human
She was for turning her out to-night, said he.
gpt
I stopped that.
human
I should think so indeed!
gpt
I’ve got her as far as to-morrow morning.
human
The girl won’t go to-morrow morning either! said Maggie.
gpt
At least, if she goes, I go. She spoke with tranquillity, adding:
human
But we needn’t bother about that. Auntie’ll be past worrying about Minnie to-morrow morning.... I’d better go up to her. She can’t possibly be left alone.
gpt
I only came down for a sec to tell you. She was dozing, said Edwin apologetically.
human
She’s awfully ill. I’d no idea.
gpt
Yes, she’s ill right enough.
human
Who’ll sit up with her?
gpt
I shall.
human
Did you sit up with her last night?
gpt
No--only part of the night.
human
We ought to get a nurse.
gpt
Well, we can’t get one to-night.
human
And what about Clara? Can’t she take a turn? Surely in a case like this she can chuck her eternal kids for a bit.
gpt
I expect she could. But she doesn’t know.
human
Haven’t you sent round?
gpt
I couldn’t, said Maggie with undisturbed equanimity.
human
Who could I send? I couldn’t spare Minnie. The thing didn’t seem at all serious until this morning. Since then I’ve had my hands full.
gpt
Yes, I can see you have,
human
It was lucky the doctor called on his own. He does sometimes, you know, since she began to have her attacks.
gpt
Well, I’ll go round to Clara’s myself,
human
I shouldn’t, said Maggie.
gpt
At least not to-night.
human
Why not? He might have put the question angrily, overbearingly; but Maggie was so friendly, suave, confidential, persuasive, and so sure of herself, that with pleasure he copied her accents. He enjoyed thus talking to her intimately in the ugly dark house, with the life-bearing foolish Minnie on the one hand, and the dying old woman on the other. He thought:
gpt
There’s something splendid about Mag. In fact I always knew there was.