Volume Ii Part 37 (1/2)
”Eh bien--Mademoiselle,” he said gravely but holding her fast,--”suppose you do!”
”Then we should have it.”
”Undoubtedly, Mademoiselle! Vous avez raison.”
”And what have you?” said Faith laughing.
”I have _you!_--Love and Reason did meet once, you know.”
”Did they?” said Faith looking up. ”How should I know?”
”You never found it out in your own personal experience?”
”You say it's a fact,” said Faith. ”I thought you referred to it as a former fact.”
”Like tea--” said Mr. Linden.
”Like tea, Endecott!--what are you talking of?”
”Former facts.”--
”I wonder what I shall get you to-night, Endecott”--she said merrily twisting round to look at him,--”you must want something! Is a thing properly said to be former, as long as it is still present?”
”What is present?”
”Tea isn't past”--said Faith with another little flash of her eye.
”If you are going to set up for Reason,” said Mr. Linden, ”there is no more to be done; but as for me, I may as well submit to my fate.
Shakspeare says, 'To love, and to be wise, exceeds man's might.'”
”I don't think I set up for reason,” said Faith,--”only for tea; and you obliged me to take reason instead. I guess--Shakspeare was right.”
”Unquestionably!” said Mr. Linden laughing. ”Faith, did you ever hear of 'Love in a Cottage'?”
”I believe I have.”
”I hope you don't think that includes tea?”
”I never thought it included much good,” said Faith. ”I always thought it was something foolish.”
”There spoke Reason!” said Mr. Linden,--”and I shall not dare to speak again for ten minutes. Faith, you will have time to meditate.” And his eyes went to the fire and staid there. Faith meditated--or waited upon his meditations; for her eyes now and then sought his face somewhat wistfully to see if she could read what he was thinking of--which yet she could not read. But her exploring looks in that direction were too frequent to leave room for the supposition that Reason made much progress.
”Faith,” Mr. Linden said, suddenly intercepting one of these looks, ”now let us compare results--before we meditate any further. What have you to shew?”
”Nothing”--said Faith frankly.
”I on my part have made a great discovery, which will perhaps answer for us both. It is very simple, as most great discoveries are, being merely this: that I prefer other things than reproofs from the lips of Reason. Will you have an ill.u.s.tration?”
”Can't I understand without?” said Faith laughing, but with also a little rising colour. And very smilingly she had her answer--the only answer she could expect.