Part 7 (1/2)
”Love them?” replied Katie, with the drollest look in the world.
”Why, I positively dote on them!”
Her smile was so sweet, and her face so bewitching, that Harry thought he never saw any face so lovely.
”You see,” continued Katie, ”I mope and mope, and keep moping so; and things grow so tiresome, that I fairly ache for an adventure.”
”Well, but suppose that you were in an awful hurry to meet some one, and were stopped in this fas.h.i.+on?”
At this Katie's whole expression changed. She looked at Harry with a face full of sympathy, behind which there was visible the most intense curiosity.
”Oh, Mr. Rivers,” said she, ”I'm so sorry! And are you in an awful hurry to meet some one?”
”Awful!” said Harry.
”Oh, Mr. Rivers, I'm so sorry!” said Katie again. ”And won't you tell me all about it, please?”
Now Harry was by nature inclined to make the world his confidant; and how much more was he ready to confide in such a one as Katie, who invited his confidence with such tender sympathy! Besides, he already felt, as has been said, quite like an old acquaintance. Ashby's relations to Katie made her seem nearer to him. She was his friend's betrothed. And then, too, he had been chatting with her all day long.
”You see,” said he, ”I'm on the lookout for a friend.”
At this Katie smiled with indescribable comicality.
”Won't I do?” she asked.
Harry stared at her for a moment, and then burst into a laugh, in which Katie joined merrily.
”I dare say now, Mr. Rivers,” said she, ”you think I'm too slight an acquaintance to be trusted; but you know, in Spain, when one meets with a fellow-countryman who can speak English, why, you know, one can't help feeling quite like an old friend, and that sort of thing; and, mind you, when one has been taken prisoner by the Carlists, one feels much more so, you know. But all the same, I hope you'll excuse me; I didn't mean any harm.”
At this Harry laughed still more.
”You're not mad?” said Katie, with a droll a.s.sumption of anxiety.
”Will you really be my friend?” asked Harry.
”Of course. Didn't I say as much?” said Katie.
”Then let's shake hands over it,” said Harry, ”and swear an eternal friends.h.i.+p.”
Saying this, he held out his baud, and Katie held out hers. Harry pressed it warmly and tenderly.
”Well,” said Harry, after a pause, ”I'll tell you all about it, for I want your--your sympathy, you know, and your advice, you know, and all that sort of thing, you know.”
”Well, do you know, Mr. Rivers,” said Katie, ”that's my strong point.
I always have at my disposal any amount of sympathy; and as for advice, why, I could begin and go on advising, and advising, and advising, from now till--well, not to be too extravagant, I'll merely say till doomsday. So now--won't you begin?”
CHAPTER VII.