I suppose when she looks at him she recalls
the past, and is ever seeing the little child in the strong man,
mother fashion. It is very beautiful, that feeling; and when a girl
surprises it in any mother's eyes it makes her heart beat faster, as
in the presence of something sacred, which she can understand only
because she is a woman, and experience is foreshadowed in intuition.
The Honourable Arthur had sent us a dozen London dailies and
weeklies, and we fell into an idle discussion of their contents over
the teacups. I had found an 'exchange column' which was as
interesting as it was novel, and I told Francesca it seemed to me
that if we managed wisely we could rid ourselves of all our useless
belongings, and gradually amass a collection of the English articles
we most desired. "Here is an opportunity, for instance," I said,
and I read aloud-
"'S.G., of Kensington, will post 'Woman' three days old regularly
for a box of cut flowers.'"
"Rather young," said Mr. Beresford, "or I'd answer that
advertisement myself."
I wanted to tell him I didn't suppose that he could find anything
too young for his taste, but I didn't dare.
"Salemina adores cats," I went on. "How is this, Sally, dear?-
"'A handsome orange male Persian cat, also a tabby, immense coat,
brushes and frills, is offered in exchange for an electro-plated
revolving covered dish or an Allen's Vapour Bath.
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