THE EQUINOX
But Ida Pendragon, pale and fragile as rare porcelain,
twisted herself and found no peace.
Edgar bent over her, as
vigilant as on the night of her first ordeal.
In the shadow
stood a physician
; at the bedside sat a nurse, and in her arms
a Child.
“ Brother! ” she said faintly, “ the number of the grade is
Three, and I have given myself three times.
Once to the
brute, once to the man—my man! (her hand pressed his, oh!
too feebly !) and now—40 God!“
The tears sprang to his
eyes.
“ It is for you,” she whispered, “ to understand the child.”
She fell back.
The physician ran forward
He knew
that he had no useful purpose there: but he motioned Edgar
away.
Too late.
Edgar had understood the Event.
He fell upon the dead girl’s breast, crash!
The nurse shook herself, half angrily, as a retriever shakes
off water.
Then she put the child into his arms.
MARTIAL
NAY.
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