But Nurse Rosemary Gray has beautiful hours when poor anxious, yearning Jane is shut out.For her patient turns to her, and depends on her, and talks to her, and tries to reach her mind, and shows her his, and is a wonderful person to live with and know.Jane, marching about in the cold, outside, and hearing them talk, realises how little she understood the beautiful gift which was laid at her feet;how little she had grasped the nature and mind of the man whom she dismissed as "a mere boy." Nurse Rosemary, sitting beside him during long sweet hours of companionship, is learning it; and Jane, ramping up and down her narrowing strip of desert, tastes the sirocco of despair.
And now I come to the point of my letter, and, though I am a woman, I will not put it in a postscript.
Deryck, can you come up soon, to pay him a visit, and to talk to me?
I don't think I can bear it, unaided, much longer; and he would so enjoy having you, and showing you how he had got on, and all the things he had already learned to do.Also you might put in a word for Jane; or at all events, get at his mind on the subject.Oh, Boy, if you COULD spare forty-eight hours! And a breath of the moors would be good for you.Also I have a little private plan, which depends largely for its fulfilment on your coming.Oh, Boy--come!
Yours, needing you, Jeanette.
From Sir Deryck Brand to Nurse Rosemary Gray, Castle Gleneesh, N.B.
Wimpole Street.
My dear Jeanette: Certainly I will come.I will leave Euston on Friday evening.I can spend the whole of Saturday and most of Sunday at Gleneesh, but must be home in time for Monday's work.
I will do my best, only, alas! I am not Moses, and do not possess his wonder-working rod.Moreover, latest investigations have proved that the Israelites could not have crossed at the place you mention, but further north at the Bitter Lakes; a mere matter of detail, in no way affecting the extreme appositeness of your illustration, rather, adding to it; for I fear there are bitter waters ahead of you, my poor girl.
Still I am hopeful, nay, more than hopeful,--confident.Often of late, in connection with you, I have thought of the promise about all things working together for good.Any one can make GOOD things work together for good: but only the Heavenly Father can bring good out of evil; and, taking all our mistakes and failings and foolishnesses, cause them to work to our most perfect well-being.
The more intricate and involved this problem of human existence becomes, the greater the need to take as our own clear rule of life:
"Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.In all thy ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct thy paths." Ancient marching orders, and simple; but true, and therefore eternal.
I am glad Nurse Rosemary is proving so efficient, but I hope we may not have to face yet another complication in our problem.Suppose our patient falls in love with dainty little Nurse Rosemary, where will Jane be then? I fear the desert would have to open its mouth and swallow her up.We must avert such a catastrophe.Could not Rosemary be induced to drop an occasional H, or to confess herself as rather "gone" on Simpson?
Oh, my poor old girl! I could not jest thus, were I not coming shortly to your aid.
How maddening it is! And you so priceless! But most men are either fools or blind, and one is both.Trust me to prove it to him,--to my own satisfaction and his,--if I get the chance.
Yours always devotedly, Deryck Brand.
From Sir Deryck Brand to Dr.Robert Mackenzie.
Dear Mackenzie: Do you consider it to be advisable that I should shortly pay a visit to our patient at Gleneesh and give an opinion on his progress?
I find I can make it possible to come north this week-end.
I hope you are satisfied with the nurse I sent up.
Yours very faithfully, Deryck Brand.
From Dr.Robert Mackenzie to Sir Deryck Brand.
Dear Sir Deryck: Every possible need of the patient's is being met by the capable lady you sent to be his nurse.I am no longer needed.
Nor are you--for the patient.But I deem it exceedingly advisable that you should shortly pay a visit to the nurse, who is losing more flesh than a lady of her proportions can well afford.
Some secret care, besides the natural anxiety of having the responsibility of this case, is wearing her out.She may confide in you.She cannot quite bring herself to trust in Your humble servant, Robert Mackenzie.
