Doctor Claudius, A True Story

hat she was going; but he felt there might be difficulties in the way; for, of course, he was bound to let her know the names of his remaining gue

no objection. Therefore, as soon as the Duke knew of Margaret's determination, he sallied forth, armed with her note, to find Mr. Barker. It was late, but the American was n

," said the Duk

rker, taking his legs off th

nce, and all the rest of it." And he

ice," remarked the latter; "I exp

her mind. She wrote this the same evenin

cky, anyhow," said Barker. "D

ioned you or your friend yet. Of course I wi

might write a note to the Doctor. He might be shy of

lishman; "give me a rag of paper

hil.D., and Barker pushed it into the crack of the door leading to th

ius appeared with the

him at all, and here he asks me to cross the A

. Barker jocosely. "He has asked you and me beca

are 'th

his sister, I believe. Hold o

ated some chaff from his frien

tess; or, perhaps I should sa

ed Claudius, "

know of. W

den," said the Do

way or the other, or you will

ously, "do you suppose the C

the Duke would ask a lady to go with him without telling her who the men were to be. Be calm, howeve

w s

mean to say you have failed once for weeks past to

d not be likely to speak of the party unless she knew that he was to be one. He had not accepted his invitation yet, and the Duke would certainly not take his acceptance as a foregone conclusion.

I would write at once and say '

ave not made

he good old proverb says. I have accepted for myself, a

ht have been imagination, but he fancied her whole manner was less cordial than before. And he said to himself, "She has heard I am going, and she is annoyed, and is not glad to see me

new enough of men to perceive that this gentle homage clothed a more sincere admiration than lay at the root of the pushing attentions of some other men she had known. Therefore she made up her mind that as there were yet three weeks before sailing, after the expiration of which she would never be likely to see Claudius again, she would let him down easily, so to speak, that there might be no over-tender recollections on his part, nor any little stings of remorse on her own. He had interested her; they had spent a couple of pleasant months; she had given him no encouragement, and he was gone without a sigh: that was the way in which Countess Margaret hoped to remember Dr. Claudius by that time next month. And so, fearing lest she mi

hout a smile, they set to work at their reading. They read for an hour or more, maintaining the utmost gravity, when, as luck would

nd one of the most singularly misunder

p from her work, to which she had attenti

ends

define what it

it. I can define what a dozen writers have meant by it. But I cannot te

what you mean by it yourself," answered Mar

d the fact. Of course, as in all such cases, the theory loses the battle, and we are left groping for

vague-yes,

ave lasted to the very end. Such attachments have been always affairs of the heart, even between man and man. I do not think you can name an instance of a lasting friendship on a purely

our last remark, which is cynical enough." Margar

tual sympathy. They suppose, for instance, that a man may love a woman wholly and entirely with

not?" s

htly do for one or the other alone, but he must also contradict one in favour of the other in case they disagree. In such a case he is no longer in entire sympathy w

ords?" was

hip purely intellectual is a fallacy, owing to the manifest imperfections of human nature. It must, then, be an affair of the heart, whatever you may define that to be, and cannot, the

Margaret, who, to tell the truth, was surpr

think of it

think you are a little vague about what an 'af

art rules the head and the actions by the head. The prime essence of love is that it

us state o

e heart is good the result will be good, if it is bad the result will be evil. Real love has

he heart,' so far as you believe in it at all. Is true friendship as uncalculating as

bstitute for love, second best in its nature

y love is selfi

the Doctor, and pau

rgaret, with a tinge of irony, "it m

s complete; and being complete, demands the whole, and is not satisfied with less than the whole any more than it is satisfied with giving less than all that it has. The selfishness lies in demanding and insisting upon

r enough, and she marvelled that on the very day when she was trying to be most unapproachable he should have said more to show what was next his heart than ever before. She did not know enough of exceptional natures like his to be aware that a touc

" she said, "but you put it very

k drop and leaned back in the long chair, staring at a very uninteresting-looking tree on the other side of the garden. Claudius read in a steady determined tone, emphasising his sentences with care, and never once taking his eyes from the book. At last, noticing how quietly he was doing his work, Margaret looked at him, not furtively or as by stealth, but curiously and thoughtfully. He was good to look at, so strong and straight, even as he sat at ease with the book in his hand, and the quivering sunlight through the leaves played o

e was a pause. Neither spoke, and the silence was becoming aw

the green, hat in hand, a moment afterwards. Margaret put out her hand and Claudius rose. Each felt that t

you both," remarked the

is so pleasant here," said

. It is extremely good of you to go in such a party, w

ught to thank you, Duke.

