Vigil in the Night Read Free Page A

a child.
      “Do you mean us to understand,” asked the Reverend Mr. Perrin gently, “that you are wholly to blame?”
      Anne nodded blindly.
      The members of the committee conferred. Finally Anne heard Mr. Weatherby, the chairman, say, “What is the use of taking it further?” He made a sign to Miss Lennard.
      The matron moistened her dry lips. “Nurse Lee,” she said, “I cannot tell you what a dreadful shock this has been to me. That one of my nurses, that you above everyone, Anne Lee, should have been guilty of such a breach of professional conduct—” her voice wavered; she broke off with a gesture.
      At this Dr. Hassall turned from the window. He spoke bitterly. “You may well search for a word, Matron. There isn’t one to fit it.” He glanced at Anne. “A human life has been wantonly thrown away through your gross and utter negligence. And yet you stand there dumb as a doorpost. You wouldn’t look like that if you’d had my job of telling the baby’s mother. Have you nothing to say for yourself?”
      Anne had a frightful desire to blurt out the truth, to reinstate herself. It was the greatest temptation of her life to clear herself of this awful shame. With a great effort she fought back the impulse. She stood there in silence, her eyes downcast, trembling visibly.
     
    CHAPTER 6
      The matron interchanged a glance with Dr. Hassall and the chairman. Involuntarily she sighed. “Then there is no help for it. You must take the consequences. You are dismissed from your post. You will leave the hospital not later than tomorrow. Only your record here has saved you from a worse punishment, that of losing your certificate. Some of the committee wished this case to be brought before the nursing council. But out of consideration for your previous good conduct we have decided to hush the matter up. You may work out your own salvation elsewhere. That rests with yourself. I can, of course, give you no testimonial whatsoever. I don’t wish to see you again. Good-bye.”
      Anne gazed at the matron unseeingly, her eyes swimming with tears. That this wise and kindly woman who had trained and encouraged her, whose regard she was certain she had won, should now condemn and utterly despise her, was anguish almost unendurable. But what was there to be done? Nothing.
      As Anne turned away Dr. Hassall fired his parting shot:
      “There is nothing in the world so bad as a bad nurse. Nor so good as a good one. Remember that, Nurse Lee. Remember it all your days.”
      Outside the office Anne wiped her eyes, then hurried to her own quarters. Fortunately she met no one. Holding her side, gasping as though she had been running, she gained her own room. Awaiting her was Lucy.
      “Anne!” cried Lucy. “What’s happened? I couldn’t get near you all the day. That damned Hall kept me on duty till five o’clock. Quick! Tell me! What’s happened?”
      “Nothing.” Anne spoke slowly, as from a long way off. “I’m kicked out. That’s all.”
      A look of relief came over Lucy’s face. “No more than that!”
      Anne’s gaze was still distant. Yet through the painful haze of her emotions she sensed something of her sister’s selfishness. She said, “Isn’t it enough?”
      “Oh, I know, I know!” exclaimed Lucy with forced compunction. “But I thought there might be a case, police proceedings—far worse. I was waiting to own up. I kept thinking they might do something terrible.”
      Anne spun round quite fiercely. She was suddenly angry, passionately and fiercely angry. “You should have done your thinking this morning. Then that poor child would still be alive. Oh! It’s horrible, horrible—a nightmare! I can’t believe it’s true.”
      Lucy’s figure stiffened. “It’s not too late for me to own up yet,” she answered in a hard tone. “I’ll do it if you wish. Don’t think I’m afraid. I’ll go to Matron this minute.”
      “She wouldn’t believe you,” Anne said