"Yes," said my grandmother. "Is it not odd that she should have taken up
that? She has a machine, and practices steadily on it. She showed me
some of her printed sheets, and I must say, so far as I am concerned,
that I should prefer plain handwriting, where the letters are not so
likely to get on top of one another. She wanted to know if I could give
her any advice about getting work, when she thought she could do it well
enough; but of course I know nothing about such things. My hope is that
she will get to dislike that as much as she does nursing and apothecary
work, and to find out that her real duty is to live like an ordinary
human being, and so make herself and other people truly happy."
I do not know that there is any inherent connection between a
typewriting machine and the emotions and sentiments of love, but in this
case such a connection instantly established itself in my mind. It
seemed plain to me that Walkirk's suggestion to Sylvia had taken root;
and why did she wish to typewrite, if she did not wish to typewrite for
me? Was this an endeavor of her tender heart to keep up a thread of
connection with me which should not be inconsistent with the duties, the
vows, and the purposes of her life? Dear girl! If the thing could be
managed, she should typewrite for me as much as she wished, even if she
piled the letters on one another as high as the Great Pyramid.
With much enthusiasm, I communicated to Walkirk my intention to employ
Sylvia in typewriting, and requested his assistance in regard to the
details of the business. I could easily furnish her material enough. I
had lots of things I should like to have copied, and I was ready to
prepare a great deal more. My under-study made no allusion to my
previous reception of his suggestion about typewriting, but brought his
practical mind to bear upon the matter, and advised that preliminary
arrangements should be made immediately. In a case like this it was well
to be in time, and to secure the services of Miss Raynor at once. I
agreed with Walkirk that it was very wise to take time by the forelock,
but Mother Anastasia was the only person who could properly regulate
this affair, which should be instantly laid before her; and as it was
impossible to find out when she would return to Arden, I felt that it
was my duty to go to her. When I mentioned this plan to Walkirk, he
offered to go in my place, but I declined. This was a very delicate
affair, to which no one could attend as well as I could myself.
"Walkirk," said I, "do you suppose that the Mother Superior will appear
in Washington under her real name, or as Mother Anastasia? And, by the
way, what is her real name?"
"Is it possible," exclaimed Walkirk, "that you do not know it? It is
Raynor,--Miss Marcia Raynor. She is a cousin of the younger lady."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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