'I did not think I had been so old,' said Margaret after a pause

of silence; and she turned away sighing.

'Yes!' said Mr. Bell. 'It is the first changes among familiar

things that make such a mystery of time to the young, afterwards

we lose the sense of the mysterious. I take changes in all I see

as a matter of course. The instability of all human things is

familiar to me, to you it is new and oppressive.' 'Let us go on to see little Susan,' said Margaret, drawing her

companion up a grassy road-way, leading under the shadow of a

forest glade.

'With all my heart, though I have not an idea who little Susan

may be. But I have a kindness for all Susans, for simple Susan's

sake.' 'My little Susan was disappointed when I left without wishing her

goodbye; and it has been on my conscience ever since, that I gave

her pain which a little more exertion on my part might have

prevented. But it is a long way. Are you sure you will not be

tired?' 'Quite sure. That is, if you don't walk so fast. You see, here

there are no views that can give one an excuse for stopping to

take breath. You would think it romantic to be walking with a

person "fat and scant o' breath" if I were Hamlet, Prince of

Denmark. Have compassion on my infirmities for his sake.' 'I will walk slower for your own sake. I like you twenty times

better than Hamlet.' 'On the principle that a living ass is better than a dead lion?' 'Perhaps so. I don't analyse my feelings.' 'I am content to take your liking me, without examining too

curiously into the materials it is made of. Only we need not walk

at a snail's' pace.' 'Very well. Walk at your own pace, and I will follow. Or stop

still and meditate, like the Hamlet you compare yourself to, if I

go too fast.' 'Thank you. But as my mother has not murdered my father, and

afterwards married my uncle, I shouldn't know what to think

about, unless it were balancing the chances of our having a

well-cooked dinner or not. What do you think?' 'I am in good hopes. She used to be considered a famous cook as

far as Helstone opinion went.' 'But have you considered the distraction of mind produced by all

this haymaking?' Margaret felt all Mr. Bell's kindness in trying to make cheerful

talk about nothing, to endeavour to prevent her from thinking too

curiously about the past. But she would rather have gone over

these dear-loved walks in silence, if indeed she were not

ungrateful enough to wish that she might have been alone.




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