Love Is My Reason Read Online Free PDF Page A

Biting his lip, David told himself this was, presumably, what was meant by Slav pride and obstinacy. But David also could be obstinate, and sudden inspiration had come to him. With a fine disregard for any question of medical etiquette, he said firmly,
    “ I have just remembered that a friend of mine — the junior assistant of my uncle who was a well-known doctor—should be in Munich on holiday just now. If I brought him here tomorrow— ” Heaven alone knew how he was to get hold of Robin Drummond and make him come! —“ would you be willing to see him? An English doctor? ”
    There was a slight pause. Then a curious flicker, almost of amusement, passed over the sick man ’ s face.
    “ If you went to so much trouble. Monsieur, ” he said faintly, “ it would be ungrateful of me to refuse to see your friend. ”
    “ Then I ’ ll bring him if it is humanly possible, ” David declared. And the glowing look of gratitude and admiration which Anya turned upon him suddenly seemed a completely adequate reward for any trouble he might be taking upon himself.
    “ If there is anything else —”
    “ Nothing else, Monsieur, thank you. I am only ashamed that, in our present circumstances, we can show you no hospitality in return for your kindness. ”
    He might have been a nobleman apologizing for the temporary absence of his suite, and, for the first time in years, David felt almost boyishly embarrassed.
    “ Please don ’ t worry. I am only too happy to help. ”
    “ I see you are. ” The brilliant dark eyes rested on David for a moment, once more with a hint of amused indulgence. “ The British are a singular race. They have one say this, not because you are an Englishman, but because it is a bitter truth learned over many years. They are the only people who, almost without exception, have a sense of responsibility towards those less fortunate than themselves. ”
    Half put out but wholly pleased, David hardly knew what to say. Then the other man glanced at Anya and spoke with kindly authority.
    “ Will you leave us, my dear? I want to speak to our friend alone for a few moments. ”
    Without demur—though reluctantly, David thought — she raised the curtain and went out into the other part of the room. There was silence than, but David did not attempt to hurry the sick man. He had the curious conviction which comes to us all at times that something tremendously significant was about to happen. Then the other man spoke slowly and very quietly.
    “ Monsieur, it is not necessary to pretend, now that Anya has gone. I know—and possibly you know too—that I am dying. It may be tomorrow, next week, perhaps even tonight. No— ” as David made a move to interrupt— “ do not seek to console or reassure me. No one who has looked on life in such bitter terms as I need fear the peace and the simplicity of death. For me it is the ultimate solution. But for Anya it will be the beginning of fresh and grievous problems .”
    David moved slightly, and then, prompted by a sympathy deeper than anything he had ever known before in his well-ordered life, he said, also speaking quietly,
    “ If you will trust me, I promise to do whatever I can for her. ”
    The other man did not reply at once, and when he finally spoke it was to himself rather than to David.
    “ Perhaps, after all, ” he said, slowly and a little wonderingly, “ God does remember even us. ”
    “ If I can help your daughter —” David began, and then he stopped, for suddenly the dreary cubicle was instinct with approaching drama, and in some strange way he knew what was coming, even before the dying man leaned forward and said earnestly,
    “ Anya is not my daughter, Monsieur. That is why in your coming one dares to see the hand of God. Anya was the daughter of an Englishman. ”

 
    CHAPTER TWO
    For perhaps half a minute David was silent, almost stunned by the impact of the discovery he had just made. With some detached part of his mind, be heard the