"Daisy, - you are very happy!" my father said one day when I
was sitting with him. We were looking out upon the lake, which
our windows commanded; but I found papa's look had come back
from the window to me.
"You are very happy!" he said.
"Yes, papa, - pretty happy."
"Pretty happy?" said he, putting his hand under my chin and
turning my face again round to him, and then kissing me.
"Pretty and happy, you mean."
"No, papa," I said laughing; - "I don't mean that."
"It is true, though," said he. "There was a bit of a smile
upon your mouth just now - before I spoke; - what were you
thinking of?"
"Papa, it is so glorious, - the lake and its shores in this
sunlight."
"That was all?"
"No, not quite all, papa."
"I thought not. What was the rest of it, Daisy?"
"Papa, I was thinking with joy, that I belong to the wonderful
One who made all that; and so, that the riches of his power
and glory are in a certain sense mine; - just as everything
good in you is mine, papa."
He folded me in his arms and kissed me again, very fondly.
"There is not much good in me, Daisy."
"Yes, papa, - for me."
"But there is a great deal in you, - for somebody."
"For you, papa."
"Nobody else, Daisy?"
He was holding me close in his arms and looking down into my
face. I believe the colour must have come into my cheeks.
"Ah, I thought so!" he said. "Even so soon, Daisy, you are
leaving me for somebody else."
"Papa!" I exclaimed, hiding my face in his neck, - "I will
never leave you, till you say so."
"Till I say so? I will not be over selfish, my dear child. I
do not mean that."
"Who is it to be, Daisy?" my mother's voice said behind us.
I started up in absolute terror. What had I said? and what did
she mean? I looked at her, speechless.
"Well?" she said laughing, "what is the matter? You need not
turn white about it. Is your father the only one to be in your
confidence? I will withdraw then."
"Stop! - Mamma!" I cried; "what are you saying? There is no
confidence. What are you talking about?"
"I only asked, who it was to be, Daisy? I thought you were
talking of leaving us, and naturally concluded it was to be
with somebody."
"Mamma - oh, mamma, I was speaking only in the abstract."
Mamma laughed. "In the abstract! Well, you will have to come
from generals to particulars, Daisy. Abstractions will not
satisfy anybody long."
I was in great difficulty and great confusion. Papa drew me
into his arms again and kissed my lips and cheeks and eyes, as
if he would have hid my blushes.