CHAPTER XVII.--MRS. BURTON VISITS CAROL.
Shortly after the doctor left Carol's room, the maid entered to say theRector was downstairs. Could he come up?
"I will speak with the Rector before he comes upstairs," Mrs. Mandevillesaid, and left the room for that purpose.
The news had reached the Rector that Dr. Burton had been sent for earlythat morning, and he also surmised that the boy must be worse. But theservants had assured him that such was not the case before Mrs.Mandeville joined him in the library.
"What is this I hear about Carol, Emmeline? He is not worse, yet yousent for Dr. Burton before breakfast. I felt quite alarmed."
"We could not understand it, Raymond. I must confess to feeling afraidit was not true. Carol is quite well. Dr. Burton admits it. He saysit is a miracle. Carol says it is Christian Science. Dear Raymond, Iwant to beg you before you see Carol not to say anything to shake hisfaith. It is so beautiful."
"His faith in what? In that heresy called Christian Science, which isneither Science nor Christian?"
"Oh, Raymond, I cannot help thinking you are mistaken in your judgment.I do not, as I told you before, quite understand what Christian Scienceis, but this I know, I have never met a character so Christ-like asCarol's. All day yesterday he lay in such pain from those terriblebruises, and the injury to his spine and head, that we could not movehim in the effort to ease his position without increasing the pain.To-day it is all gone. What has taken it away? He says theChrist--Truth has come to him and healed him. If we believe Jesus'words: 'Lo, I am with you always even to the end of the world'--whyshould it not be true? Cannot the spiritual Christ say as Jesus so oftensaid, 'According to your faith be it unto you'?"
"Of course! But that is not Christian Science."
"Yes, Raymond, that is what Carol seems to have learned from ChristianScience. Heaven to him is not a far-off locality, it is here--all aroundhim, and God is ever-present Love. His one thought--his one desireseems to be to possess that Mind which was also in Christ Jesus. Whatcan you say against such teaching?"
The Rector had evidently nothing to say. He remarked briefly, "If I may,I will go up and see the boy now. I am pressed for time."
"Yes, Raymond, he will be pleased to see you."
She let him go alone, and did not afterwards inquire what had passedbetween the boy and his uncle.
Later in the day Mrs. Mandeville took Percy to Carol's room. The boyhad begged so frequently to be allowed to see his cousin. "Just to tellhim I am sorry," he said.
Carol had forgotten all about it.
"Sorry for what, dear Percy?" he inquired, when Percy, in falteringaccents, asked to be forgiven.
"Oh, I think I remember now, Percy, you said something that was notquite kind, but I knew at the time that you did not mean it. So whyshould we remember any more about it?"
"You are just the bravest fellow I know, Carol. I have told all theboys at school how you stood and faced the bull. They think atremendous lot of you for it. So it won't matter when you come with usif you can't play football or cricket. You will be the hero of theschool."
Then Mrs. Mandeville left the boys together for a little while. Percywas only too delighted to be able to tell Carol of all that washappening at school, the matches that had been played, and those thatwere to come off shortly.
When Mrs. Burton called that same afternoon, she expressed her greatdesire to see and talk with Carol. Mrs. Mandeville readily assented,remarking that she felt sure Carol would be delighted to see her. Asthere were other visitors present, she was not able to accompany herherself. A maid therefore conducted her to Carol's room. Nurse wassitting with him. As Mrs. Burton intimated that she had come to have alittle talk with Master Carol, she left the room.
"Eloise sends her love to you, dear Carol. She is so happy to know youare so wonderfully better. We feared so much that you, too, might becrippled for life, as she has been, by a fall. The spinal concussioncaused her to lose the use of her legs. We have consulted the firstspecialists, but they have never been able to do anything for her. Whenthe doctor told me this morning how miraculously you have been healed, Ifelt I must come and ask you to tell me something about it. Tell me,dear Carol, what is Christian Science?"
The boy looked up, but not at Mrs. Burton. That far-away dreamy lookcame to his eyes, which his cousins knew so well. It was such a bigquestion to try to answer. It seemed minutes before he spoke. Then hesaid: "I think Christian Science means knowledge--a knowledge of God;and as we gain this knowledge we draw nearer to Him. Cousin Alicia usedto tell me we are all God's children, but we have wandered so far awayfrom Him. We are prodigals, dwelling in that far country where we arefed, like the swine, on husks. Christian Science just teaches us theway back to our Father's house; and as we find the road and walk in it,we lose the evils that tormented us. Jesus was our elder brother whonever left his Father's house. Although he lived on earth, it was stillhis Father's house, because he lived always in the consciousness ofgood. And that is what we have to try to do. It seemed easier when Iwas with Cousin Alicia."
