The Broad Highway

"Yes?"

"Do you remember my giving you a locket?"

"Yes."

"Where is it?"

"Oh! I have it still--somewhere."

"Somewhere, sir?" she repeated, glancing at me with raised brows.

"Somewhere safe," said I, fixing my eyes upon my book.

"It had a riband attached, hadn't it?"

"Yes."

"A pink riband, if I remember--yes, pink."

"No--it was blue!" said I unguardedly.

"Are you sure, Peter?" And here, glancing up, I save that she

was watching me beneath her lashes.

"Yes," I answered; "that is--I think so."

"Then you are not sure?"

"Yes, I am," said I; "it was a blue riband," and I turned over a

page very ostentatiously.

"Oh!" said Charmian, and there was another pause, during which I

construed probably fifty lines or so.

"Peter?"

"Well?"

"Where did you say it was now--my locket?"

"I didn't say it was anywhere."

"No, you said it was 'somewhere'--in a rather vague sort of way,

Peter."

"Well, perhaps I did," said I, frowning at my book.

"It is not very valuable, but I prized it for association's sake,

Peter."

"Ah!--yes, to be sure," said I, feigning to be wholly absorbed.

"I was wondering if you ever--wear it, Peter?"

"Wear it!" I exclaimed, and glancing furtively down at myself, I

was relieved to see that there were no signs of a betraying blue

riband; "wear it!" said I again, "why should I wear it?"

"Why, indeed, Peter, unless it was because it was there to wear."

Suddenly she uttered an exclamation of annoyance, and, taking up

a candle, began looking about the floor.

"What have you lost?"

"My needle! I think it must have fallen under the table. and

needles are precious in this wilderness; won't you please help me

to find it?"

"With pleasure!" said I, getting down upon my hands and knees,

and together we began to hunt for the lost needle.

Now, in our search, it chanced that we drew near together, and

once her hand touched mine, and once her soft hair brushed my

cheek, and there stole over me a perfume like the breath of

violets, the fragrance that I always associated with her, faint

and sweet and alluring--so much so, that I drew back from further

chance of contact, and kept my eyes directed to the floor.