Page:Adams - A Child of the Age.djvu/207

195 night to me a second time at the street-door, the sudden thought came that he knew my final thought, and to where did that final thought end? As I came up the dark staircase with my candle-light sending uncouth shadows about me above and below, I wondered, in a half-vague way about the meaning of the thing? When I entered the dining-room, I found Rosy leaning against the mantelpiece, warming one foot.

'Are you cold?' I said, putting down the candle on the table and throwing myself into an easy-chair, with my knuckles up to my mouth and my eyes to her.

'Yes,' she said; 'I am cold—a little.'

'Why, it's quite warm.'

She made a little motion with her back expressive of a shiver. I took up a book. She turned her head:

'Don't read anymore to-night,' she said, 'You're always rea-ding.' 'Am I?' I asked, looking at the tops of the leaves; 'perhaps I want to get wise. Now if I were you, Rosy, I should learn French. I'd be only too glad to get you a master. And why not music too?' 'I don't seem to care about it,' she said.

'You are lazy?'

A pause.

She came to me.

'Don't sit on the arm of the chair,' I said, 'or you'll break it.'

She stopped. I continued looking at the tops of the leaves. 'Then she drew a stool from underneath the table to my feet, and sat down upon it and looked at me. In a little I met her gaze.

'Well?' I said.

'I will learn the French and the music if you like!' she said.

I laughed.

'My dear, the liking must be yours. I don't want you to do what you don't like.'

'You're always rea-ding,' she said, 'I don't believe you ever think about me. You don't care what I do!—really.'

'I don't,' I said, 'You are right.' She seemed struck speechless.

I opened the book and began reading.