CHAPTER 30
LESLIE DECIDES
A sudden outbreak of a virulent type of influenza at the Glen and downat the fishing village kept Gilbert so busy for the next fortnight thathe had no time to pay the promised visit to Captain Jim. Anne hopedagainst hope that he had abandoned the idea about Dick Moore, and,resolving to let sleeping dogs lie, she said no more about the subject.But she thought of it incessantly.
"I wonder if it would be right for me to tell him that Leslie cares forOwen," she thought. "He would never let her suspect that he knew, soher pride would not suffer, and it MIGHT convince him that he shouldlet Dick Moore alone. Shall I--shall I? No, after all, I cannot. Apromise is sacred, and I've no right to betray Leslie's secret. Butoh, I never felt so worried over anything in my life as I do over this.It's spoiling the spring--it's spoiling everything."
One evening Gilbert abruptly proposed that they go down and see CaptainJim. With a sinking heart Anne agreed, and they set forth. Two weeksof kind sunshine had wrought a miracle in the bleak landscape overwhich Gilbert's crow had flown. The hills and fields were dry andbrown and warm, ready to break into bud and blossom; the harbor waslaughter-shaken again; the long harbor road was like a gleaming redribbon; down on the dunes a crowd of boys, who were out smelt fishing,were burning the thick, dry sandhill grass of the preceding summer.The flames swept over the dunes rosily, flinging their cardinal bannersagainst the dark gulf beyond, and illuminating the channel and thefishing village. It was a picturesque scene which would at other timeshave delighted Anne's eyes; but she was not enjoying this walk.Neither was Gilbert. Their usual good-comradeship and Josephiancommunity of taste and viewpoint were sadly lacking. Anne'sdisapproval of the whole project showed itself in the haughty uplift ofher head and the studied politeness of her remarks. Gilbert's mouthwas set in all the Blythe obstinacy, but his eyes were troubled. Hemeant to do what he believed to be his duty; but to be at outs withAnne was a high price to pay. Altogether, both were glad when theyreached the light--and remorseful that they should be glad.
Captain Jim put away the fishing net upon which he was working, andwelcomed them joyfully. In the searching light of the spring eveninghe looked older than Anne had ever seen him. His hair had grown muchgrayer, and the strong old hand shook a little. But his blue eyes wereclear and steady, and the staunch soul looked out through them gallantand unafraid.
Captain Jim listened in amazed silence while Gilbert said what he hadcome to say. Anne, who knew how the old man worshipped Leslie, feltquite sure that he would side with her, although she had not much hopethat this would influence Gilbert. She was therefore surprised beyondmeasure when Captain Jim, slowly and sorrowfully, but unhesitatingly,gave it as his opinion that Leslie should be told.
"Oh, Captain Jim, I didn't think you'd say that," she exclaimedreproachfully. "I thought you wouldn't want to make more trouble forher."
Captain Jim shook his head.
"I don't want to. I know how you feel about it, Mistress Blythe--justas I feel meself. But it ain't our feelings we have to steer bythrough life--no, no, we'd make shipwreck mighty often if we did that.There's only the one safe compass and we've got to set our course bythat--what it's right to do. I agree with the doctor. If there's achance for Dick, Leslie should be told of it. There's no two sides tothat, in my opinion."
"Well," said Anne, giving up in despair, "wait until Miss Cornelia getsafter you two men."
"Cornelia'll rake us fore and aft, no doubt," assented Captain Jim."You women are lovely critters, Mistress Blythe, but you're just a miteillogical. You're a highly eddicated lady and Cornelia isn't, butyou're like as two peas when it comes to that. I dunno's you're anythe worse for it. Logic is a sort of hard, merciless thing, I reckon.Now, I'll brew a cup of tea and we'll drink it and talk of pleasantthings, jest to calm our minds a bit."
At least, Captain Jim's tea and conversation calmed Anne's mind to suchan extent that she did not make Gilbert suffer so acutely on the wayhome as she had deliberately intended to do. She did not refer to theburning question at all, but she chatted amiably of other matters, andGilbert understood that he was forgiven under protest.
"Captain Jim seems very frail and bent this spring. The winter hasaged him," said Anne sadly. "I am afraid that he will soon be going toseek lost Margaret. I can't bear to think of it."
"Four Winds won't be the same place when Captain Jim 'sets out tosea,'" agreed Gilbert.
The following evening he went to the house up the brook. Anne wandereddismally around until his return.
"Well, what did Leslie say?" she demanded when he came in.
"Very little. I think she felt rather dazed."
"And is she going to have the operation?"
"She is going to think it over and decide very soon."
Gilbert flung himself wearily into the easy chair before the fire. Helooked tired. It had not been an easy thing for him to tell Leslie.And the terror that had sprung into her eyes when the meaning of whathe told her came home to her was not a pleasant thing to remember.Now, when the die was cast, he was beset with doubts of his own wisdom.
