"What is the matter with you, Daisy?" Mr. Thorold said.
"Is anything the matter?" I replied.
"Yes. What is it?"
"How can you see it, Christian?"
"I?" - said he. "I see right through your eyes, back into the
thought that looks out of them."
"Yet you ask me for the thought?"
"The root of it. Yes. I see that you are preoccupied, and
troubled; - and trembling. You, my Daisy?
"Can I quite help it, Christian?"
"Can you quite trust the Lord?"
"But, - not that He will always save me from what I fear."
"No; not that. Let Him save you from the fear."
"How have you learned so much about it, so much more than I?"
- and my lips were trembling then, I know.
"I have had time," he said gently. "All those months and
months, when you were at an unimaginable distance from me,
actually and morally, - and prospectively, - do you think I
had no chance to exercise myself in the lesson of submission?
I fought out that problem, Daisy."
"Were you in Washington the winter of '61?" I asked, changing
the subject; for I could not bear it.
"Part of that winter," he said, with a somewhat surprised look
at me.
"Did you meet in society here that winter a Miss St. Clair,
who used to be once a schoolmate of mine? - very handsome."
"I think I remember her. I knew nothing about her having been
at school with you, or I think I should have sought her
acquaintance."
"She was said to have yours."
"A passing, society acquaintance, she had."
"Nothing more?"
"More?" said he. "No. Nothing more."
"How came the report that you were her dearest friend?"
"From the father of lies," said Mr. Thorold; "if there ever
was such a report; which I should doubt."
"It came to me in Paris."
"Did you believe it?"
"I could not; but papa did. It came from Miss St. Clair's own
particular friend, and she told mamma, I think, that you were
engaged to her."
"I think particular friends are a nuisance!" said Mr. Thorold.
"Why, she was said here, to be engaged to somebody, - Major -
Major Somebody, - I forget. Major Fairbairn."
"Major Fairbairn!"
"Yes. Why?"
"That explains it," I exclaimed.
"Explains what?" said Mr. Thorold. And such a shower of fire
as came from his eyes then, fun and intelligence and
affection, never came from anybody's eyes beside. I had to
tell him all I was thinking about; and then hurry away to my
duties.
But at tea time I could touch nothing. The trembling had
reached my very heart.
"Why, you ain't going to give out, are you?" said Miss Yates
in a concerned voice. "You've gone a little beyond your
tether."