The Well of Loneliness

That winter Barbara fell very ill. Jamie rushed round to the house one morning, hatless, and with deeply tormented eyes: "Mary, please come -- Barbara can't get up, it's a pain in her side. Oh, my God -- we quarrelled. " Her voice was shrill and she spoke very fast: "Listen -- last night -- there was snow on the ground, it was cold -- I was angry. I can't remember... but I know I was angry -- I get like that. She went out -- she stayed out for quite two hours, and when she came back she was shivering so. Oh, my God, but why did we quarrel, whatever? She can't move; it's an awful pain in her side."

Stephen said quietly: "We'll come almost at once, but first I'm going to ring up my own doctor."