At last there came a day when the Captain did not even go out to the
porch. It was a lovely May morning, bright and soft, with wreaths
of silvery fog floating up from the blue water, and much sweet sound
of singing birds and lapping waves in the air. Making some pretence
of work at his carpenter's bench, the old man sent Star out to loose
the cow and lead her to the water; and when she was gone, he tottered
to his old chair and sat down heavily. There was no pain now, only
a strange numbness, a creeping coldness, a ringing in the ears. If
it might "seem right" to let him wait till the _Huntress_ came by!
"It's nearly time," he said, half aloud. "Nearly time, and 'twould
be easier for the child."
At this moment, through the open doorway, came the silver sound of
Star's voice. "But I don't think there can be any harm in my just
telling you a little about it, Imogen. And the floor is the paved
work of a sapphire: sapphire is a stone, just like the water over
there, in the bluest place, and oh! so clear and bright, Daddy says.
He saw one once. And there will be most beautiful music, Imogen. Oh!
you can't think what lovely music Daddy Captain will play on a harp.
I know he will, 'cause he will be a spirit of just men made perfect:
and that will be a _great_ thing, Imogen; for he has never known how
to play on anything before: and--" Ah! the sweet, childish prattle!
but already it was growing faint upon the old man's ears.
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