She was apparently lost in a half-impatient,
half-moody reverie, which even the trotting hoof-beats of his own and
his orderly's horse had not disturbed. From time to time she struck the
myrtle hedge beside her with the head of a large flower which hung
by its stalk from her listless hands, or held it to her face as if
to inhale its perfume. Dismissing his orderly by a side path, he rode
gently forward, but, to his surprise, without turning, or seeming to be
aware of his presence, she quickened her pace, and even appeared to look
from side to side for some avenue of escape. If only to mend matters, he
was obliged to ride quickly forward to her side, where he threw himself
from his horse, flung the reins on his arm, and began to walk beside
her. She at first turned a slightly flushed cheek away from him, and
then looked up with a purely simulated start of surprise.
"I am afraid," he said gently, "that I am the first to break my own
orders in regard to any intrusion on your privacy. But I wanted to ask
you if I could give you any aid whatever in the change you think of
making."
He was quite sincere,--had been touched by her manifest disturbance,
and, despite his masculine relentlessness of criticism, he had an
intuition of feminine suffering that was in itself feminine.
Pages:
91
92
93
94
95
96
97
98
99
100
101
102
103
104
105
106
107
108
109
110
111
112
113
114
115