midday
In the low , wide grate a bright fire was burning , and Arthur placed a large easy chair before it , and then brought from the library a covered footstool , with a delicate covering of blue and gold . No foot had ever yet profaned this stool with a touch , for it was one of Arthur 's specialties , bought at a great price in Algiers ; but he brought it now for Gretchen and saw in fancy resting upon it the cold little feet his hands were to rub and warm and caress until life came back to them , and Gretchen 's blue eyes smiled upon him and Gretchen 's sweet voice said : ` Thank you , Arthur . It is pleasant coming home . ' For the last two or three weeks , Arthur had been very quiet and taciturn , but on the morning of this day he had seemed restless and nervous , and his nervousness and excitability increased until a violent headache came on , and Charles , the servant , who attended him , reported to Mrs. Tracy that his midday meal had been untouched and that he really seemed quite ill . Then Frank went to him , and sitting down beside him as he lay upon a couch in the room with Gretchen 's picture , said to him , not unkindly : ` Are you sick to-day ? What is the matter ? ' For a few moments Arthur made no reply , but lay with his eyes closed as if he had not heard .