Part 60 (2/2)
She did not want him to know that the thought of his companions.h.i.+p in the country was like the straw to the drowning man - the last joy to the condemned one.
”You always make me forget the years, and feel young,” she said slowly and thoughtfully, ”and I dare say that is a very good tonic in itself.”
”You oughtn't to need help from any one for that”; and she knew there was genuine admiration in his voice. ”You never look anything but young. I suppose it is temperament.”
”Temperatment doesn't erase lines,” with a little sad smile.
”Perhaps not, but it makes them, in some way, suit you; and they add to the character in a face.”
”It is sweet of you to say so, Alymer, but it sounds a fairy tale. I don't so very much mind growing old, if only it were not so...
empty-handed.”
”But surely you have so much!”
”Not very much that counts. Anyhow, I hope some day you will have a great deal more.”
”You are depressed. You must really get away somewhere at once.”
He was grandfatherly now, the mood she always loved and laughed at, and her pulses quickened to it. He placed one of his large, strong-looking hand over hers - it covered them both out of sight - and he leanded a little nearer as he said:
”I can see I shall have to take the ordering of it all. You have done worlds for me. Now I shall have to take you in hand.”
A harsh expression crossed her face for a moment, thiking of what his mother had written her.
”And go straight to perdition!” she said bitterly.
He winced a little.
”I'm sure you wouldn't want me to make excuses for my own mother,” he remarked, with the quiet dignity that was aldready winning his name in the Law Courts, side by side with his gift for light satire. ”You cannot but know in your heart just how far removed her outlook on the world is from ours.”
She wanted to ask him if any outlook gave one woman the right to insult another at her pleasure, but she remembered Mrs. Hermon probably dit not realise that she would have the fineness to see the insult, and was not even aware that she had been insulting.
”I should like you to know my father,” he went on. ”He is a very understanding man.”
”But surely he...”
”No; he knew nothing about it. When my mother spoke to him he asked her not to interfere.”
”Ah!”
For a few swift moments the generous treatment called to her own generosity, and for the sake of the understanding father she was almost ready to let go the straw. Only then again came the recollection of the uncle, and his impudent offer to subst.i.tute himself, and make amends at the same time; and again the smouldering fires leaped up, fed by the strong, protecting touch of the hand upon hers.
”I think Hal was right,” Alymer was saying. ”If my companions.h.i.+p, just to run down and see how you are, wherever you may be, will help to cheer you up and amuse you, there is no reason why I shouldn't manage it.”
She knew he was making a concession of which he was half-afraid, because of what he owed her, and while one half of her longed to be self-sacrificing and release him, the other half fiercely demanded the straw that yet might save. And still she said nothing, gazing, gazing, into the flames.
”What do you think?” he asked.
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