Volume I Part 39 (2/2)
”Where?”
”I think I shall pa.s.s the summer between Switzerland and Germany.”
”And when and where shall I meet you again?”
”I think, at home; I cannot say when.”
”At home!” said his mother with a brightening face. ”Then you are beginning to be tired of wandering at last?”
”Not precisely, mother,” ? rather out of humour.
”I shall be glad of anything,” said his mother, gazing at him admiringly, ”that brings you home again, Guy.”
”Brings me home a better man, I hope, mother,” said he, kissing her as he left the room. ”I will see you again by and by.”
” 'A better man!' ” thought Mrs. Carleton, as she sat with full eyes, the image of her son filling the place where his presence had been; ”I would be willing never to see him better, and be sure of his never being worse.”
Mr. Carleton's farewell visit found Mr. and Mrs. Rossitur not at home. They had driven out early into the country to fetch Marion from her convent for some holiday. Fleda came alone into the saloon to receive him.
”I have your rose in safe keeping, Elfie,” he said. ”It has done me more good than ever a rose did before.”
Fleda smiled an innocently pleased smile. But her look changed when he added ?
”I have come to tell you so, and to bid you good-bye.”
”Are you going away, Mr. Carleton?”
”Yes.”
”But you will be back soon?”
”No, Elfie ? I do not know that I shall ever come back.”
He spoke gravely, more gravely than he was used, and Fleda's acuteness saw that there was some solid reason for this sudden determination. Her face changed sadly, but she was silent, her eyes never wavering from those that read hers with such gentle intelligence.
”You will be satisfied to have me go, Elfie, when I tell you that I am going on business which I believe to be duty.
Nothing else takes me away. I am going to try to do right,”
said he, smiling.
Elfie could not answer the smile. She wanted to ask whether she should never see him again, and there was another thought upon her tongue too; but her lip trembled, and she said nothing.
”I shall miss my good fairy,” Mr. Carleton went on, lightly; ”I don't know how I shall do without her. If your wand was long enough to reach so far I would ask you to touch me now and then, Elfie.”
Poor Elfie could not stand it. Heir head sank. She knew she had a wand that could touch him, and well and gratefully she resolved that its light blessing should ”now and then” rest on his head; but he did not understand that; he was talking, whether lightly or seriously ? and Elfie knew it was a little of both ? he was talking of wanting her help, and was ignorant of the help that alone could avail him. ”O that he knew but that!” What with this feeling and sorrow together, the child's distress was exceeding great; and the tokens of grief in one so accustomed to hide them were the more painful to see. Mr.
Carleton drew the sorrowing little creature within his arm, and endeavoured with a mixture of kindness and lightness in his tone to cheer her.
<script>