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THE BOND
217

several weeks, and she had had a terrible time of it.

Teresa went into the other room, which was darkened and hot. Annette opened a blind, and drew down the sheet from Gerald's face. Teresa felt suddenly calm and glad. She lingered for some moments, feeling tremulously the happiness of his peace, his escape from pain; then she kissed him on the forehead and went away, saying to Annette that she would come next day to the funeral.

At the studio this time she found Basil, that moment returned, and frantic with anxiety because of her note. She stammered out a few words in his arms, and fainted.


The summer was darkened for her by this event and by the physical weakness caused by the shock. Basil's devotion to her was complete, yet her prevailingly sad mood came to irritate him, since he felt she might shake it off by a sufficient effort. His remonstrances had no effect. Her melancholy and ill-health continued up to the time of the baby's birth, and were beyond the reach of her will. She was further depressed by fears for the effect of her state on the coming child. She felt, as she contemplated what was before her, that her strength would not carry her through, and she thought she might die, and feared it on Ronald's account. She