"
"And your daughter? Was he as close-mouthed in speaking of me to
her as he was to you?"
"I have no doubt of it. Reuther betrays no knowledge of you or of
your habits, and has never expressed but one curiosity in your
regard. As you can imagine what that is, I will not mention it."
"You are at liberty to. I have listened to much and can well
listen to a little more."
"Judge, she is of a very affectionate nature and her appreciation
of your son's virtues is very great. Though her conception of
yourself is naturally a very vague one, it is only to be expected
that she should wonder how you could live so long without a visit
from Oliver."
Expectant as he was of this reply, and resolved as he was, to hear
it unmoved, he had miscalculated his strength or his power of
concealment, for he turned aside immediately upon hearing it, and
walked away from her towards the further extremity of the room.
Covertly she watched him; first through her veil, and then with it
partly removed. She did not understand his mood; and she hardly
understood her own. When she entered upon this interview, her mind
had been so intent upon one purpose that it seemed to absorb all
her faculties and reach every corner of her heart; yet here she
was, after the exchange of many words between them, with her
purpose uncommunicated and her heart unrelieved, staring at him
not in the interest of her own griefs, but in commiseration of
his.
Yet when he faced her once more every thought vanished from her
mind save the one which had sustained her through the
extraordinary measures she had taken to secure herself this
opportunity of presenting her lost cause to the judgment of the
only man from whom she could expect aid.
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