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〃I do not know;〃 said Prince gravely。 〃I only know that if you
conclude to see Mrs。 Starbottle; it will be with your mother's
permission。 Mrs。 Starbottle will keep sacredly this part of the
agreement; made ten years ago。 But her health is very poor; and
the change and country quiet of a few days may benefit her。〃 Mr。
Prince bent his keen; bright eyes upon the young girl; and almost
held his breath until she spoke again。
〃Mother's coming up today or tomorrow;〃 she said; looking up。
〃Ah!〃 said Mr。 Prince with a sweet and languid smile。
〃Is Colonel Starbottle here too?〃 asked Carry; after a pause。
〃Colonel Starbottle is dead。 Your stepmother is again a widow。〃
〃Dead!〃 repeated Carry。
〃Yes;〃 replied Mr。 Prince。 〃Your stepmother has been singularly
unfortunate in surviving her affections。〃
Carry did not know what he meant; and looked so。 Mr。 Prince smiled
reassuringly。
Presently Carry began to whimper。
Mr。 Prince softly stepped beside her chair。
〃I am afraid;〃 he said with a very peculiar light in his eye; and a
singular dropping of the corners of his mustache〃I am afraid you
are taking this too deeply。 It will be some days before you are
called upon to make a decision。 Let us talk of something else。 I
hope you caught no cold last evening。〃
Carry's face shone out again in dimples。
〃You must have thought us so queer! It was too bad to give you so
much trouble。〃
〃None whatever; I assure you。 My sense of propriety;〃 he added
demurely; 〃which might have been outraged had I been called upon to
help three young ladies out of a schoolroom window at night。 was
deeply gratified at being able to assist them in again。〃 The
doorbell rang loudly; and Mr。 Prince rose。 〃Take your own time;
and think well before you make your decision。〃 But Carry's ear and
attention were given to the sound of voices in the hall。 At the
same moment; the door was thrown open; and a servant announced;
〃Mrs。 Tretherick and Mr。 Robinson。〃
The afternoon train had just shrieked out its usual indignant
protest at stopping at Genoa at all as Mr。 Jack Prince entered the
outskirts of the town; and drove toward his hotel。 He was wearied
and cynical。 A drive of a dozen miles through unpicturesque
outlying villages; past small economic farmhouses; and hideous
villas that violated his fastidious taste; had; I fear; left that
gentleman in a captious state of mind。 He would have even avoided
his taciturn landlord as he drove up to the door; but that
functionary waylaid him on the steps。 〃There's a lady in the
sittin'…room; waitin' for ye。〃 Mr。 Prince hurried upstairs; and
entered the room as Mrs。 Starbottle flew toward him。
She had changed sadly in the last ten years。 Her figure was wasted
to half its size。 The beautiful curves of her bust and shoulders
were broken or inverted。 The once full; rounded arm was shrunken
in its sleeve; and the golden hoops that encircled her wan wrists
almost slipped from her hands as her long; scant fingers closed
convulsively around Jack's。 Her cheekbones were painted that
afternoon with the hectic of fever: somewhere in the hollows of
those cheeks were buried the dimples of long ago; but their graves
were forgotten。 Her lustrous eyes were still beautiful; though the
orbits were deeper than before。 Her mouth was still sweet;
although the lips parted more easily over the little teeth; even in
breathing; and showed more of them than she was wont to do before。
The glory of her blond hair was still left: it was finer; more
silken and ethereal; yet it failed even in its plenitude to cover
the hollows of the blue…veined temples。
〃Clara!〃 said Jack reproachfully。
〃Oh; forgive me; Jack!〃 she said; falling into a chair; but still
clinging to his hand〃forgive me; dear; but I could not wait
longer。 I should have died; Jackdied before another night。 Bear
with me a little longer (it will not be long); but let me stay。 I
may not see her; I know; I shall not speak to her: but it's so
sweet to feel that I am at last near her; that I breathe the same
air with my darling。 I am better already; Jack; I am indeed。 And
you have seen her today? How did she look? What did she say?
Tell me all; everything; Jack。 Was she beautiful? They say she
is。 Has she grown? Would you have known her again? Will she
come; Jack? Perhaps she has been here already; perhaps〃she had
risen with tremulous excitement; and was glancing at the door
〃perhaps she is here now。 Why don't you speak; Jack? Tell me
all。〃
The keen eyes that looked down into hers were glistening with an
infinite tenderness that none; perhaps; but she would have deemed
them capable of。 〃Clara;〃 he said gently and cheerily; 〃try and
compose yourself。 You are trembling now with the fatigue and
excitement of your journey。 I have seen Carry; she is well and
beautiful。 Let that suffice you now。〃
His gentle firmness composed and calmed her now; as it had often
done before。 Stroking her thin hand; he said; after a pause; 〃Did
Carry ever write to you?〃
〃Twice; thanking me for some presents。 They were only schoolgirl
letters;〃 she added; nervously answering the interrogation of his
eyes。
〃Did she ever know of your own troubles? of your poverty; of the
sacrifices you made to pay her bills; of your pawning your clothes
and jewels; of your〃
〃No; no!〃 interrupted the woman quickly: 〃no! How could she? I
have no enemy cruel enough to tell her that。〃
〃But if sheor if Mrs。 Tretherickhad heard of it? If Carry
thought you were poor; and unable to support her properly; it might
influence her decision。 Young girls are fond of the position that
wealth can give。 She may have rich friends; maybe a lover。〃
Mrs。 Starbottle winced at the last sentence。 〃But;〃 she said
eagerly; grasping Jack's hand; 〃when you found me sick and helpless
at Sacramento; when youGod bless you for it; Jack!offered to
help me to the East; you said you knew of something; you had some
plan; that would make me and Carry independent。〃
〃Yes;〃 said Jack hastily; 〃but I want you to get strong and well
first。 And; now that you are calmer; you shall listen to my visit
to the school。〃
It was then that Mr。 Jack Prince proceeded to describe the
interview already recorded; with a singular felicity and discretion
that shames my own account of that proceeding。 Without suppressing
a single fact; without omitting a word or detail; he yet managed to
throw a poetic veil over that prosaic episode; to invest the
heroine with a romantic roseate atmosphere; which; though not
perhaps entirely imaginary; still; I fear; exhibited that genius
which ten years ago had made the columns of THE FIDDLETOWN
AVALANCHE at once fascinating and instructive。 It was not until he
saw the heightening color; and heard the quick breathing; of his
eager listener; that he felt a pang of self…reproach。 〃God help
her