Carlyon Sahib Part 22

Well, Elizabeth? [_Not looking up, absently._

ELIZABETH.

[_Standing above him._] Aren't you hard upon her? She did so love her medicine! And she has hardly any of her old light-heartedness left.

CARLYON.

She has got some, and I shall have to take that away. Do you know, Elizabeth, you were light-hearted once?

ELIZABETH.

But you won't make her like me?

CARLYON.

Precisely, except that she'll be cleverer. I suppose you are happy enough at the end of the process?

ELIZABETH.

Oh, _I_ am happy if only I can satisfy you. But she will never quite give herself up.

CARLYON.

Oh yes, she will! Why, already she follows without question every word I speak!

ELIZABETH.

[_Coming round in front of him._] Every spoken word, I should hope so!

But what about your unspoken thoughts and feelings? Oh, you _know_ she will never be like me. Can you bring _her_ in from another room by wis.h.i.+ng for her? Does _she_ come in smiling if you are glad, and sad if you are angry? [CARLYON _shrugs his shoulders_.] Has there ever been any one but me like that?

CARLYON.

[_With a laugh._] Well, Selim for one! And the late Khan of Bhojal for another! However, since you can read my feelings, do you know what is the matter with me to-night?

ELIZABETH.

No, I know that you are troubled.

CARLYON.

I have had letters from Rajpoor; that man Adene has come back across the frontier from Bhojal. And that's not all; read this. [_Gives her a letter._

ELIZABETH.

[_Reading._] Well, when once you let him go----

CARLYON.

A sick half-dying man like that--the chances were enormous against his ever returning.

ELIZABETH.

[_Reading._] What is all this long description of the man who has come back with him? "A huge one-armed Mahometan----"

CARLYON.

[_Repeating from memory._] "With a fixed glazed look as though he were seeing something horrible." Bah! that's enough. [_Takes letter._] And now he is on his way to Koreb at Travancore.

ELIZABETH.

What does it mean? I never knew what you did to Koreb.

CARLYON.

No, but _he_ does!

ELIZABETH.

How can you tell?

CARLYON.

I know the man who is with him. I do not forget that look.

ELIZABETH.

Oh! why won't you let _me_ help you?

CARLYON.

There is no difficulty. I'll have Adene back at once to be operated upon.

ELIZABETH.

Surely he knows that an operation is not possible?

CARLYON.

If Vera writes to him that it _is_ possible, he'll come!

ELIZABETH.

Vera? Oh, do take care! She might obey you in everything else, but you'll have to deceive her about him.

CARLYON.

I shall not deceive her. If she flinches, I shall tell her a little truth.

ELIZABETH.