Children's stories; Young women -- Juvenile fiction
Hazel let her see herself out from the door of the drawing room,
and then stood still in the middle of the floor with a hand on each
side of her face. Not however considering the land question just
then. She had seen Mr. Rollo but three times for a whole year,so
ran the first thought. And she had not seen him at all, since the
other night,so chimed in the second. And these three days of
sleep and unconsciousness had confused the universe to that
degree, that whether the world was round or triangular or square
might be called a nicely balanced question. Had the bay horse
stopped?then where was his rider?
Hazel darted out of a side door, and stood still to consider. Walked
slowly along for a step or two, (flying about did not just agree with
her to-day) then took her way to the red room, entering
noiselessly; also by a side door. Blushing as if she had not done
her duty in that respect the other day, and so had large arrears to
make up; but not losing the delicate look even so.
'How do you do, Mr. Rollo?' she said softly, and holding out her
hand,rather, it must be confessed, across a great easy chair
which stood in the way. He had been making up the fire when she
came in, and had looked up and let the tongs drop just before she
spoke. Rollo was cool enough however to see the easy chair and
come round it; but his greeting was grave and wordless. Perhaps
he too remembered that she had not seen him since the other night.
At any rate, anxiety and sympathy and infinite tenderness had
more to express than could be put into words, for the power of
words is limited. When he did speak, it was a simple demand to
know how she did? 'Very well,' she said, softly as before.
'_Is_ it very well?' he said earnestly. 'And how has it been these three
days?'
'OI have been sleepy. As perhaps you heard,' she said, with the
pretty curl of her lips.
He looked at her a minute, then suddenly releasing her, turned
away to the fire and picked up his tongs again. 'I wish you would
do something to comfort me!' he exclaimed. And the strong grey
eyes were full of tears.
Hazel gave him an extremely astonished look, which went away,
and came again, and once more came back, growing very wistful.
She moved a step nearer to him, then stood still.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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