Two Strangers

, who still are ladies and gentlemen, the equals of those in the hall, not those in the cottage. The drawing-room was darkened in the winter days by the veranda, which w

gnity, which became her isolated position and her widowhood, and showed that, as the ladies in the neighborhood said, she was fully able to take care of herself. He would have been a bold man indeed who would have been rude or, what was more dangerous, overkind to Mrs. Nugent. She was one of those women, who, as it is common to say, keep people in their place. She was very gracious, very kind; but either she never forgot that she was alone and needed to be especially circumspect, or else it was her{58} nature always to hold back a little, to be above impulse. I think this last was the case; for to be always on one's guard is painful, and betrays a suspicion of others or doubt of one's self, and neither of these was in Mrs. Nugent's mind. She liked society, and she did not shut herself out from th

e kept singing sometimes the same words over and over again, sometimes her dialogues with her doll, sometimes scraps of what she heard from others, odds and ends of the conversation going on over her head. It was the prettiest domestic scene, the child sitting in front of the fire, in the light of the cheerful blaze, undressing her doll, hushing it in her{60} arms, going through all the baby routine with which she was so familiar, singing, talking, cooing to the imaginary baby in her arms, while the pretty young mother sat at the side of the hearth, with the little table and work-basket overflowing with the fine muslin and bits of lac

ed by the smart little{61} maid, carrying his hat in his hand. A chair was got for him out of t

; and as you have been so good as to let me in once or twice, and

a frank, full voice, different from her low tones, "yo

onversation, if you will allow me to say so, is doubled when there are but two to talk. I know all Lucy's opinions, and she,"

" said Mrs. Nugent; "but your{62} brother was with

o the house. He has forgotten the old shibboleths, and it takes on

as no shibbol

dry systems, the more conventional he really is. We are preserved by the understood routine, and keep our independence under

-almost excitement, his correct, calm tone q

ook at her, "that poor Raaf made

ork,{63} which she had gone on wit

ucy ran in by herself; they waite

he went on with her little song, repeating the words, "Dolly, su

He did not know what to make of Tiny; her little breaks into the conversation, the chant that could not

ho, I believe, pleases children-and dogs and primitive

and takes her up with firm hands. That is how I have always explained the pleasure infants take often in men. They are only accustomed to us women about them; b

e, however," Mr

to think the little things preferred the look of a man.

with relief in the changed subject. "Those tall girls-while we, it appears, are growing no talle

delighted with my tall{65} maid; she can reach things I have to get up on a chair for, and it is not dign

is hand, "is the be-all and end-all, I know; no one

uickly with surprise, holding

still only a child; and here are you, a noble, perfect woman, with many greater capabilities. I d

m nervous, yet gave him a kind of inspiration. "I give alms of all I possess-I-Mr. Wradisley, do you reall

lf, though I am, I hope, no Pharisee. To partly give up what was

. She understands a great deal. If she were not so intent up

one moment be removed?-could not I speak

s time putting down the need

from any one, Mr. Wradisl

mplored for

e mystic implement of fate. She hesitated, and cast a glance round her at all the comfort of the little room, as if her shelter had suddenly been endangered, and the walls of her house were going to fall about her ears. Tiny all the time was very busy with her

Tiny laid the doll down, listened, made as if she heard a little cry, bent over the mimic baby, soothing and quieting. Then she turned round to the spectato

ere was a momentary hush; she had left the door ajar, but Mr. Wradisley did not think of that. He looked

my life would come thus, as if it were a boy's secret, to be kept from a child!-but you know; I

to make another thing still more clear,

ooked at him as if it were

, became more calm; he regai

I have not yielded to any impulse. It has grown into my whole being; I accept Tiny and everything. I don't offer you any other

tears came in a f

, for God's sake don't ask me any more, neither you nor any man. I would thank you if

hough I hoped not to do so. You are agitated, you have some f

f him as he approached toward her, and closin

; it is impossible, only understand that. Here is my child coming back, who must not indeed

ng that is impos

ed. It was the child, the surprise, the shock of admitting for the first time such an idea; he would not believe it was anything else, not even when she held open the door for him with what in any other circumstances would have been an affront, send

ck. "Promise me that you will let this make no difference, tha

e over, let it be

k to you if I must not; but make no diffe

-morrow," she s

ng in his ears, as he went down the bank, as it had never done before. He had come in great excitement, but it was with much greater excitement that he was going{72} away. When the maid came running after him that laboring heart stood still for an instant. He thought he was recalled, and that everything

t the lady who for the first time in his life had made the sublime Mr. Wradisley a suitor. He felt, as he{73} opened softly his own gate, that it was a thing that must not be repeated; but yet that it was in its way natural and seemly that his suit should not be precisely like that of an ordinary man. Henceforward it could be conducted in a different way, now that she was aware of his feelings without the cognizance of any other person. If it could be possible that her prejudices or