At this moment, however, they arrived at the fountain, and stood
silently contemplating its weak, persistent struggles. The heavy rain
had not raised its spirits a whit; but neither had it lessened its sense
of duty to be performed. It labored just as hard if not harder than
ever.
Presently Bressant walked round to the opposite side of the basin, shook
himself and stamped his feet, like one overcoming a feeling of
drowsiness, and then, stooping down, put his hand in the water and
brought some up to his forehead. It passed through Cornelia's mind that
she had read in her "Natural Philosophy," at school, that water was a
good conductor of electricity, but she could not establish any clear
connection between her remembrance of this fact and Bressant's action.
The results of thoughts often present themselves to us when the
processes remain invisible.
"What an absurd little fountain!" observed he, coming round again to
Cornelia, and looking down upon her with a smile that seemed to call for
a responsive one from her. "What is the use of it?"
"Oh, we're used to it, you know; and then that little sound it makes is
pleasant to listen to."
"Is it?" said Bressant, apparently struck by the idea. "I should like to
hear it. 'A pleasant sound!' I never thought of a sound being pleasant."
"Poor fellow!" thought Cornelia again, with a strong impulse of
compassion and kindliness. "What a dreary life, not even to know that
sounds were beautiful! I suppose all the voices he hears must be harsh
and unnatural, and those are the only kinds of sounds he would attend
to." Looking at him from this new point of view, the feeling of mistrust
and uncertainty of a few minutes before was forgotten. Standing near the
margin of the basin was a rustic bench fantastically made of curved and
knotted branches, the back and arms contrived in rude scroll-work, and
the seat made of round transverse pieces, through whose interstices the
rain-water had passed, leaving it comparatively dry. Cornelia sat down
upon it and motioned Bressant to take his place by her side. As he did
so, she could not help a slight thrill of dismay. He was so very big,
and took up so much room!
Bressant sat looking straight before him, and said nothing. Stealing a
side-glance at him, Cornelia was possessed by an absurd fancy that he
was alarmed at his position. The idea of being able to scare such a
giant excited the young lady's risibilities so powerfully that she could
not contain herself, but, to her great horror, broke suddenly forth into
a warbling ecstasy of laughter. Bressant looked around, in great
surprise. It was an occasion for presence of mind. Something must be
done at once.
"Hush! hold perfectly still! It was so absurd to see you sitting there,
and not knowing! There--now--still!" Spat!