Next morning Mrs. Costello and Lucia prepared to return to the Cottage.
They were to remain there till the following evening, and then Mr.
Bellairs proposed to drive them down to the first village below Cacouna
at which the steamboats called, that they might there embark for Moose
Island, instead of being obliged to do so at the Cacouna wharf, where
they were certain to meet inquisitive acquaintances. But a short time
before they were to leave their friends, Doctor Hardy called.
He asked to see Mrs. Costello, and was taken into the small room where
Mrs. Bellairs usually passed her mornings. No one else was present, and
he told her at once that he had called to ask her assistance in an
affair which he feared would be painful to her.
She smiled gravely. "I am too grateful to you, doctor," she said, "not
to be pleased that you should have anything to ask."
"I don't know," he went on, "whether Mr. Bellairs has told you the
details of Clarkson's death--I mean as to what appeared to influence him
in making his confession?"
"No," she answered, rather wondering what this could have to do with
her.
"I think," the doctor proceeded, "that for all his brutality in other
respects, Clarkson was a good husband, and as fond of his wife and
children as if he had been a model of virtue. At all events, his last
thought was of his wife; and I rashly promised to see that she did not
suffer on his account. But I can't keep my promise without help."
He paused, not at all sure how Mrs. Costello might feel on the subject;
and whether all that she and her husband had suffered might have
completely embittered her towards the whole family of the murderer.
"Certainly," she answered, "it would be very hard to punish the innocent
for the guilty; and I have heard nothing but good of Mrs. Clarkson."
The doctor felt relieved.
"I believe there is nothing but good that could be told of her," he said
warmly. "I have known something of her for a long time, and there is not
a more decent, respectable woman in the township. It is a mystery how
she ever married that wretched fellow; but after she had married him she
was a good wife, and did what little she could to keep him out of
mischief. What is strangest of all, however, is, that she is almost
heart broken, poor soul, not for his wickedness, but for his death."
"Poor thing! But the circumstances of his death must have made it more
horrible to her?"
"It is a mercy that she does not seem to have understood that. She is
very ill, and seems not to have had time to think yet--except that she
has a vague idea that her children will starve."
"They shall not do that. You shall tell me what to do for them--that is
my affair."
"Thank you. I thought you would feel for her. But the plan I have in my
mind depends chiefly on Mrs. Morton, and I feel that it is asking a
great deal to expect _her_ to do anything."
"It is indeed. I should be almost afraid to speak to her on the
subject."
"If she had had her way, I imagine, matters would never have been so bad
between Doctor Morton and Clarkson. I know she was inclined to be
indulgent--perhaps too indulgent--when this poor woman came to her about
their rent."
"She is very kind hearted. But after her goodness has been so cruelly
abused, how can one expect her now to be even just? But, indeed, you
have not yet told me what you wish her to do?"
"I should like to get permission for the widow and children to stay
where they are through the winter. The poor woman is very ill; she had a
baby born yesterday morning, which is, happily, not likely to live, and
at present, I believe, it is just the thought of her children that keeps
her alive. She can't at the best be moved for some weeks, and I think if
Mrs. Morton could know how she is really situated, she could not help
wishing to spare her more trouble."
"I dare say you are right, and that you do Mrs. Morton more justice
than I do. But Lucia might be able to help us; do you mind taking her
into our councils?"
"Quite the contrary; pray consult her."
Mrs. Costello opened the drawing-room door and called Lucia. Then she
explained to her shortly the doctor's wishes, and asked whether Bella
had ever alluded in their conversations to Mrs. Clarkson.
"Yes; two or three times," Lucia answered. "She heard somehow yesterday
that she was ill, and told me. She is very sorry for her, and I think
she would be glad to do anything she can."
"Thank you, Miss Costello; you will help me, I see," cried Doctor Hardy,
delighted.
Mrs. Costello smiled, "You had better leave it in Lucia's hands,
doctor," she said. "But tell me first whether there is anything in
particular that we can do? Is Mrs. Clarkson too ill to see any one?"
"That depends very much upon who it is. Anybody who could relieve her
mind about those unfortunate children of hers would do her good."
"Perhaps I may go over then, if we have good news for her."
The doctor said good-morning, and went away, tolerably satisfied that
his promise to the dying man would be fulfilled without further trouble
on his part.
"When women take up a thing of that sort," he meditated, "they seldom do
it by halves. Now I would venture to bet something handsome that all
these three, who have cause, if ever women had, to hate the very name of
Clarkson, will be just as kind and pitiful to that poor thing as if she
were the only sufferer among them. _She's_ all right, if we can but get
her on her legs again."
