Beulah
Page 181"You have had one of those attacks, though; I see from your face.
Has it passed off entirely?"
"No; and I want to be quiet. Beulah is going to read me to sleep
after a while. You may go down now."
"Beulah, you will be with us to-morrow, I suppose?"
"Yes."
"I am sorry I am obliged to dine out; I shall be at home, however,
most of the day. I called the other evening, but you were not at
home."
"Yes; I was sorry I did not see you," said Beulah, looking steadily
at his flushed face and sparkling eyes.
raising herself in her chair and fixing her eyes impatiently upon
him. "Henderson and Milbank are both here, you know, and I could not
refuse to join them in a Christmas dinner."
"Then why did you not invite them to dine at your own house?" Her
voice was angry; her glance searching.
"The party was made up before I knew anything about it. They will
all be here in the evening."
"I doubt it!" said she sneeringly. The flush deepened on his cheek
and he bit his lip; then, turning suddenly to Beulah, he said, as he
suffered his eyes to wander over her plain, fawn-colored merino
"No."
"Where is she, Cornelia?"
"I have no idea."
"I hope my sister will be well enough to take part in the tableaux
to-morrow evening." Taking her beautifully molded hand, he looked at
her anxiously. Her piercing, black eyes were riveted on his
countenance, as she answered: "I don't know, Eugene; I have long since abandoned the hope of ever
being well again. Perhaps I may be able to get down to the parlors.
There is Antoinette in the passage. Good-night." She motioned him
away.
left the room. Cornelia bowed her head on her palms; and, though her
features were concealed, Beulah thought she moaned, as if in pain.
"Cornelia, are you ill again? What can I do for you?"
The feeble woman lifted her haggard face, and answered: "What can you do? That remains to be seen. Something must be done.
Beulah, I may die at any hour, and you must save him."
"What do you mean?" Beulah's heart throbbed painfully as she asked
this simple question.