There was just a note of sadness and regret in the boy's voice.
"What a beautiful thought, Carol, 'living in the consciousness of good.'But, dear, how can we do it, with sickness, sorrow, and sin, all around?When I look at my wee girlie, I can never know joy or happiness; heryoung life to be so cruelly blighted through the carelessness of a maid.Every child I see running about free and happy is like a dagger in myheart, as I know that she should be the same."
"When Cousin Alicia came from America after my mother's death, I wasvery ill, and the doctors said I could never be better. But she knewthat I could. She said, 'You are God's child, dear Carol, and all God'schildren are spiritual, and therefore perfect. Awake from this dream ofsuffering and pain.' Every day she used to talk to me, until she led meto understand what it is to live in the consciousness of good, and thenI was well."
"Oh, Carol, it seems too wonderful to be true! Do you think thatsomething might be done for my little girl?"
"Why, of course. I am sure if you will take her to my home, CousinAlicia will teach her as she taught me. She is always so happy to teachpeople about Christian Science. Shall I write and tell her you will takeEloise to her?"
"Thank you, dear Carol, but I think, perhaps, before you write, I mustask Dr. Burton. If he is willing, I will gladly take my little girl toMiss Desmond."
Mrs. Burton did not stay much longer. On leaving, she tenderly kissedCarol. "Dear boy, you have given me hope. You cannot think what it hasbeen to a mother's heart to be so long hopeless," she said.
The little crippled Eloise was watching from her nursery window for hermother's return. Mrs. Burton went straight to her.
"Have you seen Carol, Mother?" she asked.
"Yes, darling, and I have had such a sweet talk with him. He has mademe so happy. I seem to see you running about like other children."
"Oh, Mother, wouldn't that be lovely! And is he really well?"
"It seems so, dear. Mrs. Mandeville is keeping him quietly in his ownroom to-day. But he seemed so well and happy. He wants me to take youinto Devonshire to stay with his cousin. He says she will teach us whatshe has taught him--and then--Oh, Eloise, my darling, you, too, would bewell and strong, no longer a little crippled girl."
"What is it, Mother, that he has been taught?"
"It seems something so wonderful and beautiful, dear. He says thatdwelling in the consciousness of good is dwelling in our Father's house,but, like the prodigal son in the parable, we have wandered away intothat far country where all sorts of evils can befall us. My girlie, wewill try to find our way together into this happy understanding of goodwhich causes the fetters to fall. I will speak to Father to-night andask him to let me take you."
"Do--_do_, please, Mother."
Mrs. Burton waited that evening until it was past the hour for patientsto call at the surgery. Then she went to her husband's consulting-room.
The doctor was sitting at his desk, an open letter before him. His penwas in his hand, but he was not writing. The answer to the letterseemed to require much thought. It was only partly written.
"Are you very busy, dear?" Mrs. Burton said, softly twining one armaround his neck. She was almost nervous. It was a great request she wasabout to proffer. She did not quite know how it would be received.
"Not particularly, love, if you want anything. What is it?"
"I want to tell you I had a beautiful talk with Carol this afternoon,and he is so kind as to ask me to take Eloise to stay with his cousin athis home in Devonshire, that she--that she might teach us what she hastaught him. You know, dear, we have done everything we can--there is noother hope for her."
"And you think there may be hope in this--Christian Science?"
"I feel sure of it--since I have seen Carol."
The doctor smiled. The humor of the situation struck him. He pointedto the open letter on his desk.
"That letter," he said, "is from the Vicar of B-- asking me to give inhis Parish Room the lecture which I gave at B--."
"Oh!" There was an accent of pain in Mrs. Burton's voice. "You are notgoing to?"
"Why do you object? The lecture was well received, you remember."
"Yes, but even at the time when the people laughed and applauded, itseemed to hurt me. I couldn't help thinking if these people, who callthemselves Christian Scientists, believe so absolutely in the Christhealing, it was what the early Christians believed, and practised, andthey were persecuted. When Christ spoke to Saul of Tarsus, he did notsay, 'Why persecutest thou my followers?' He said 'Why persecutest thou_me_?'
"So I felt that night that the laughter and ridicule of all in the roomwere as stones thrown not at people, but at the Christ. Don't tell me,dear, that you are going to give that lecture again."
"I am not. That boy's radiant face would come between me and anyaudience I might think to address. I have commenced a letter to theVicar, telling him I feel I cannot lecture on the subject again."
"And I may take Eloise to Willmar Court?"
"You may. Should she regain the use of her legs, as a result of thevisit, I will espouse the Cause I once derided. After witnessingCarol's marvellous recovery, it does not seem impossible."