Part 34 (1/2)
”Yes, and choir treats and entertaining Deputations and attending other Church activities”
”Well, and what did she say, Bastin?”
”Oh! she wasIndeed that hour will always remain the pleasantest of my life I don't kno it happened, but when it was over I felt quite delighted that she had refused hts, I am not certain but that I shall be much happier in the capacities of a brother and teacher which she asked me to fill, than I should have been as her husband To tell you the truth, Arbuthnot, there are moments when I am not sure whether I entirely understand the Lady Yva It was rather like proposing to one's guardian angel”
”Yes,” I said, ”that's about it, old fellow 'Guardian Angel' is not a bad name for her”
Afterwards I received the confidence of Bickley
”Look here, Arbuthnot,” he said ”I want to own up to sos I have observed, in order to prevent possible future s”
”What's that?” I asked innocently
”Only this As you know, I have always been a confirmed bachelor on principle Woh it involves soht it best to do without the on of the world to others”
”Well, what of it? Your views are not singular, Bickley”
”Only this While you were ill the sweetness of that Lady Yva and her wonderful qualities as a nurse overcame me I went to pieces all of a sudden I saw in her a realisation of every ideal I had ever entertained of perfect womanhood So to speak, my resolves of a lifeti her queer history and the marvels hich she is mixed up, I wished to marry her No doubt her physical loveliness was at the bottom of it, but, however that may be, there it was”
”She is beautiful,” I coh I daresay older than she looks”
”That is a point on which I made no inquiries, and I should advise you, when your turn comes, as no doubt it will, to follow my example You know, Arbuthnot,” he mused, ”however lovely a woman may be, it would put one off if suddenly she announced that she was--let us say--a hundred and fifty years old”
”Yes,” I adreat-grande as twenty-seven years and three moons”
”And doubtless for once did not tell the truth But, as she does not look ree to let it stand at that, namely, twenty-seven, plus an indefinite period of sleep
At any rate, she is a sweet and racious woman, apparently in the bloom of youth, and, to cut it short, I fell in love with her”
”Like Bastin,” I said
”Bastin!” exclainantly ”You don't mean to say that clerical oaf presumed--well, well, after all, I suppose that he is a ht that he would run so cunning, even when he knew my sentiments towards the lady?
I hope she told him her mind”
”The point is, what did she tell you, Bickley?”
”Me? Oh, she was perfectly char! It really was a pleasure to be refused by her, she puts one so thoroughly at one's ease” (Here, re Bastin and his story, I turned away my face to hide a smile) ”She said--what did she say exactly? Such a lot that it is difficult to ree Also, that she had not yet recovered from some recent love affair which left her heart sore, since the time of her sleep did not count Also, that her father would never consent, and that the ainst all of us”
”Is that all?” I asked
”Not quite She added that she felt wonderfully flattered and extreood as to say to her She hoped, however, that I should never repeat it or even allude to the ain, as her dearest as to be able to look upon me as her most intimate friend to whom she could always come for sympathy and counsel”
”What happened then?”