This opinion was not altogether a mistaken one. Lucia went immediately
to Bella and told her simply that Doctor Hardy was much concerned about
Mrs. Clarkson, and that she herself was going to Beaver Creek to see
what could best be done for the poor woman and her family. A quiver
passed over Mrs. Morton's face. She could not yet quite free herself
from the impulse of revenge which would have held her back from help and
pity; she had the natural feeling which Mrs. Costello had half
unconsciously imputed to her, that she ought to be the last to console
the widow and children of the murderer; such feelings, however had but
a momentary power over her; the idea which was most at home in her mind
and took root to the extinction of the others, was just the simple
womanly one that there was somebody in deep trouble whom she could help.
She said shortly and without any exclamations or questions, "I will go
with you; Elise wants Bob to take your mamma home, and it will take us
too long to walk, so I will send down to Lane's at once for a sleigh.
Tell Mrs. Costello, Lucia, and then get ready."
There was nothing for anybody to say against Bella's going. She had
always been decided and independent in her doings, and since her
widowhood nobody thought of advising or persuading her. Mrs. Bellairs
looked grave when she heard of this expedition, and took an opportunity
of begging Lucia, to try to prevent any exciting scene, and to insist
upon coming home again immediately; but even she said nothing to her
sister.
The two sleighs came to the door at the same time, and as Mrs. Costello
and Mrs. Bellairs drove off towards the cottage, Bella and Lucia started
in the opposite direction. They had not much to say to each other on the
way; and both, as they passed the fatal spot where the murder had been
committed affected to be occupied with their own thoughts, that they
might neither meet each other's eyes nor seem to remember where they
were. They soon began to pass along the white and scarcely-trodden track
which ran beside the creek. All was silent and desolate. The water,
almost black by contrast with the snow, washed against the bank with a
dull monotonous sound just audible; the fishing-hut had been transformed
into a great heap of snow, and the branches, heavily laden, hung quite
motionless under the cold grey sky. Not a sign of life appeared till
they came in sight of the log-house and the light curl of smoke from its
chimney. Neither had seen the place before--to Lucia, indeed, it had
possessed no interest till the events of the last month or two, and she
looked out with the sort of shuddering curiosity which is naturally
excited by the place where we know a great crime to have been hidden in
the daily life of the inhabitants. But Bella remembered many small
incidents connected with this fatal property of hers--and if a wish
could have brought those dark sullen waters to cover the whole farm and
hide it out of sight and memory, they would have risen that moment. Yet,
after all, the unchangeable fact of _her_ suffering and sorrow was no
reason for others suffering; she put aside for the present all the pangs
of personal feeling, and prepared to go into the house with a face and
manner fit for her mission.
When they reached it, all was so very still inside that they hesitated
to knock; and while they paused, the woman who had undertaken the office
of nurse, and who had seen the sleigh arrive, softly opened the door and
admitted them. She pointed to the bed to show them that her patient was
asleep; and they sat down to wait for her waking. The house contained
but one room, with a small lean-to which served the purpose of a back
kitchen, and made it possible for the other apartment to have that look
of almost dainty cleanliness and order which the visitors noticed. No
attempt had ever been made to hide the logs, of which the walls were
built. A line of plaster between each kept out the wind, and gave a
curious striped appearance to the inside. The floor was of boards,
unplaned, but white as snow, and partly covered by a rag carpet. In the
middle of the room stood the stove, and a small table near it. An
old-fashioned chest of drawers of polished oak, a dresser of pine wood
and some rush-seated chairs had their places against the walls; but in
the further corner stood the chief piece of furniture, and the one which
drew the attention of the visitors with the most powerful attraction. It
was a large clumsy four-post bedstead, hung with blue and white homespun
curtains, and covered with a gay patchwork quilt. The curtains on both
sides were drawn back, and the face and figure of the sleeper were in
full view. She lay as if under the influence of a narcotic, so still
that her breathing could scarcely be distinguished. Two or three days of
intense suffering had given her the blanched shrunken look which
generally comes from long illness; her face, comely and bright in
health, was sunk and pallid, with black marks below the closed eyes; one
hand stretched over the covers, held all through her sleep that of a
little girl, her eldest child, who was half kneeling on a chair, half
lying across the bed, with her head resting on the pillow. At the foot
of the bed stood a wooden cradle--the covering disarranged and partly
fallen on the floor, while the poor little baby, wrapped in an old
blanket, lay in the nurse's arms, and now and then feebly cried, or
rather moaned, as if it were almost too weak to make its complaint
heard. A boy of about six sat in a low seat silently busy with a knife
and a piece of wood; and a younger girl, tired of the sadness and
constraint around, had climbed upon a chair, and resting one arm on the
dresser, laid her round rosy cheek on it, and fallen asleep.
Mrs. Morton and Lucia were both strangers to the nurse. She merely
understood that they had come with some kind intentions towards her
charge, and when she had put chairs for them near the stove and seen
them sit down to wait, she returned to her occupation of rocking and
soothing the poor little mite she held in her arms.