And why you refused the doctor, I can't for the life of me imagine!"
"Can't you? Well, _I_ can," snorted the doctor, and drew Alicia
closer to him. She put both her hands around his arm.
"What!" gulped The Author, rocking on his red toes, and wrinkling
his nose until his waxed mustache stood out with infernal effect,
and his corked eyebrows climbed into his hair. "What! You, Geddes?
My sainted aunt! Why, man alive, I thought that you--that is I'd
have sworn that you--" Here The Author's breath mercifully failed
him.
I was dumb as a sheep in the hands of the slayers. I could only
blink at these dear people who were tormenting me. I thought of
Jessamine Hynds in her brown silk frock, with the crucifix in her
skeleton fingers and the earth fresh over her. And I couldn't say a
word. And while I stood thus silent, Mr. Nicholas Jelnik walked up
and took my hand in his warm and comforting clasp, and looked at me
with kindling, starry eyes, and laughed a deep-chested laugh.
"Gentlemen and Miss Gaines," said Mr. Jelnik, in a ringing and
vibrant voice, "permit me to inform you that I also have asked Miss
Smith to marry me. And she has done me the honor to accept me.
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