'I will be guided by what she says, and by how we get on,' was his
decision, walking from the gatehouse to the Nuns' House. 'Whatever
comes of it, I will bear his words in mind, and try to be true to
the living and the dead.'
Rosa was dressed for walking. She expected him. It was a bright,
frosty day, and Miss Twinkleton had already graciously sanctioned
fresh air. Thus they got out together before it became necessary
for either Miss Twinkleton, or the deputy high-priest Mrs. Tisher,
to lay even so much as one of those usual offerings on the shrine
of Propriety.
'My dear Eddy,' said Rosa, when they had turned out of the High
Street, and had got among the quiet walks in the neighbourhood of
the Cathedral and the river: 'I want to say something very serious
to you. I have been thinking about it for a long, long time.'
'I want to be serious with you too, Rosa dear. I mean to be
serious and earnest.'
'Thank you, Eddy. And you will not think me unkind because I
begin, will you? You will not think I speak for myself only,
because I speak first? That would not be generous, would it? And
I know you are generous!'
He said, 'I hope I am not ungenerous to you, Rosa.' He called her
Pussy no more. Never again.
'And there is no fear,' pursued Rosa, 'of our quarrelling, is
there? Because, Eddy,' clasping her hand on his arm, 'we have so
much reason to be very lenient to each other!'
'We will be, Rosa.
Pages:
176
177
178
179
180
181
182
183
184
185
186
187
188
189
190
191
192
193
194
195
196
197
198
199
200