‘No. I cannot sleep yet. Who knows if I shall ever wake again in this world? I must set my house in order before I go.’
No response was made to this speech by either watcher. Tor fancied that the danger could not be imminent whilst the patient could talk in this strain. He fancied that men who really were dying did not make set speeches to that effect; but Roma’s face quivered pitifully, and it needed all her strong self-repression to keep under her emotion. Tor felt a very great compassion for her in her loneliness and devotion. All the chivalry of his nature woke up within him, and urged him to do what he could to lighten the load which lay so heavily upon her.
‘Philip Debenham,’ said Michael Meredith slowly, ‘I withdraw my veto. You have my consent to your wish.’
Naturally, Tor was at a loss to comprehend the drift of this remark. All he could say was:
‘I am greatly obliged to you, sir.’
Then came a pause. Meredith seemed to expect the young man to proceed. Tor was trying hard to remember what it was to which the blind man alluded—what veto he could possibly have laid upon any expressed wish of his. He had been quite prepared to hear some allusion to Meredith’s wish respecting his marriage with Roma, but not unnaturally he failed to recognise the old subject in its new guise.
‘Young hearts should not be severed. I have been selfish in my wish to keep my daughter to myself. Take her now, Philip Debenham. I yield her up to your care. Take her with my blessing, and be a good husband to her, for you have won a pearl amongst women!’
Tor was too much taken aback to make any immediate reply. He glanced at Roma, who sat with hands clasped closely together like one in pain, her head bent, and her face covered with blushes, which were those of misery and humiliation, with nothing in them of maiden shame or joy.
Tor saw at a glance how matters stood with her—saw that her position was infinitely more trying than his; and his one desire now was to save her as far as possible from needless pain.
But Michael Meredith must not be agitated. Agitation meant death to him at such a time as the present. Tor was perfectly aware of this, and had no intention of killing the father before his daughter’s eyes.