Which
laws, when man better divines, he shall learn thy secret too, Nurse of the
world, but not sooner.
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
LONELY DAYS
Having already learned from experience that hard work quickens the flight
of time, Joan, returning in happy mood to her home and with no trace of the
past tears upon her cheeks, surprised Mrs. Tregenza by a display of most
unusual energy and activity. She helped the butcher to get the pig into a
low cart built expressly for the conveyance of such unwieldy animals; she
looked mournfully at her departing companion, knowing that the morrow had
nothing for him but a knife, that he had eaten his last meal. And while
Joan listened to the farewell grunts of the fattest pig which had ever
adorned her father's sty, Mrs. Tregenza counted the money and bit a piece
here and there, and wondered if she could get the next young pig from Uncle
Chirgwin for even a lower figure than the last.
The day which had wrought such wonders for Joan's inner life, and brought
to her eyes a sort of tears unshed till then, ended at last, and for her a
sleepless night followed upon it. Not until long past one o'clock in the
morning did she lose consciousness, and then the thoughts of the day broke
loose again in visions, taking upon themselves fantastic shapes and moving
amid dream scenery of strange splendor. Now it was her turn to conjure
brain pictures out of fevered thoughts, and she woke at last with a start
in the dawn, to see a faint light painting the square of her bedroom
window.
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