"Louis, I wish you would look at baby before you go; I do not think she
is well to-night."
"What is the matter now? You are always thinking she is ill: she seemed
well enough this morning."
"I don't know. She is restless and uneasy; I wish you would come."
"Of course I will, but I am in a great hurry just now; Mrs. Headley has
sent for me, and old Mr. Growl has another attack. I must go to the
people in the office now, but I will come up to baby before I start."
"Had you not better see baby first? Perhaps you might forget, with so
many people to attend to."
"Forget? Not I. Why, Natalie, how do you think I should ever get on if I
had no better memory than that?"
But he did forget, and was gone when Natalie again sought him.
"I thought it would be so," she sighed. Baby became more and more
uneasy, and moaned and fretted in her sleep. Natalie knelt beside the
bed, and tried to soothe her darling, thinking sadly of the long hours
that would elapse before Louis's return, but all her efforts were in
vain. Izzie did not wake or cry, but this only alarmed Natalie the more.
The deadly palor of her countenance was the only sign of the anguish she
suffered; outwardly, she was very calm. If she could only have done
anything for her pet! but to wait, and watch, not knowing what to do,
this was unendurable; and she was just debating in her own mind if she
ought not to send for another doctor, as Louis might be detained all
night, when she heard him come in. She pressed her cold hands upon her
brow, and ordered Sarah to bring him immediately; while she rose from
her knees, and breathlessly waited for his coming.
"What's the matter with popsy?" he asked, cheerfully, as he entered the
room, but his countenance became grave as his eye rested on the sick
child. "What is this?," he inquired, "why was I not told before? Tut,
tut, what have you been thinking about, Natalie," he added, as he felt
the child's pulse.
"I asked you to come and see her before you went out," Natalie answered,
in an almost inaudible voice.
"Yes, but you did not say that there was anything particularly the
matter." He stooped over the child and examined her more carefully. "She
is seriously ill," he said.
And the words sent a thrill of pain to Natalie's aching heart.
"Why do you treat me in this shameful manner?" he continued bitterly.
"Why let the child go on until it is almost past recovery, and then send
for me in the greatest haste?--just the same way when she had the croup.
I am surprised at you Natalie; it is really quite childish." He ordered
the bath to be brought immediately.
Impatiently waving Natalie aside, he took the child in his arms and put
her into the bath; while Natalie stood by, in speechless agony, Louis
refusing to allow her to assist in any way. How cruel! To have done
anything for her darling would have been an unspeakable relief. As it
was, she could only stand by while he murmured, in a tone which greatly
distressed her "poor little popsy," "Did they neglect papa's darling?"
He would suffer no one to touch her but himself, and what assistance he
did accept was from Sarah, it being into her arms he put baby while he
went for the medicine she required. Poor Natalie, how this grieved her;
for though she took the child from Sarah, the slight was the same. "Oh,
baby, baby!" she murmured, as the burning tears fell on little Isabel's
face, "what should I have left if you were taken from me?"
When Louis returned, he took the child, administered the medicine, and
was about to lay her in the bed.
"Let me take her," whispered Natalie, in a tone of tremulous earnestness
and passionate entreaty.
"No, she is better here," he replied.
"Oh, please, Louis!" she pleaded, but he was firm.
She stood, with clasped hands, silently gazing on the babe with a
strange sensation of awe and dread, and a yearning wish to do something
for her.
"You are not required, Natalie," Louis said, "you had better go to bed."
With a gulp she restrained the rising sob, and stooped to kiss her
darling. "You will only disturb her," he said, putting out his arm to
prevent her doing so. Then Natalie could only steal away to her
dressing-room, and there, alone in the darkness, she crept to the sofa
and hid her face in the cushion, to hush the tumultuous sobs, while she
breathed fervent prayers for baby's recovery. But a horrible dread
surrounded her: she could not endure to be absent from her pet, and
noiselessly she stole back to the nursery. She was glad that Louis did
not observe her entrance, and retreated to the dimmest corner of the
room, and there, in the old arm-chair, listened to baby's uneasy
breathing, which caused her an agony of grief and pain. Yet she could do
nothing but sit and suffer--suffer, oh, how deeply! Thus the night wore
away, and Louis was not aware of her presence until, as the day dawned,
he beheld the wan, wretched face of his poor little wife. Going to her
side, he said, "this is wrong, Natalie; go and rest." She shook her
head. "You must, indeed: you know I have to leave her to you the greater
part of the day, and this is no preparation for the watchful care she
will need."
"She cannot need more care than I will gladly give," returned Natalie,
with trembling lip. Her face wore an expression, so sad--so
suffering--that Louis must, indeed, have been adamant if he had not been
softened. Stroking her hair caressingly, he was about to lead her from
the room with gentle force, when, grasping his hand convulsively, she
said, in an almost inaudible voice, "I cannot, cannot go; have pity,
Louis," she added, raising her tearful eyes to his.
"For an hour or two, and then you shall take care of baby."
"If--if--you would let me kiss her, I will lie down here, but I cannot
leave her," she answered, almost choking.
"You may do that," he said, with a disagreeable sense of the fact that
he had been unkind, to use no harsher term. And he lifted a weight from
Natalie's heart, as he placed a shawl over her, saying, "try to sleep,
dear; you know how much depends upon you," in sweet, modulated tones of
thrilling tenderness, such as Louis knew well how to use--none better,
when it suited him to do so.
It mattered not to little Izzie who tended her for many days; not so,
however, when she began to mend, for now she would suffer none but mamma
to touch her. She would scarcely bear to be put out of her arms. If
Natalie attempted to lay her in the cradle, thinking she slept,
instantly the tiny arms would be clasped round mamma's neck, and she
would take her up again. No more could papa usurp mamma's rights; no
coaxing or persuasion would induce her to allow him to take her. Only
from mamma's hand would she take her medicine. On more than one occasion
Natalie had to be aroused from the little sleep she allowed herself, to
administer it. All this annoyed Louis beyond measure, but he did not
again give way to his temper before the child, except on one occasion.
He had, in the strongest terms, urged upon Natalie the importance of
giving the medicine with regularity. The bottle was empty, and Natalie
sent it down to be filled, but by some means it got mixed with the other
medicines to be sent out, and was not returned to her. She suffered
tortures for the want of it during his absence. When he returned, coming
straight to baby as usual, he learned how it was, and found her worse
for want of it, his indignation was extreme, and he heaped upon Natalie
unjust and unmerited reproach, in harsh and bitter terms. His cruel
words cut her to the heart, but her only answer was a gentle request
that he would get it at once. Truly Isabel had not much to regret.