Part 22 (2/2)

”And with that she threw her arms round my neck and kissed me fervently three or four times. I was greatly surprised, but not altogether displeased.

”They were evidently a most affectionate family. As the train moved off the three stood arm in arm before the carriage-door.

”'Got two sweethearts to-night, sir,' said the man.

”'And without jealousy,' said I. 'I congratulate you on each of them.'

”'I hope you'll forgive my daughter,' he said; 'she's an impulsive little baggage.'

”'She may repeat the offence the next time we meet,' I replied; and we all laughed.

”It was a joyful ending to what had been, in some respects, a painful experience.”

”I don't see the point of your story, Professor; and I am at a loss to imagine what it has to do with my introduction.” This from the Pessimist.

”The story has only begun,” said the Professor, who was sipping his tea.

”Those kisses at the end were jolly hard lines on a man who dislikes sentiment,” said the Son of the House.

”I didn't find them so,” answered the Professor. ”But remember, they were only the kisses of a child.”

”The best sort,” growled the Pessimist.

”True,” said our Hostess. ”The judgments of children are the judgments of G.o.d. But let the Professor go on.”

”It was seven or eight months later,” the Professor resumed, ”when on opening the _Times_ one morning my attention was caught by an item of news relating to the town at which my two companions had alighted from the train. The news itself was of no importance, but the name of the town printed at the head of the paragraph strangely arrested me, and served to recall with singular vividness the incident of my former journey. I found myself repeating, in order and minute detail, everything that had happened in the carriage, some of the particulars of which I had forgotten till that moment. The end of it was that I became possessed with a strong desire to visit St Beeds, though I had no connections whatever with the place, and had never stayed there in my life. I knew, of course, that it was an interesting old town, with a famous Cathedral, and I remember persuading myself at the time, and indeed telling my wife, that I ought to visit that Cathedral without further delay. As the day wore on the impulse grew stronger, and eventually overpowered me. I travelled down to St Beeds that night, and put up at one of the princ.i.p.al hotels.

”The next morning was spent in the usual manner of sight-seers in an ancient town. Reserving the Cathedral for the afternoon, I visited the old wall and the dismantled quays, and wandered among the narrow streets, reading history, as my habit is, from the monuments with which the place abounded. About noon I found my way to the s.p.a.cious market-place, and began inspecting the beautiful front of the old Town Hall.

”I suddenly became aware of a man on the opposite pavement, who was watching me with some interest. What drew my attention to him was a large ma.s.s of white roses which he was carrying in a basket; for, as you know, I have been for many years an enthusiastic rose-grower, and there is nothing which attracts the mind so rapidly as any circ.u.mstance connected with one's hobby. The man was dressed in good clothes; and it was this that prevented me at first from recognising him as the person who had met my two companions at the station seven months before.

”Seeing that I had observed him, he crossed the street.

”'You remember me?' he said. 'Well, I have been looking for you all over the town. Had I known your name I should have asked at the hotels.'

”'But how did you know I had arrived?' I asked.

”'My wife told me you were here.'

”'She must have seen me, then,' I said.

”'Yes, she saw you. She saw you arrive last night at the station. And she saw you later, standing under an electric lamp, in front of the Cathedral.'

”This struck me as odd, for I had purposely waited till near midnight before going to the Cathedral, that I might see the exterior in the light of the moon; and I had been confident that not a soul was about.

”'How is she?' I asked, for I remembered my previous impression that she was an invalid.

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