A mere touch would be dangerous in the
dark."
He nodded his agreement, and finally we went back to the house.
Getting there, we found suddenly that we had nothing more to say.
Swain was soon deep in his own thoughts; and, I must confess, that,
after the first excitement, I began to find the affair a little
wearying. Another man's love-affair is usually wearying; and, besides
that, the glimpse which I had caught of Marjorie Vaughan made me think
that she was worthy of a bigger fish than Swain would ever be. He was
right in saying that there were thousands of men who had more to give
her, and who would be eager to give.
I examined Swain, as he sat there staring at nothing, with eyes not
wholly friendly. He was handsome enough, but in a stereotyped way. And
he was only an insignificant clerk, with small prospect of ever being
anything much better, for he had started the battle of life too late.
Honest, of course, honourable, clean-hearted, but commonplace, with a
depth of soul easily fathomed. I know now that I was unjust to Swain,
but, at the moment, my scrutiny of him left me strangely depressed.
A rattle of wheels on the drive brought us both out of our thoughts.
Pages:
34
35
36
37
38
39
40
41
42
43
44
45
46
47
48
49
50
51
52
53
54
55
56
57
58