"Richard," she said, giving me her hand, "we shall come down to your wonderful house--all three of us, next week, so be prepared--now be off--both of you.""Then you forgive me, Aunt?" asked Lisbeth, hesitating."Well, I don't quite know yet, Lisbeth; but, my dear, I'll tell you something I have never mentioned to a living soul but you: if I had acted forty years ago as you did to-day, I should have been a very different creature from the cross-grained old woman you think me. There--there's a kiss, but as for forgiving you--that is quite another matter, I must have time to think it over. Good-bye, my dear: and, Richard, fill her life with happiness, to make up for mine, if you can. Children, bid good-bye to your Auntie--and Uncle Dick!""You won't forget the sword with the 'deadly point,' will you, Uncle Dick?""I won't forget, my Imp!" Hereupon he tried to smile, but his trembling lips refused, and snatching his hand from mine, he turned away; as for Dorothy, she was sobbing into the fur of the fluffy kitten.Then I helped Lisbeth aboard theJoyful Hope, loving her the more for the tears that gleamed beneath her long lashes, and "casting loose," we glided out into the stream.There they stood, the two children, with the white-haired figure between them, Dorothy holding up the round-eyed "Louise," for a parting glimpse, and the Imp flourishing his cutlass, until a bend of the river hid them from view.So Lisbeth and I sailed on together through the golden morning to the "Land of Heart's Delight."LONDON: PRINTED BY WILLIAM CLOWES AND SONS, LIMITED,DUKE STREET, STAMFORD STREET, S.E., AND GREAT WINDMILL STREET, W.*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOKTHE CHRONICLES OF THE IMP***
"Richard," she said, giving me her hand, "we shall come down to your wonderful house--all three of us, next week, so be prepared--now be off--both of you."
"Then you forgive me, Aunt?" asked Lisbeth, hesitating.
"Well, I don't quite know yet, Lisbeth; but, my dear, I'll tell you something I have never mentioned to a living soul but you: if I had acted forty years ago as you did to-day, I should have been a very different creature from the cross-grained old woman you think me. There--there's a kiss, but as for forgiving you--that is quite another matter, I must have time to think it over. Good-bye, my dear: and, Richard, fill her life with happiness, to make up for mine, if you can. Children, bid good-bye to your Auntie--and Uncle Dick!"
"You won't forget the sword with the 'deadly point,' will you, Uncle Dick?"
"I won't forget, my Imp!" Hereupon he tried to smile, but his trembling lips refused, and snatching his hand from mine, he turned away; as for Dorothy, she was sobbing into the fur of the fluffy kitten.
Then I helped Lisbeth aboard theJoyful Hope, loving her the more for the tears that gleamed beneath her long lashes, and "casting loose," we glided out into the stream.
There they stood, the two children, with the white-haired figure between them, Dorothy holding up the round-eyed "Louise," for a parting glimpse, and the Imp flourishing his cutlass, until a bend of the river hid them from view.
So Lisbeth and I sailed on together through the golden morning to the "Land of Heart's Delight."
LONDON: PRINTED BY WILLIAM CLOWES AND SONS, LIMITED,DUKE STREET, STAMFORD STREET, S.E., AND GREAT WINDMILL STREET, W.
*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOKTHE CHRONICLES OF THE IMP***