Arthur Conan Doyle

“ He fretted and chafed, and always with the absurd delusion that his fretting and chafing were successfully concealed. A hundred failures never convince a man how impossible it is to deceive a woman who loves him. ”

“ Doctor Jordan burst out laughing.
‘You are like a man who has just been wakened out of his sleep,’ said he. ‘Why, Crosse, your wife has been bad all day, but she’s all right now, and here’s your son and heir - a finer lad of the age I never saw - fighting weight about seven pounds.’
Frank was a very proud man at the roots of his nature. ”

“ What do you mean by soon?’
‘Jordan was there six hours the first time.’
‘Good God! Six hours!’ Frank wiped his forehead. ‘They must have seemed six years.’
‘They were rather long. I kept on working in the garden. That’s the tip. Keep on doing something and it helps you along wonderfully.’
‘That’s a good suggestion, Harrison. What a curious smell there is in the air! Do you notice a sort of low, sweetish, spirity kind of scent? Well, perhaps it’s my imagination. I dare say that my nerves are a bit strung up these days. But that is a capital idea of yours about having some work to do. ”

“ That little pink thing with the blinking eyes will divert some of the love and some of the attention, and the very trouble which its coming has caused will set its mother’s heart yearning over it. Not so the man. ”

“ He wandered about in a discontented fashion upon his tiptoes, and then, looking through the window, he saw Harrison his neighbour coming up the path with a straw basket in his hand. He opened the door for him with his finger upon his lips.
‘Don’t make a row, Harrison,’ said he, ‘my wife’s bad.’
Harrison whistled softly.
‘Not - ?’
‘No, no, not that. Only a headache, but she is not to be disturbed. We expect that next week. Come in here and smoke a pipe with me. It was very kind of you to bring the bulbs.’
‘I am going back for some more.’
‘Wait a little. You can go back presently. ”

“ Sit down and light your pipe. There is some one moving about upstairs. It must be that heavy-footed Jemima. I hope she won’t wake Maude up. I suppose one must expect such attacks at such a time.’
‘Yes, my wife was just the same. No, thank you, I’ve just had some tea. You look worried, Crosse. Don’t take things too hard.’
‘I can’t get the thought of next week out of my head. If anything goes wrong - well there, what can I do? I never knew how a man’s nerves may be harrowed before. And she is such a saint, Harrison - such an absolutely unselfish saint! ”