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〃Think what?〃 I asked; but without the necessary snap。
〃What we were talking of;〃 she replied wincing; but forgiving me
again。 〃If I once thought that; it was pretty to me while it
lasted and it lasted but a little time。 I have long been sure
that your kindness to me was due to some other reason。〃
〃Ma'am;〃 said I very honestly; 〃I know not what was the reason。
My concern for you was in the beginning a very fragile and even a
selfish thing; yet not altogether selfish; for I think that what
first stirred it was the joyous sway of the little nursery
governess as she walked down Pall Mall to meet her lover。 It
seemed such a mighty fine thing to you to be loved that I thought
you had better continue to be loved for a little longer。 And
perhaps having helped you once by dropping a letter I was charmed
by the ease with which you could be helped; for you must know
that I am one who has chosen the easy way for more than twenty
years。〃
She shook her head and smiled。 〃On my soul;〃 I assured her; 〃I
can think of no other reason。〃
〃A kind heart;〃 said she。
〃More likely a whim;〃 said I。
〃Or another woman;〃 said she。
I was very much taken aback。
〃More than twenty years ago;〃 she said with a soft huskiness in
her voice; and a tremor and a sweetness; as if she did not know
that in twenty years all love stories are grown mouldy。
On my honour as a soldier this explanation of my early solicitude
for Mary was one that had never struck me; but the more I
pondered it now。 I raised her hand and touched it with my lips;
as we whimsical old fellows do when some gracious girl makes us
to hear the key in the lock of long ago。 〃Why; ma'am;〃 I said;
〃it is a pretty notion; and there may be something in it。 Let us
leave it at that。〃
But there was still that accursed dedication; lying; you
remember; beneath the blotting…pad。 I had no longer any desire
to crush her with it。 I wished that she had succeeded in writing
the book on which her longings had been so set。
〃If only you had been less ambitious;〃 I said; much troubled that
she should be disappointed in her heart's desire。
〃I wanted all the dear delicious things;〃 she admitted
contritely。
〃It was unreasonable;〃 I said eagerly; appealing to her
intellect。 〃Especially this last thing。〃
〃Yes;〃 she agreed frankly; 〃I know。〃 And then to my amazement
she added triumphantly; 〃But I got it。〃
I suppose my look admonished her; for she continued
apologetically but still as if she really thought hers had been a
romantic career; 〃I know I have not deserved it; but I got it。〃
〃Oh; ma'am;〃 I cried reproachfully; 〃reflect。 You have not got
the great thing。〃 I saw her counting the great things in her
mind; her wondrous husband and his obscure success; David;
Barbara; and the other trifling contents of her jewel…box。
〃I think I have;〃 said she。
〃Come; madam;〃 I cried a little nettled; 〃you know that there is
lacking the one thing you craved for most of all。〃
Will you believe me that I had to tell her what it was? And when
I had told her she exclaimed with extraordinary callousness; 〃The
book? I had forgotten all about the book!〃 And then after
reflection she added; 〃Pooh!〃 Had she not added Pooh I might
have spared her; but as it was I raised the blotting…pad rather
haughtily and presented her with the sheet beneath it。
〃What is this?〃 she asked。
〃Ma'am;〃 said I; swelling; 〃it is a Dedication;〃 and I walked
majestically to the window。
There is no doubt that presently I heard an unexpected sound。
Yet if indeed it had been a laugh she clipped it short; for in
almost the same moment she was looking large…eyed at me and
tapping my sleeve impulsively with her fingers; just as David
does when he suddenly likes you。
〃How characteristic of you;〃 she said at the window。
〃Characteristic;〃 I echoed uneasily。 〃Ha!〃
〃And how kind。〃
〃Did you say kind; ma'am?〃
〃But it is I who have the substance and you who have the shadow;
as you know very well;〃 said she。
Yes; I had always known that this was the one flaw in my
dedication; but how could I have expected her to have the wit to
see it? I was very depressed。
〃And there is another mistake;〃 said she。
〃Excuse me; ma'am; but that is the only one。〃
〃It was never of my little white bird I wanted to write;〃 she
said。
I looked politely incredulous; and then indeed she overwhelmed
me。 〃It was of your little white bird;〃 she said; 〃it was of a
little boy whose name was Timothy。〃
She had a very pretty way of saying Timothy; so David and I went
into another room to leave her alone with the manuscript of this
poor little book; and when we returned she had the greatest
surprise of the day for me。 She was both laughing and crying;
which was no surprise; for all of us would laugh and cry over a
book about such an interesting subject as ourselves; but said
she; 〃How wrong you are in thinking this book is about me and
mine; it is really all about Timothy。〃
At first I deemed this to be uncommon nonsense; but as I
considered I saw that she was probably right again; and I gazed
crestfallen at this very clever woman。
〃And so;〃 said she; clapping her hands after the manner of David
when he makes a great discovery; 〃it proves to be my book after
all。〃
〃With all your pretty thoughts left out;〃 I answered; properly
humbled。
She spoke in a lower voice as if David must not hear。 〃I had
only one pretty thought for the book;〃 she said; 〃I was to give
it a happy ending。〃 She said this so timidly that I was about to
melt to her when she added with extraordinary boldness; 〃The
little white bird was to bear an olive…leaf in its mouth。〃
For a long time she talked to me earnestly of a grand scheme on
which she had set her heart; and ever and anon she tapped on me
as if to get admittance for her ideas。 I listened respectfully;
smiling at this young thing for carrying it so motherly to me;
and in the end I had to remind her that I was forty…seven years
of age。
〃It is quite young for a man;〃 she said brazenly。
〃My father;〃 said I; 〃was not forty…seven when he died; and I
remember thinking him an old man。〃
〃But you don't think so now; do you?〃 she persisted; 〃you feel
young occasionally; don't you? Sometimes when you are playing
with David in the Gardens your youth comes swinging back; does it
not?〃
〃Mary A;〃 I cried; grown afraid of the woman; 〃I forbid you to
make any more discoveries to…day。〃
But still she hugged her scheme; which I doubt not was what had
brought her to my rooms。 〃They are very dear women;〃 said she
coaxingly。
〃I am sure;〃 I said; 〃they must be dear women if they are friends
of yours。〃
〃They are not exactly young;〃 she faltered; 〃and perhaps they are
not very pretty〃
But she had been reading so recently about the darling of