Part 11 (1/2)
As she spoke, she moved a little that he might share the shadow of the bank.
”Don't move on my account,” Flint said.
”Oh,” answered Winifred, smiling, ”I owe you a decent civility, since you saved my life last night.”
”Don't mention it. Actions should be judged by what they cost, not what they come to; and mine cost nothing but the hole in my coat, which I don't doubt is already better than repaired under Miss Standish's skilful handiwork, so pray dismiss the subject from your thoughts. There are few, I fancy, who find it so hard as you to accept anything at the hand of another. It vexes you not to be the one always to give aid and comfort. If I knew you better, I might venture to hint that it smacks of spiritual pride.”
”You generalize widely after an acquaintance of four days.”
”One sees character more clearly sometimes by the flashlight of a first meeting, than when the perception is blurred by more frequent opportunities.”
Again the smile, inscrutable and mocking; the eyes looked into his with a gay defiance.
”Perhaps you will be good enough to give me the benefit of these first impressions of my character. They are as comprehensive, no doubt, as those of the British traveller in America. Tell on, as the children say.”
”Pardon me, I have said too much already, under the circ.u.mstances.
Praise would be impertinence, and criticism insolence.”
”You shall have absolution in advance. Begin then!” she added, with a little nod of command. ”What is the most striking trait of my character on first acquaintance?”
”Well, if you will have it, I should say it was a restlessness which you probably call energy; but it is a different thing. Energy is absorbed in the object which it seeks to attain. Restlessness is absorbed in the attaining.”
”Hm! what next?”
”Next? Next, comes a quality almost invariably allied to such restlessness as yours,--ambition. You may have all sorts of fine theories about equality and that kind of thing; but you want power--power over the lives with which you come in contact--power for good of course; but it must be yours and wielded by you. It is not enough that things should get along somehow. They must go right in your way.”
Winifred laughed.
”Ah! you say that because I wanted to show you how to set off a rocket last night.”
”I should say you showed us quite satisfactorily how _not_ to set off a rocket last night.”
”Don't let us revert to that episode, about which we shall probably not agree. But go on. Let me hear more of your impressions. They are quite diverting.”
”No more. I dare not presume further upon my advance absolution.
Rather let me ask you to return candor for candor, and give me your impressions of me and my character, or lack of it.”
”I have formed none.”
”Is that quite true?”
”No,” said Winifred, looking up, ”it is not true at all. I formed impressions within the first ten minutes after I had seen you, only I called them, more modestly, prejudices.”
”Prejudices? They were unfavorable then. Good! Let us have them!” and Flint settled himself more comfortably, bracing his head against his clasped hands; and, leaning back against the bank of sand, he sat watching the little tufts of coa.r.s.e gra.s.s springing up close beside him. Still Winifred was silent. At last Flint began himself:--
”You thought me rude and churlish, I suppose?”
”I certainly did not think you were Bayard and Sidney rolled together; but I admit you had some provocation,” she answered lightly, ”at least in our first meeting. When I demolished your new fis.h.i.+ng-rod, I think you might have accepted my apologies more gracefully; and I think you need not have been so particularly uncivil when Jimmy and I tried to come to your a.s.sistance on the pond. I have not yet recovered from the reproof conveyed on that occasion by your manner, which plainly indicated that, in your opinion, it would have been more tactful for us to sail by, and ignore your disaster, or treat it as an episode which did not call for explanation or remark. I should have felt duly humiliated, no doubt; but I have become hardened to rebuffs, since I have been at Nepaug, for I meet with many, as I go about like a beggar from door to door in South East.”