Anne looked at him remorsefully; then she slipped down on the rugbeside him and laid her glossy red head on his arm.
"Gilbert, I've been rather hateful over this. I won't be any more.Please just call me red-headed and forgive me."
By which Gilbert understood that, no matter what came of it, therewould be no I-told-you-so's. But he was not wholly comforted. Duty inthe abstract is one thing; duty in the concrete is quite another,especially when the doer is confronted by a woman's stricken eyes.
Some instinct made Anne keep away from Leslie for the next three days.On the third evening Leslie came down to the little house and toldGilbert that she had made up her mind; she would take Dick to Montrealand have the operation.
She was very pale and seemed to have wrapped herself in her old mantleof aloofness. But her eyes had lost the look which had hauntedGilbert; they were cold and bright; and she proceeded to discussdetails with him in a crisp, business-like way. There were plans to bemade and many things to be thought over. When Leslie had got theinformation she wanted she went home. Anne wanted to walk part of theway with her.
"Better not," said Leslie curtly. "Today's rain has made the grounddamp. Good-night."
"Have I lost my friend?" said Anne with a sigh. "If the operation issuccessful and Dick Moore finds himself again Leslie will retreat intosome remote fastness of her soul where none of us can ever find her."
"Perhaps she will leave him," said Gilbert.
"Leslie would never do that, Gilbert. Her sense of duty is verystrong. She told me once that her Grandmother West always impressedupon her the fact that when she assumed any responsibility she mustnever shirk it, no matter what the consequences might be. That is oneof her cardinal rules. I suppose it's very old-fashioned."
"Don't be bitter, Anne-girl. You know you don't think itold-fashioned--you know you have the very same idea of sacredness ofassumed responsibilities yourself. And you are right. Shirkingresponsibilities is the curse of our modern life--the secret of all theunrest and discontent that is seething in the world."
"Thus saith the preacher," mocked Anne. But under the mockery she feltthat he was right; and she was very sick at heart for Leslie.
A week later Miss Cornelia descended like an avalanche upon the littlehouse. Gilbert was away and Anne was compelled to bear the shock ofthe impact alone.
Miss Cornelia hardly waited to get her hat off before she began.
"Anne, do you mean to tell me it's true what I've heard--that Dr.Blythe has told Leslie Dick can be cured, and that she is going to takehim to Montreal to have him operated on?"
"Yes, it is quite true, Miss Cornelia," said Anne bravely.
"Well, it's inhuman cruelty, that's what it is," said Miss Cornelia,violently agitated. "I did think Dr. Blythe was a decent man. Ididn't think he could have been guilty of this."
"Dr. Blythe thought it was his duty to tell Leslie that there was achance for Dick," said Anne with spirit, "and," she added, loyalty toGilbert getting the better of her, "I agree with him."
"Oh, no, you don't, dearie," said Miss Cornelia. "No person with anybowels of compassion could."
"Captain Jim does."
"Don't quote that old ninny to me," cried Miss Cornelia. "And I don'tcare who agrees with him. Think--THINK what it means to that poorhunted, harried girl."
"We DO think of it. But Gilbert believes that a doctor should put thewelfare of a patient's mind and body before all other considerations."
"That's just like a man. But I expected better things of you, Anne,"said Miss Cornelia, more in sorrow than in wrath; then she proceeded tobombard Anne with precisely the same arguments with which the latterhad attacked Gilbert; and Anne valiantly defended her husband with theweapons he had used for his own protection. Long was the fray, butMiss Cornelia made an end at last.
"It's an iniquitous shame," she declared, almost in tears. "That'sjust what it is--an iniquitous shame. Poor, poor Leslie!"
"Don't you think Dick should be considered a little too?" pleaded Anne.
"Dick! Dick Moore! HE'S happy enough. He's a better behaved and morereputable member of society now than he ever was before.
"Why, he was a drunkard and perhaps worse. Are you going to set himloose again to roar and to devour?"
"He may reform," said poor Anne, beset by foe without and traitorwithin.
"Reform your grandmother!" retorted Miss Cornelia. "Dick Moore got theinjuries that left him as he is in a drunken brawl. He DESERVES hisfate. It was sent on him for a punishment. I don't believe the doctorhas any business to tamper with the visitations of God."
"Nobody knows how Dick was hurt, Miss Cornelia. It may not have beenin a drunken brawl at all. He may have been waylaid and robbed."
"Pigs MAY whistle, but they've poor mouths for it," said Miss Cornelia."Well, the gist of what you tell me is that the thing is settled andthere's no use in talking. If that's so I'll hold my tongue. I don'tpropose to wear MY teeth out gnawing files. When a thing has to be Igive in to it. But I like to make mighty sure first that it HAS to be.Now, I'll devote MY energies to comforting and sustaining Leslie. Andafter all," added Miss Cornelia, brightening up hopefully, "perhapsnothing can be done for Dick."