When last I saw her she had been in tears. Now she was all smiles and
radiant as the dawn! Her gown, moreover, was one I had never seen
before, and she, herself, seemed monstrous pleased with it, for, by
some miracle, fresh as though from the hands of her maid at home, she
knew herself fair and fit enough to make more trouble for mankind.
"Good morning," said she, casually, as though we had parted but lately
and that conventionally. "Isn't it fine?"
"It is a beautiful picture," said I, "and you fit into it. I am glad
to see you looking so well."
"I wish I could say as much for you," said she. "You look like a
forlorn hope."
"I am nothing better."
"And as though you had not slept."
"I have not, Helena."
"Why not?" her eyes wide open in surprise.
"Because I knew I had either hurt or offended you; and I would do
neither."
"You have done both so often that it should not cost you your sleep,"
said she slowly. "But if you really want to be kind, why can you not
have mercy on a girl who has been packed in a hat box for a month? Let
me go ashore."
"Can you not breathe quite as well where you are, Helena?"
"But I can't walk."
"Oh, yes, you can; and I will walk beside you here on deck."
"But I would like to pick flowers, over there by the embankment."
"The train is too close," said I, smiling grimly.
Her color heightened just a little, but she did not answer my
suspicions. "Please let me walk with you over there," she said. "I
used not to need ask twice."
"Our situation is now reversed, Helena."
"Please, let me walk with you, Sir!"
"I dare not. We might both forget ourselves and go off to New Orleans
for a lark without Aunt Lucinda."
"Oh, I am going to call Aunt Lucinda, too."
"Pardon, but you are going to do nothing of the kind. Even with her as
chaperon, did we get down there in the old city once more, like the
children we once were, Helena, we would forget our duty, would,
perhaps, forget our purpose here. Mademoiselle, I dare not take that
risk."
"Please, Sir, may I walk with you over yonder for just a little time?"
she said, as though it were her first request. She was tying her
quaint little white bonnet strings under her chin now. I raised a
hand.
"You ask a man to put himself into the power of the woman he loves
most in all the world. When a man needs resolution, dare he look into
the eyes of that woman, feel her hand on his arm, have her walk close
to him as they promenade?"