Did they enjoy turning round and round to
the screech of a fiddle? Did they talk, and say pretty things, and
if so, why didn't they do it, under reasonable conditions? As for
himself--he sighed and pointed at the signs of industry lying all about
him, which, in spite of his sigh, filled his face with such satisfaction
that his niece thought good to leave. On bestowing a kiss she was
allowed to go, but not until she had bound herself to learn at any rate
the Greek alphabet, and to return her French novel when done with, upon
which something more suitable would be found for her.
As the rooms in which people live are apt to give off something of the
same shock as their faces when seen for the first time, Rachel walked
very slowly downstairs, lost in wonder at her uncle, and his books,
and his neglect of dances, and his queer, utterly inexplicable, but
apparently satisfactory view of life, when her eye was caught by a note
with her name on it lying in the hall. The address was written in a
small strong hand unknown to her, and the note, which had no beginning,
ran:--
I send the first volume of Gibbon as I promised. Personally I find
little to be said for the moderns, but I'm going to send you Wedekind
when I've done him. Donne? Have you read Webster and all that set? I
envy you reading them for the first time. Completely exhausted after
last night.
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