Man and Maid

When Burton was dressing me I told him of Miss Sharp's telegram.

"The poor young lady!" he said--.

Burton always speaks of her as the "young lady"--he never makes a

mistake about class.

Suzette for him is "Mam'zell"--and he speaks of her as a mother might

about her boy's noisy, tiresome rackety school friends--necessary evils

to be put up with for the boy's sake--The fluffies he announces always

by their full titles--"Madame la Comtesse"--etc., etc., with a face of

stone. Nina and the one or two other Englishwomen he is politely

respectful to, but to Miss Sharp he is absolutely reverential--she might

be a Queen!

"I expect the poor little fellow got wet through yesterday," I

hazarded--.

"He's that delicate," Burton remarked.

So Burton knows something more about the family than I do after all--!

"How did you know he was delicate, Burton, or even that Miss Sharp had a

brother?"

"I don't exactly know, Sir Nicholas--it's come out from one time to

another--the young lady don't talk."

"How did you guess, then?"

"I've seen her anxious when I've brought in her tray--sometimes, and

once I ventured to say to her--'I beg pardon Miss, but can I do anything

for you,' and she took off her glasses sudden like--and thanked me, and

said it was her little brother she was worrying about--and you may

believe me or not as you like, Sir Nicholas, but her eyes were full of

tears."

I wonder if Burton guessed the deep emotion he was causing me--My little

darling! with her beautiful blue eyes full of tears, and I impotent to

comfort or help her--!

"Yes--yes?" I said--.

"She told me then that he'd been delicate since birth, and she feared

the winter in Paris for him--I do believe Sir, it's that she works so

hard for, to get him away south."

"Burton--what the devil can we do about it?"

"I don't very well know, Sir Nicholas--Many's the time I've badly wanted

to offer her the peaches and grapes and other things, to take back to

him--but of course I know my place better than to insult a lady--tisn't

like as if she were of another class you see Sir--she'd have grabbed 'em

then, but bein' as she is, she'd have been bound to refuse them, and it

might have tempted her for him and made things awkward."

Burton not only knows the world but has tact--!

He went on, now once started.