"
She looked at me, and smiled a little abstractedly. Then she turned to
the table.
"I will go on with my work," she said, "and I will not say anything to
the sisters until I have given the matter most earnest and careful
consideration. I can do that a great deal better at home than I can
here."
It was very well that she stopped talking and applied herself to her
work, for I do not believe it was ten minutes afterward when Sister
Sarah unlocked the door, and came in to take her away.
XIV.
I FAVOR PERMANENCY IN OFFICE.
As soon as my secretary had gone I went into her room and looked for my
friend Vespa. I found him on the floor, quite dead, but not demolished.
Picking him up and carrying him to my study, I carefully gummed him to a
card. Under his motionless form I wrote, "The good services of this
friend I shall ever keep in grateful remembrance." Then I pinned the
card to the wall between two bookcases.
During the rest of that day I found myself in a state of unreasonable
exaltation. Several times I put to myself the questions: Why is it that
you feel so cheerful and so gay? Why have you the inclination to whistle
and to dance in your room? Why do you light a cigar, and let it go out
through forgetfulness? Why do you answer your grandmother at random, and
feel an inclination to take a long walk by yourself, although you know
there are people invited to an afternoon tea?
I was not able to give an adequate answer to these questions, nor did I
very much care to.
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