"I turned away and left them there hand in hand.
"When I went up the next morning I found John trembling with excitement. 'I have just restrained myself from taking Dr. Marks's life!' he said, his teeth fairly chattering. 'What do you think that the brute dared to propose to me? He wants to make a post-mortem examination of Anne! That young form that the hand of man has never touched, to be cut up for the gratification of a mere professional curiosity! I told him to run for his life, or I would strangle him.'
"Telling this, John panted like a man out of breath.
"I tried to soothe him. 'These doctors get used to everything,' I said. 'Marks could have no idea how you feel about it.'
"He wrung his hands, still shivering with loathing of the thought that had been forced on him. 'I can't get over it!' he said. 'I am sorry that he was called in at the consultation. If I had known in season, he should not have come. He is a coarse-grained fellow, who, for the sake of gratifying his curiosity about a disease, would outrage all the decencies of life. 'I believe, Arnold—' here John choked with the words he would have uttered.
"'My dear fellow, try to forget it,' I said. 'He has asked, and you have refused, and there's an end of the matter.'
"'I don't believe that it is ended,' John said, looking at me strangely.
"'You don't mean—' I began.
"But he lifted his hand as though he could not bear to have the thought put into words. 'I shall watch her grave every night for a week,' he said. 'Will you watch with me tonight, Arnold?'
"I promised, and we parted.