‘You do not know him—you do not know what he is like. The right time will never come. You will never be able to do it without—— Oh, I can’t guess what will happen!’
She leaned her forehead upon her clasped hands, as if to shut out the vision her imagination had conjured up.
Tor looked at her with a compassionate curiosity.
‘I wonder, Miss Meredith, if you will think my question a very intrusive one. I cannot help wondering, as I watch you with your father. It seems to me as though you would willingly sacrifice your whole future life, rather than give him one hour’s pain. Do you not think that, making every allowance for filial piety, you carry matters rather to an extreme point?’
‘No,’ answered Roma, very low. ‘For other women it might be so; but nothing, nothing can be too great a sacrifice for me to make for him. I must not shrink from anything.’
‘Why is this so?’ asked Tor.
‘Because,’ and the voice was lower than ever now—‘because it is through my fault that he is blind.’
‘I should not have asked the question,’ answered Tor gently, for he saw that she was much agitated by the tide of recollection which swept over her. ‘I beg your pardon. Forget it, and think no more about it.’
‘I cannot help thinking—it is never really out of my thoughts when I am with him. I will tell you how it was——’
‘Excuse me, Roma, you will do no such thing. I decline to hear the story. We will have no more melancholy reminiscences to-night. Maud will think I am lost if I do not hasten home soon, and I do not mean to go until I have seen you take something to eat and drink. You are as white as a ghost. Your father will think we have had a quarrel already, if you go back to him so limp and spiritless. I am sure he is much better. I quite believe the worst is now past. These heart attacks are very alarming whilst they last, but they are soon over. I will look round in the morning, and see how you are both going on; and if you take my advice, you will not sit up with him. Most likely he will sleep now, and you ought to get a good night’s rest too.’