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aroused by the bell。 He heard what Mrs。 Macallan said to me about
the composing draught； and made no remark upon it。 It seemed to
me that he was alarmed at his wife's faintness。 I suggested that
she should take a little wine； or brandy and water。 She answered
that she could swallow nothing so strong as wine or brandy；
having a burning pain in her stomach already。 I put my hand on
her stomachquite lightly。 She screamed when I touched her。
〃This symptom alarmed us。 We went to the village for the medical
man who had attended Mrs。 Macallan during her illness： one Mr。
Gale。
〃The doctor seemed no better able to account for the change for
the worse in his patient than we were。 Hearing her complain of
thirst； he gave her some milk。 Not long after taking it she was
sick。 The sickness appeared to relieve her。 She soon grew drowsy
and slumbered。 Mr。 Gale left us； with strict injunctions to send
for him instantly if she was taken ill again。
〃Nothing of the sort happened； no change took place for the next
three hours or more。 She roused up toward half…past nine and
inquired about her husband。 I informed her that he had returned
to his own room； and asked if I should send for him。 She said
'No。' I asked next if she would like anything to eat or drink。
She said 'No' again； in rather a vacant； stupefied way； and then
told me to go downstairs and get my breakfast。 On my way down I
met the housekeeper。 She invited me to breakfast with her in her
room； instead of in the servants' hall as usual。 I remained with
the housekeeper but a short timecertainly not more than half an
hour。
〃Coming upstairs again； I met the under…housemaid sweeping on one
of the landings。
〃The girl informed me that Mrs。 Macallan had taken a cup of tea
during my absence in the housekeeper's room。 Mr。 Macallan's valet
had ordered the tea for his mistress by his master's directions。
The under…housemaid made it； and took it upstairs herself to Mrs。
Macallan's room。 Her master； she said； opened the door when she
knocked； and took the tea…cup from her with his own hand。 He
opened the door widely enough for her to see into the bedroom；
and to notice that nobody was with Mrs。 Macallan but himself。
〃After a little talk with the under…housemaid； I returned to the
bedroom。 No one was there。 Mrs。 Macallan was lying perfectly
quiet； with her face turned away from me on the pillow。
Approaching the bedside； I kicked against something on the floor。
It was a broken tea…cup。 I said to Mrs。 Macallan； 'How comes the
tea…cup to be broken； ma'am？' She answered； without turning
toward me； in an odd； muffled kind of voice； 'I dropped it。'
'Before you drank your tea； ma'am？' I asked。 'No；' she said； 'in
handing the cup back to Mr。 Macallan； after I had done。' I had
put my question； wishing to know； in case she had spilled the tea
when she dropped the cup； whether it would be necessary to get
her any more。 I am quite sure I remember correctly my question
and her answer。 I inquired next if she had been long alone。 She
said； shortly； 'Yes； I have been trying to sleep。' I said； 'Do
you feel pretty comfortable？' She answered； 'Yes；' again。 All
this time she still kept her face sulkily turned from me toward
the wall。 Stooping over her to arrange the bedclothes； I looked
toward her table。 The writing materials which were always kept on
it were disturbed； and there was wet ink on one of the pens。 I
said； 'Surely you haven't been writing； ma'am？' 'Why not？' she
said； 'I couldn't sleep。' 'Another poem？' I asked。 She laughed to
herselfa bitter； short laugh。 'Yes；' she said； 'another poem。'
'That's good；' I said； 'it looks as if you were getting quite
like yourself again。 We shan't want the doctor any more to…day。'
She made no answer to this； except an impatient sign with her
hand。 I didn't understand the sign。 Upon that she spoke again；
and crossly enough； too'I want to be alone； leave me。'
〃I had no choice but to do as I was told。 To the best of my
observation； there was nothing the matter with her； and nothing
for the nurse to do。 I put the bell…rope within reach of her
hand； and I went downstairs again。
〃Half an hour more； as well as I can guess it； passed。 I kept
within hearing of the bell； but it never rang。 I was not quite at
my easewithout exactly knowing why。 That odd； muffled voice in
which she had spoken to me hung on my mind； as it were。 I was not
quite satisfied about leaving her alone for too long a time
togetherand then； again； I was unwilling to risk throwing her
into one of her fits of passion by going back before she rang for
