Richard Forrest, Bachelor — page 131: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

122 --MARRIAGE AND DEATH. woman around you—some one beside your maid, I mean— I told him to suggest a person who would be the right sort of a companion for you. He says he knows no one better than the nurse who was sent to take care of your father. Did you notice her?”’ ‘‘Not particularly. Iremember she seemed kind and gen- tle and had a very pretty face. ”’ ‘“Yes, Doctor Lambert knows about her personally. She is well educated and quite a lady in every respect. ° “But why is it necessary for me to have her with me?”’ asked Gertrude, languidly. ‘‘I would much prefer not. She will only be in the way.’’ “Oh, no; on the other hand, I think she may prove quite useful. You’ve always had your aunt around you to look after you, you know, and there are a hundred little things she will be able to do for you which I would cut a sorry fizure in even attempting,’’ responded Arthur, gayly. Doctor Lambert had especially warned him against al- lowing his wife to learn that he was worried about her, but with the usual blunt truthfulness of a successful physician he had informed him that it might be many months before she would entirely recover the strength and health she had lost. Her constitution had given way under the severe strain to which it had been subjected and only by careful watching and tender nursing could she be restored to any- thing like her former self. Arthur’s position was a very difficult one, and sometimes, when he saw his wife lying there so indifferent, with colorless cheeks and heavy eyes, the shadow of the blooming girl he had led to the altar so short a time before, he could have cried aloud in his an- guish. Yet for her sake he must assume a cheerfulness which was a hollow mockery. She was fading away day CORMIC IOOKES3.aEO