Part 38 (1/2)
”She wants you there too, Daisy, I much suspect; not to speak of me.”
”What better time can we ever have, papa?”
”I do not know. I am afraid your mother would say any other would be better.”
”Papa, I cannot tell you how glad I should be to go now.”
”Why, Daisy?” said papa, looking at me. ”To my certain knowledge, there are several people who will be desolate if you quit Florence at this time - several besides your mother.”
”Papa, - that is the very reason why I should like to go - before it becomes serious.”
Papa became serious immediately. He lifted my face to look at it, flushed as I suppose it was; and kissed me, with a smile which did not in the least belie the seriousness.
”If we go to Paris, Daisy? - we should leave your enemies behind.”
”No papa - two of them are going to Paris when we go.”
”That _is_ serious,” said my father. ”After all, why not, Daisy?”
”Oh, papa, let us get away while it is time!” I said. ”Mamma was so displeased with me because of Mr. De Saussure and Mr.
Marshall; and she will be again - perhaps.”
”Why, Daisy,” said papa, lifting my face again for scrutiny, - ”how do you know? Are you cased in proof armour? are you sure?
Do you know what you are talking of, Daisy?”
”Yes, - I know, papa.”
”I see you do. Whenever your eyes are deep and calm like that, you are always in your right mind and know it. That is, you are thoroughly yourself; and so far as my limited acquaintance with you goes, there is no other mind that has the power of turning you. Yes, Daisy; we will go to Palestine, you and I.”
I kissed his hand, in the extremity of my joy.
”But this is not a proper season for travelling in Syria, my pet. I am afraid it is not. The winter rains make the roads bad.”
”Oh, yes, papa. - We will be quiet when it rains, and travel on the good days. And then we shall be in time to see the spring flowers.”
”How do you know anything about that, Daisy?”
”Papa, I remember when I was a child, at Melbourne, Mr.
Dinwiddie told me some of these things; and I have never forgotten.”
”Have you wanted to go to Palestine ever since you were ten years old?”
”Oh, no, papa; only of late. When your promise came, then I thought very soon what I would ask you. And now is such a good time.”
”There will be different opinions about that,” said my father.
”However, we will go, Daisy. To the half of my kingdom. Your mother has the other half. But allow me to ask you just in pa.s.sing, what do you think of our young English friend?”
”He has no head, papa.”