me。 It ended in my venturing into the room on the ground…floor
called the Morning…Room； to consult Mr。 Macallan。 He was usually
to be found there in the forenoon of the day。
〃On this occasion； however； when I looked into the Morning…Room
it was empty。
〃At the same moment I heard the master's voice on the terrace
outside。 I went out； and found him speaking to one Mr。 Dexter； an
old friend of his； and （like Mrs。 Beauly） a guest staying in the
house。 Mr。 Dexter was sitting at the window of his room upstairs
（he was a cripple； and could only move himself about in a chair
on wheels）； and Mr。 Macallan was speaking to him from the terrace
below。
〃'Dexter！' I heard Mr。 Macallan say。 'Where is Mrs。 Beauly？ Have
you seen anything of her？'
〃Mr。 Dexter answered； in his quick； off…hand way of speaking；
'Not I。 I know nothing about her。'
〃Then I advanced； and； begging pardon for intruding； I mentioned
to Mr。 Macallan the difficulty I was in about going back or not
to his wife's room without waiting until she rang for me。 Before
he could advise me in the matter； the footman made his appearance
and informed me that Mrs。 Macallan's bell was then ringingand
ringing violently。
〃It was then close on eleven o'clock。 As fast as I could mount
the stairs I hastened back to the bedroom。
〃Before I opened the door I heard Mrs。 Macallan groaning。 She was
in dreadful pain； feeling a burning heat in the stomach and in
the throat； together with the same sickness which had troubled
her in the early morning。 Though no doctor； I could see in her
face that this second attack was of a far more serious nature
than the first。 After ringing the bell for a messenger to send to
Mr。 Macallan； I ran to the door to see if any of the servants
happened to be within call。
〃The only person I saw in the corridor was Mrs。 Beauly。 She was
on her way from her own room； she said； to inquire after Mrs。
Macallan's health。 I said to her； 'Mrs。 Macallan is seriously ill
again； ma'am。 Would you please tell Mr。 Macallan； and send for
the doctor？' She ran downstairs at once to do as I told her。
〃I had not been long back at the bedside when Mr。 Macallan and
Mrs。 Beauly both came in together。 Mrs。 Macallan cast a strange
look on them （a look I cannot at all describe）； and bade them
leave her。 Mrs。 Beauly； looking very much frightened； withdrew
immediately。 Mr。 Macallan advanced a step or two nearer to the
bed。 His wife looked at him again in the same strange way； and
cried outhalf as if she was threatening him； half as if she was
entreating him'Leave me with the nurse。 Go！' He only waited to
say to me in a whisper； 'The doctor is sent for；' and then he
left the room。
〃Before Mr。 Gale arrived Mrs。 Macallan was violently sick。 What
came from her was muddy and frothy； and faintly streaked with
blood。 When Mr。 Gale saw it he looked very serious。 I heard him
say to himself； 'What does this mean？' He did his best to relieve
Mrs。 Macallan； but with no good result that I could see。 After a
time she seemed to suffer less。 Then more sickness came on。 Then
there was another intermission。 Whether she was suffering or not；
I observed that her hands and feet （whenever I touched them）
remained equally cold。 Also； the doctor's report of her pulse was
always the same'very small and feeble。' I said to Mr。 Gale；
'What is to be done； sir？' And Mr。 Gale said to me； 'I won't take
the responsibility on myself any longer； I must have a physician
from Edinburgh。'
〃The fastest horse in the stables at Gleninch was put into a
dog…cart； and the coachman drove away full speed to Edinburgh to
fetch the famous Doctor Jerome。
〃While we were waiting for the physician； Mr。 Macallan came into
his wife's room with Mr。 Gale。 Exhausted as she was； she
instantly lifted her hand and signed to him to leave her。 He
tried by soothing words to persuade her to let him stay。 No！ She
still insisted on sending him out of her room。 He seemed to feel
itat such a time； and in the presence of the doctor。 Before she
was aware of him； he suddenly stepped up to the bedside and
kissed her on the forehead。 She shrank from him with a scream。
Mr。 Gale interfered； and led him out of the room。
〃In the afternoon Doctor Jerome arrived。
〃The great physician came just in time to see her seized with
another attack of sickness。 He watched her attentively； without
speaking a word。 In the interval when the sickness stopped； he
still studied her； as it were； in perfect silence。 I thought he
would never have done examining her。 When he was at last
satisfied； he told me to leave him alone with Mr。 Gale。 'We will
ring；' h