One incident which had happened when she was about thirteen returned
very clearly to her memory. A young friend had come to spend the
afternoon with her, and as the two girls were playing in the
school-room Mr. Harford had come in, and had joined in their game. He
was always a delightful playmate, and they had welcomed him with glee.
The fun was at its height when Philippa's friend, in the excitement of
the moment, called to her, addressing her as Phil. Philippa well
recalled how her father had risen from his chair, and in a voice so
stern as to be utterly unlike his own, had said, "My daughter's name is
Philippa, and I must ask you never to address her again as you did just
now." The girl, taken aback and rather frightened at the displeasure
she had all unintentionally provoked, apologised instantly, and Mr.
Harford, realising that his rebuke must have seemed over severe for the
innocent offence, patted her on the shoulder and begged her to think no
more of the matter. But it was evident that he could not shake off the
effect of the occurrence, the game came to an end, and shortly
afterwards he left the room. At the time Philippa had wondered why the
simple abbreviation of her name should have caused him so much
distress, but the reason was very clear to her now. What painful
memories it must have conjured up in a moment!
Also, she remembered a young secretary in Berlin whom they had known
very intimately, Phil L'Estrange. Every one had called him Phil with
the exception of her father, who had invariably addressed him as
Philip, in spite of the young man's laughing assurance that he did not
answer to the name.
"How could she have done it?" she murmured half aloud. "How could she
have done it?" Twenty-two years of waiting! What a love this man must
have given to the other Philippa--a love so strong that it dominated
weakness of the body, and even of mind, and through all the long years
burnt on with the same clear flame of youth.
Would he die now, this man who had waited so long?--would he die happy,
satisfied that his love had come to him again? It was an absorbing
thought. Why did these coincidences happen? Were they coincidences?
Here was she, a stranger, with, it would seem, a human life hanging on
her coming--at least it had appeared so this morning, when her voice
had roused him from the lethargy of weakness which was drifting him out
of life. And if he died, what would his meeting be with that Philippa
who had passed before him into the Unknown, the land where there was no
marriage or giving in marriage?
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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