Throughout the day, under his wife's watchful eye, he failed of the naps
he tried for, and he had to own himself as haggard, when night came
again, as the fondest anxiety of a wife could pronounce a husband. He
could not think of his talk with old Hilbrook without an anguish of
brain exhaustion; and yet he could not help thinking of it. He realized
what the misery of mere weakness must be, and the horror of not having
the power to rest. He wished to go to bed before the hour when Hilbrook
commonly appeared, but this was so early that Ewbert knew he should
merely toss about and grow more and more wakeful from his premature
effort to sleep. He trembled at every step outside, and at the sound of
feet approaching the door on the short brick walk from the gate, he and
his wife arrested themselves with their teacups poised in the air.
Ewbert was aware of feebly hoping the feet might go away again; but the
bell rang, and then he could not meet his wife's eye.
"If it is that old Mr. Hilbrook," she said to the maid in transit
through the room, "tell him that Mr. Ewbert is not well, but _I_ shall
be glad to see him," and now Ewbert did not dare to protest. His
forebodings were verified when he heard Hilbrook asking for him, but
though he knew the voice, he detected a difference in the tone that
puzzled him.
His wife did not give Hilbrook time to get away, if he had wished,
without seeing her; she rose at once and went out to him. Ewbert heard
her asking him into the library, and then he heard them in parley there;
and presently they came out into the hall again, and went to the front
door together. Ewbert's heart misgave him of something summary on her
part, and he did not know what to make of the cheerful parting between
them. "Well, I bid you good-evening, ma'am," he heard old Hilbrook say
briskly, and his wife return sweetly, "Good-night, Mr. Hilbrook. You
must come soon again."
"You may put your mind at rest, Clarence," she said, as she reëntered
the dining room and met his face of surprise. "He didn't come to make a
call; he just wanted to borrow a book,--Physical Theory of another
Life."
"How did you find it?" asked Ewbert, with relief.
"It was where it always was," she returned indifferently. "Mr. Hilbrook
seemed to be very much interested in something you said to him about it.
I do believe you _have_ done him good, Clarence; and now, if you can
only get a full night's rest, I shall forgive him. But I hope he won't
come _very_ soon again, and will never stay so late when he does come.
Promise me you won't go near him till he's brought the book back!"