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Chapter 14
—Thenewchimney-glasscamehomeforthebackdrawing-room.Carriearrangedsomefansveryprettilyonthetopandoneachside.Itisanimmenseimprovementtotheroom.
January25.—Wehadjustfinishedourtea,whenwhoshouldcomeinbutCummings,whohasnotbeenhereforoverthreeweeks.Inoticedthathelookedanythingbutwell,soIsaid:“Well,Cummings,howareyou?Youlookalittleblue.”Hereplied:“Yes!andIfeelbluetoo.”Isaid:“Why,what’sthematter?”Hesaid:“Oh,nothing,exceptthatIhavebeenonmybackforacoupleofweeks,that’sall.Atonetimemydoctornearlygavemeup,yetnotasoulhascomenearme.NoonehaseventakenthetroubletoinquirewhetherIwasaliveordead.”
Isaid:“ThisisthefirstIhaveheardofit.Ihavepassedyourhouseseveralnights,andpresumedyouhadcompany,astheroomsweresobrilliantlylighted.”
Cummingsreplied:“No!TheonlycompanyIhavehadwasmywife,thedoctor,andthelandlady—thelast-namedhavingturnedoutaperfecttrump.Iwonderyoudidnotseeitinthepaper.IknowitwasmentionedintheBicycleNews.”
Ithoughttocheerhimup,andsaid:“Well,youareallrightnow?”
Hereplied:“That’snotthequestion.Thequestioniswhetheranillnessdoesnotenableyoutodiscoverwhoareyourtruefriends.”
Isaidsuchanobservationwasunworthyofhim.Tomakemattersworse,incameGowing,whogaveCummingsaviolentslapontheback,andsaid:“Hulloh!Haveyouseenaghost?Youlookscaredtodeath,likeIrvinginMacbeth.
