Page:Neith Boyce--The bond.djvu/406

404 became silent; his lips moving now and then, without sound.

Teresa thought: He is dying, though perhaps he does not know it. He is thinking of her because she was the great emotion of his life, and he feels that he is going to find her again. Perhaps he will find her. But then what will become of poor Agatha, who has cooked for him these many years—and what will she do when she gets to heaven and looks for him? He is her husband, too. But he's forgotten her, and her children, and even Basil—and he remembers only the woman with the copper hair that he loved thirty years ago—and has loved ever since. But perhaps there will be different heavens. The Major and his lady with the copper hair will live in one full of bright armour and glorious warriors and champing steeds; and Agatha will have one full of the most wonderful things to cook—and I daresay the Major will drop in to dinner with her occasionally, and fib to the beautiful lady about it. …

She glanced up at him. His eyelids had dropped and she thought he was asleep. She sat perfectly quiet for fear of waking him, and her face was tender as she looked at him.

But all the same—she thought—there might have been some difficulties in living with Basil's mother. Perhaps the Major hadn't had time to find them out. But if he had ever offended her,