She did not answer, or even look at him. Leaning on the doctor’s arm, she went out of the room, into the hall, and up the stairs. Her wailing voice floated back to them:
“I’m so tired—so tired!”
For a moment Captain Grey and Lexy were silent. Then—
“Good God!” he cried suddenly. “I can’t stand this! I—”
Lexy came nearer to him.
“Don’t stand it!” she whispered. “Take her away! Can’t you see? Take her away!”
“How can I? Her husband—she doesn’t want to go.”
“Make her! Oh, can’t you see? He’s giving her some horrible drug!”
“You mustn’t be alarmed,” said Dr. Quelton’s voice from the hall. They both looked at him with a guilty start, but his blank eyes were staring past them, at nothing. “It is unfortunate,” he said. “The little excitement of this visit—”
He walked past them into the room and over to the table, where his pipe lay among the chessmen. He lit it deliberately and stood smoking it, with one arm resting on the mantelpiece.