Volume Ii Part 62 (1/2)
”She don't tell all her fancies,--she has _seemed_ to live on tea and toast, for eatables.”
The doctor smiled, and went back to Faith who was busy with the flowers; or as Mrs. Derrick said, seemed to be busy with them.
”Are those better than cowslips?” he asked lightly.
”They are more wonderfully beautiful--they are not better in their place.”
”How is that?”
”I told you cowslips were bits of spring,” said Faith smiling. ”These are not that. I think everything in the world--I mean, the natural world--has its place, that it fills.”
”Better than any other would?”
”I suppose so. Yes.”
”That is admirable philosophy,” said the doctor. ”Excellent to keep one contented. Three feet of snow is then as good as May zephyrs! Daisies and dandelions are fair subst.i.tutes for geraniums and cacti! And these barren granite fields, where the skeleton rock has hardly covered itself skin deep with soil, are better than flowery prairies of rolling land, and fertile wildernesses of roses!”
”Well,” said Faith; ”you needn't laugh. I think they are.”
”By what trans.m.u.tation of philosophy?”
Faith's philosophy was put to the test by certain sounds which just then came to her ear; the hall door opened and shut quick though softly, and Reuben came lightly upstairs--two stairs at a time!--but his knock at Faith's door was almost as quiet as usual. Whatever spirit of energy was at work in him, however, calmed itself down at sight of Dr. Harrison--whom he did not then stay to greet, but coming up with a swift steady step to Faith's chair, knelt down there and gave her his hand with, ”Miss Faith, are you better to-day?”
If a rosebud yesterday shut up in the cold had opened all its beams to the sun,--that was Faith to-day, as she took Reuben's hand and held it.
”That is a very devoted servant of yours, Miss Faith,” said the doctor pointedly. ”I notice he gives you homage in true chivalric style. Does the trans.m.u.ting philosophy extend thus far also?”
Faith turned the light of her face upon him as she answered, ”I shouldn't be worthy of one of those knights or of this, Dr. Harrison, if I would change one for the other.”
Reuben had risen to his feet as the doctor spoke, and as he quitted Faith's hand laid his own, with the slightest possible gesture, upon the left breast of his coat; which did not mean (as it would with Sam Stoutenburgh) that there was his heart--but that there were the letters! Then stepping back with a bow acknowledging Dr. Harrison's presence, Reuben went over to the window to speak to Mrs. Derrick. The doctor had seen him before that morning from the window, as with some ordered fish Reuben entered Judge Harrison's gate, and his dress was the same now as then,--how the different offices could be so different and so reconciled--or what _this_ office was, were matters of study.
But clearly Faith was as strong for her knight as her knight was for her.
”I didn't understand the trans.m.u.ting philosophy in the former case,”
the doctor remarked.
”It is not that,” said Faith with rising colour, for she had seen Reuben's hand gesture. ”It is just taking things as they are.”
”That is a philosophy deeper than that of trans.m.u.tation!” said the doctor. ”I give it up. But what is the philosophy in this case?--” and he nodded slightly towards Reuben.
”If you ever know him, you'll know, Dr. Harrison,” Faith said softly.
”Is he so trustworthy?” said the doctor thoughtfully looking at him; but then he gave his attention to Faith, and talked of herself and what she was to do for herself; until seeing no prospect of the doctor's being out of his way, Reuben was again pa.s.sing them on his way out. The doctor arrested him by a slight but pleasant gesture.
”What are you doing now, Taylor?”
”Nothing new, sir,--a little for my father and a little for myself.”
”I saw you doing something for your father, I think to-day. Doesn't that hinder your studies?”
”Mr. Linden used to say that one duty never _really_ hinders another, sir.”