Volume I Part 74 (1/2)
”And so glad to see me go away from dinner!”
”I didn't say that.”
”You will--” said Mr. Linden,--”I can imagine you falling back in your chair and exclaiming, 'Ah, quand voulez-vous partir, monsieur!'--which of course will make it extremely difficult for me to remain a moment longer.”
”I don't think you can imagine me doing it,” said Faith laughing. ”I can't imagine myself.”
”That proves nothing. Only don't ever say to me, 'Monsieur! partez a l'instant!'--because--”
”Because what, Mr. Linden?” said Faith seriously.
”Because we might disagree upon that point,” he said with rather a demure arch of his eyebrows. Faith's full silver rang out, softly.
”You see!” she said. ”It's beginning already. I don't know in the least what you are talking about!”
”No--you do not,” was the laughing reply. ”But Miss Faith, if I am kept at home long enough, and society keeps at home too, instead of coming between us and our exercises, those conversations will seem less terrible by the time they begin. I should certainly get you a pocket dictionary, but I prefer to be that myself. How far can you ride on horseback at once?”
”On horseback?” said Faith, much as if those words had been also French, or an algebraical puzzle.
”That was what I said.”
”I know that was what you said--I didn't know what you meant, Mr.
Linden. I have never been really on horseback but a few times in my life--then I rode a few miles--I don't know exactly how many.”
”I wonder people don't do it more”--said Mrs. Derrick. ”When I was a girl that was the common way of getting about; and n.o.body ever got thrown, neither.”
”Wouldn't that be the pleasantest way of getting to Mattabeeset?” said Mr. Linden.
An illumination answered him first; then ”Oh, yes!”
”I want you to see what is to be seen over there,” he said,--”shall we go some day, if I get well enough before cold weather?”
Faith's quiet words of agreeing to this proposal were declared to be a sham by her eyes, cheeks, lips and brow, every one of which was giving testimony after a different fas.h.i.+on.
At this moment the door opened. It happened that Dr. Harrison had encountered Cindy at the hall door, where she was either loitering to catch s.n.a.t.c.hes of indoor conversation, or waiting to entrap Jem Waters.
But there she was, and being asked for Mr. Linden replied that he was down stairs, and without more ceremony ushered the doctor in; and entering the whole view lay before him in its freshness. Mrs. Derrick, complacent and comfortable, sat behind the no-longer-wanted tea-tray, listening and playing with a spoon. Faith's face, though considering her unfinished m.u.f.fin, was brilliant with rosy pleasure; while the fire which she had for some time forgotten to mend, lay in a state of powerful inaction, a ma.s.s of living coals and smoking brands. In the glow of that stood the easy chair, and therein Mr. Linden, although with the air and att.i.tude of one wanting both rest and strength, was considering with rather unbent lips no less a subject than--One and Somewhat!--further the doctor's eyes could not read. The precise direction of those other eyes was shaded. The doctor came up and stood beside them.
”Did I order you to stay up stairs?” he said in soft, measured syllables, without having spoken to anybody else.
”Good evening, doctor!” said Mr. Linden offering his hand. ”As I meet you half way, please excuse me for keeping my seat.”
From that hand, the doctor pa.s.sed to Faith's; which was taken and held, just enough to say all he wished to say; which, be it remarked in pa.s.sing, was a good deal.
”May I approach Mrs. Derrick?” said he then, turning round to Mr.
Linden with a cool, funny, careless, yet good-humoured, doubt upon his face.
”What is the present state of your nerves?”
”Depending upon your answer, of course!--which the ordinary rules of society forbid me to wait for. Madam!--are you in sufficient charity with me to give me a cup of tea?”