The Choir Invisible

"We are both so tired," she drowsily remarked at length, turning to John

after some further parley which he did not understand and tapping her mouth

prettily with the palm of her hand to fight away a yawn. "You know we've

been riding all day. And William Penn is at death's door with hunger. Poor

William Penn! I'm afraid he'll suffer to-night at the tavern stable. They

never take care of him and feed him as I do at home. He is so unhappy when

be is hungry; and when he is unhappy, I am. And he has to be rubbed down so

beautifully, or he doesn't shine."

The tallow candles, which had been lighted when he came, needed snuffing by

this time. The light was so dim that she could not see his face--blanched

with bewilderment and pain and anger. What she did see as she looked across

the room at him was his large black figure in an absent-minded awkward

posture and his big head held very straight and high as though it were

momentarily getting higher. He had remained simply silent. His silence

irritated her; and she knew she was treating him badly and that irritated

her with him all the more. She sent one of her light arrows at him barbed

with further mischief.

"I wish, as you go back, you would stop at the stable and see whether they

have mistreated him in any way. He takes things so hard when they don't go

to suit him," and she turned to Kitty and laughed significantly.

Then she heard him clear his throat, and in a voice shaking with passion, he

said: "Give your orders to a servant."

A moment of awkward silence followed. She did not recognize that voice as

his or such rude, unreasonable words.

"I suppose you want to know why I broke my engagement with you," she said,

turning toward him aggrievedly and as though the subject could no longer be

waived. "But I don't think you ought to ask for the reason. You ought to

accept it without knowing it."

"I do accept it. I had never meant to ask."

He spoke as though the whole affair were not worth recalling. She could not

agree with him in this, and furthermore his manner administered a rebuke.

"Oh, don't be too indifferent," she said sarcastically, looking to Kitty for

approval. If you cared to go to the party with me, you are supposed to be

disappointed."

"I am disappointed," he replied briefly, but still with the tone of wishing

to be done with the subject. Amy rose and snuffed the candles.