Ships That Pass in the Night

singularly lifeless, and appeared to drag herself about with painful effort; but the place suited her, and she enjoyed sitting in the sun listening to the

important she might be to herself. She was grateful for any little kindness which was shewn her; but at first she kept very much to herself, talking chiefly with the Disagreeabl

tion, and always went to her for information, much to the amusement of Mrs. Reffold's faithful attendants. There was always a twinkle in Bernardine's eye when she spoke with Mrs. Reffold. She never fastened herself on to any one; no one could say she intruded. As time went, on there was a vague sort of feeling that she did not intrude enough. She was ready t

, said she appeared a

inking and

ade by the Disagreeable Ma

on the shelf; you, of all people. Now you will learn how many quite as able as yourself, and abler, have been put on the shelf too, and have to stay the

learning. And as the days went by, per

le signs; how far they had contributed to thought; how far they had influenced any great movement, or originated it; how much of a benefit they had been

quired knowledge intellectually as teacher and, perhaps, too, as writer, had been the great aim of her life. Everything that furthered this aim won her instant attention. It never struck her that she w

l she saw at first. Then she remembered that she had done the journey entirely for her own s

to any one. She had simply taken her life in her own han

to work. It seemed little enough to ask. That she asked so little placed her, so she thought, apart from the common

s really asking for the greatest thing. Now, in the hour of her enfeeblement, and in th

a few strokes of work. I would be content now to do so little, if only I might do some. The laz

isagreeable Ma

restored, so that you may begin to teach, and, perhaps, write a book. Well, to repeat my former words: you are still at phase one, and you are longing to be strong enough to fulfil your ambitions and write a book. When you arrive at phase four, you

. She made allowances for him; but she did more than that for him: she did not let him see that she made allowances. Moreover, she recognized amidst all his roughness a certain kind of sympathy which she could not resent, because it was not aggressive. For to some natures the expression of sympathy is an irritation; to be sympathized with means to be pitied, and

rmer one; not by what they had done or been, but by what they had suffered. But such a change as thi

ious types in the Kurhaus. The foreigners attracted her chiefly; a little

the very thought makes one shiver! That horrid doctor says I must not skate; it is not wise. W

nseuse?" the Disagreeable Man said to Ber

ry ill-bred person because you stalk into meals, with your hands in

nder at that," said Robert

hat you talk to me. They think I must eithe

ou clever," said Rob

think myself clever until I came here. Now I am beginni

xperienced the

think you are cl

is not here any more," he said gravely. "Now I come to remember, h

f the intellectual world," said Bernardin

she spoke, and there was the ghost of

he said suddenly. "He is a wretched low fo

t is very rude of you to read the newspaper during meal-time; and he asks if it is an Engli

aps at him, but alwa

had drunk deep, he passed on to her. She drank of it, and it did not poison her. She was morbid, and she needed cheerful companionship. Hi

r? Did he know how to help her in his own grim gruff wa