Page:The Novels and Tales of Henry James, Volume 1 (New York, Charles Scribner's Sons, 1907).djvu/113

 "And of this hard work what has your share been?"

"The hardest part—not doing anything."

"What do you call doing nothing?"

"I taught some small children their lessons once; I must make the most of that. But I confess I did n't like it. Otherwise I 've only done little things at home as they turned up."

"What kind of things?"

"Oh, every kind. If you had seen my home you would understand."

Rowland would have liked to make her specify; but he took a peculiar pleasure in being felt as discreet. "To be happy, I imagine," he contented himself with saying, "you need to see results—those of your service, of your ability. You need somebody or something to expend yourself upon."

"That 's not so true as it once was; now that I 'm older I 've developed a turn for sitting about quite shamelessly. Certainly these two months that I 've been with Mrs. Hudson I 've done little else. And yet I 've enjoyed it. And now that I 'm probably to be with her all the while that her son 's away, I look forward to more with dreadful resignation."

"It's quite settled then that you're to remain with your cousin?"

"It depends upon their writing from home that I may stay. But that 's probable. Only I must not forget," she said, rising, "that the ground for my doing so is that she shall not be left alone."

"I'm glad to know that I shall probably often hear about you. I assure you I shall often wonder about you!" These slightly breathless words of 79