‘I must see her as soon as she can see or speak to anyone,’ he said. ‘You said you were my friend, Ellen, and you must manage this for me. If she gets well and strong, she will try to break off her compact, out of mistaken consideration for me–you understand?’
Ellen did not understand, but she had an intense desire to know her mistress Rudolf Falkenberg’s wife, because she was convinced he was good. She knew, from innumerable stories, that he was rich, and, in his way, as great a man as some great nobleman, and therefore a suitable husband for Miss Ford, though not at all beyond her claims. But firstly and chiefly she wished it from a feeling, vulgar enough, and natural enough too, to one of her position, up-bringing, and mental calibre–she wished it as a kind of revenge upon Jerome Wellfield–to show him that a man worth a hundred of him in every respect was only too glad and eager to win the prize which he had cast aside.
From this motive, if from no other, she would strain every nerve to forward Falkenberg’s cause. Therefore, when he said to her ‘You understand?’ she affirmed that she understood perfectly, and so let him go.
CHAPTER III.
IRREVOCABLE.
Many days elapsed before Sara was permitted to see anyone. Then, one afternoon, Frau Wilhelmi was allowed to call, and sat for a few moments talking of the most commonplace and least agitating topics. On the afternoon following that, Ellen cautiously began to prepare the way for Falkenberg. As soon as she mentioned his name, her mistress said:
‘If Herr Falkenberg calls, I should like to see him.’
This was when she was so far recovered as to be dressed about noon, or one o’clock, and, half carried, half walking, to make a pilgrimage to the couch or chaise longue in her parlour, there to remain until the authorities intimated that it was time to go to bed again.