On the night before I had torn the roses with feverish haste from my dress, stuck them into a great bowl of water, and desired Morris to take them away; I said that the perfume gave me a headache, and that I did not wish to see them again. She obeyed me in some astonishment, raising her brows a trifle. When I entered the breakfast-room this sun-shiny spring morning, I interrupted a very animated tête-à-tête between my father and his wife. I sat down quietly. Neither spoke to me beyond saying the most conventional "Good morning," and I ate in feverish haste what breakfast I required. Immediately afterwards I rushed to my room, pinned some fresh violets into my pretty morning dress, put on a shady hat, and desired Morris to accompany me to Hyde Park. Morris was quite agreeable. As we walked along I saw that she was murmuring something under her breath. "What are you saying, Morris?" I asked, speaking with slight impatience, for my heart was beating so very fast I could scarcely control myself. "I dislike people muttering in the streets," I continued. "I am sorry, miss," said Morris. "In future I'll keep my thoughts to myself; they are all about you. Oh, dear! I wish I had one of those Marguerite daisies; maybe I'd know the future if I could pull off the petals." "What do you mean?" I asked. "He loves me, he don't; he'll have me, he won't; he would if he could, but he can't, so he won't," said Morris, bringing out the gibberish in a rapid tone. I laughed. "Oh, Morris," I said, "how your thoughts do run on love and lovers! Now let's think of something else." "There's nothing else for a young maiden to think of in the spring time," said Morris, in oracular tones. "There is in my case," I replied. "We will buy some fresh violets to-day, for one thing." "Shall we get them, miss, when we are going into the Park, or when we are coming out?" "I want to sit just where I sat yesterday," I answered; "and while I am there you can buy them, as you did yesterday." "Oh, yes, miss; I quite understand," replied Morris. Then she added: "It must be nice, very nice, to be married, and to be very rich. But it must be lovely to be married when you care for the man with all your heart, and he is poor, very poor. I'm not meaning
Prev.
Back
Top