful she was of my precious health, did not say no. "You're pretty close to bein' as well as ever you was, Hosy," she said. "And I know how terribly worried you are.
"I'm not your cousin, either at least not more than a nineteenth cousin. And if you begin calling me 'Hosy' I shall I don't know what I shall do." "Dear me, how particular you are! Well then, au revoir Kent." When Hephzy came to the study I was still seated in the rector's chair. She was brimful full of curiosity, I know, and ready to ask a dozen questions at once.
My mother's fortune " "But your mother had no fortune." The anticipated scene was imminent. She sprang to her feet, but being too weak to stand, sank back again. Hephzy looked appealingly at me. "Hosy," she cautioned; "Oh, Hosy, be careful! Think how sick she has been." "I am thinking, Hephzy. I mean to be careful. But what I said is the truth, and you know it."
"The curates and the Samsons and everybody. Mr. Cole and his wife are comin' back next week and the servants'll take care of the rectory till they come. Everybody was so glad to see me, and they're goin' to write and everything. I declare! I felt real bad to leave 'em. They're SUCH nice people, these English folks. Aren't they, Hosy." They were and are.
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