t month, I should say.

turned to

finish our book by th

no reason why you should not finish it

inish it before we start. I could

hought he had told you. I have asked Dr. Cla

. She thought the Duke, although he was such an old friend, should have consulted her before making up the list of men for the party. She was annoyed with Claudius because he had not told her he was going, when he really thought she knew it, and was displeased at it. And most of a

sed than ever. She did not want him. The Doctor was a proud man in his quiet way, and he was, moreover, in love, not indeed hopelessly as yet, for love is never wholly irrevocable until it has survived the crucial test, attainment of its object; but Claudius

ng to the Duke. "But since it is my good fortune to be able to

are going,"

from joining you, much as I would like to do so. I have

such an invitation. Following on his astonishment that Margaret should not be delighted at having the Doctor on board, the intelligence that the Doctor

He has made me muff the whole thing." Howe

im unless you meant it, for fear he would." The Duke seldom made so long a speech, and Claudius felt that the invitation was really genuine, which gave his wounded pride a pleasant little respite from its aches. He was grateful, and he said so. Margaret was silent and plied her needle, planning how she might escape the party if Claudius changed his

n spite of her annoyance, she would have been sorry to wound his feelings. The change of tone at first gave Claudius a thrill of pleasure, which gave way to an increased sense of mort

Englishman were old friends, and there was no immediate necessity for mak

you before that I ha

?" she inquired w

rker, hi

awkward, for of course Dr. Claudius thought I knew he was asked and wondered why I

, and I am very sorry

not make any difference, of c

e. But he knew it was good form to be penitent whenever it seemed to be expected, and he liked Margaret well enough to hope that she would go. He did not care very much for the society of women at any time. He was more or less married when he was at home, which was never

into a discussion of the voyage. She introduced a cautious "if" in most of her sentences. "If I go I would like to see Madeira," and "if we join you, you must take care of Miss Skeat, and give her the best cabin," etc. etc. The Duke wisely abstained fr

er him, as he went over the, lawn,

may bring all the Imperial Guards if you choose, and I wil

f closed over her dark eyes, and the fingers of her right hand slowly turned round and round the ring she wore upon her left. Miss Skeat was upstairs reading Lord Byron's Corsair in anticipation of th

o herself. "It was nice of

ver he was really fond of Barker, and now he was going to pitch into him, as he said to himself, so it was indispensable to keep the steam up. He found his friend as usual the picture of dried-up coolness, so to say. Mr. Barker never seemed to be warm, but he neve

as he sat himself down in an arm-chair, and passed his handke

ut in the sun in the middle of the day.

om the mingled dust and sun

ld, like you. Here I sit in seclusion and fan myself

r had watched him, and pushed an open box of Havanas across the table. But the Duke was determined to be sulky, and took no notice of the attention. The circular wrinkle slowly furrowed

ome beer," he suggested. Bu

Barker, can go and put people into such awkward po

hat you mean. I told you not to buy in the Green Swash Mine, and now I suppose

rning," said the Duke, beating the dust

hout any show of inter

Duke. "Very much at home, an

s of Claudius, are you

re insufferabl

better go to bed,"

here,

going, and did not speak of the trip. Claudius thought she was angry, and when you arrived and let the cat out of the bag the Countess thought you were trying to amuse yourself by surprising her, and she was angry too. Then they both made common cause and would have nothing more to do with you, and told you to go to the devil, and at this momen

tisfied that I know all abo

says she will go, and Claudius says he

elf to go and see her at eleven before Claudius arrived it would not have happened. But he will go all

ad seen the way she received the news t

women you would understand th

d to take one of Mr. Barker's cigars. When he had lit it, he looked

y misunderstanding, and if you and I leave those two to themselves for ten days, even if she invites us

ot understand that kind of thing. "I think I will h

hen he was refreshed. "I begin to think

native shore, "I ain't much on the drivel this journey an

ctually to mimic his friend. Then he went

d Barker; "the

them alone, why-why should we n

we might go round and see h

ic

o, and had a good taste of the dear old green-table, now that they could not have it in Baden any longer. And they e