I want papa to be a subscriber,
but he's so conservative. Now the next point in this Mr. Knight--
I suppose he is a very good man.'
'An excellent man. I shall try to be his intimate friend some
day.'
'But aren't you now?'
'No; not so much as that,' replied Stephen, as if such a
supposition were extravagant. 'You see, it was in this way--he
came originally from the same place as I, and taught me things;
but I am not intimate with him. Shan't I be glad when I get
richer and better known, and hob and nob with him!' Stephen's eyes
sparkled.
A pout began to shape itself upon Elfride's soft lips. 'You think
always of him, and like him better than you do me!'
'No, indeed, Elfride. The feeling is different quite. But I do
like him, and he deserves even more affection from me than I
give.'
'You are not nice now, and you make me as jealous as possible!'
she exclaimed perversely. 'I know you will never speak to any
third person of me so warmly as you do to me of him.'
'But you don't understand, Elfride,' he said with an anxious
movement. 'You shall know him some day. He is so brilliant--no,
it isn't exactly brilliant; so thoughtful--nor does thoughtful
express him--that it would charm you to talk to him. He's a most
desirable friend, and that isn't half I could say.'
'I don't care how good he is; I don't want to know him, because he
comes between me and you. You think of him night and day, ever so
much more than of anybody else; and when you are thinking of him,
I am shut out of your mind.
Pages:
74
75
76
77
78
79
80
81
82
83
84
85
86
87
88
89
90
91
92
93
94
95
96
97
98