"
"It is interesting to hear all your views," said Florence. "I am
sure I appreciate the compliment highly. It's a new idea, this of
the wolf making a confidant of the lamb."
"Oh, my dear!" he broke out, "I am only a poor devil holding back
from committing a great stupidity."
"Is that how you describe marrying me?" she said lightly.
"Ze day will come," he said, disregarding her question, "I think
it will--I hope it will--when you will say to me: My dear fellow,
I am tired of all this fictitious gaiety; of all this rush and
bustle and flirtation; of this life of fever and emptiness. I long
for peace and do not know where to find it. I am like a piece of
music to whom one waits in vain for the return to the keynote.
Tell me where to find it or else I die!"
"Rather forward of me to say all that, Count," observed the girl.
"But suppose I did--what then?"
The count opened wide his arms.
"I would answer: here!" he said.
V
Thus the bright days passed, amid animating scenes, with memories
of sky and cloud and noble headlands and stately, beautiful ships.
Like two ocean sweethearts the Minnehaha and the Paquita took
their restless way together, side by side in port, inseparable at
sea. At night the one lit the other's road with a string of ruby
lanterns and kept the pair in company across the dark and silent
water. Their respective crews, not behindhand in this splendid
camaraderie of ships, fraternised in wine-shops and strolled
through the crooked foreign streets arm in arm.
Pages:
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
35
36
37
38
39
40
41
42
43
44
45
46
47
48
49