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398 THE HAUNTED MAN |
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soothed it tenderly, and tottered away with it cheerfully, Johnny was that boy, and Moloch was that baby, as they went out together!
Mr. Tetterby put down his cup; Mrs. Tetterby put down her cup. Mr. Tetterby rubbed his forehead; Mrs. Tetterby rubbed hers. Mr. Tetterby's face began to smooth and brighten; Mrs. Tetterby's began to smooth and brighten.
" Why, Lord forgive me," said Mr. Tetterby to himself, " what evil tempers have. I been giving way to? What has been the matter here !"
" How could I ever treat him ill again, after all I said and felt last night!" sobbed Mrs. Tetterby, with her apron to her eyes.
"Am I a brute," said Mr. Tetterby, "or is there any good in me at all ? Sophia ! My little woman !"
" 'Dolphus dear," returned his wife.
" I—I've been in a state of mind," said Mr. Tetterby, "that I can't abear to think of, Sophy."
" Oh ! It's nothing to what I've been in, Dolf," cried his wife in a great burst of grief.
"My Sophia," said Mr. Tetterby, "don't take on. I never shall forgive myself. I must have nearly broke your heart, I know."
" No, Dolf, no. It was me ! Me ! " cried Mrs. Tetterby.
"My little woman," said her husband, "don't. You make me reproach myself dreadful, when you show such a noble spirit. Sophia, my dear, you don't know what I thought. I showed it bad enough, no doubt; but what I thought, my little woman!"------
" Oh, dear Dolf, don't! Don't! " cried his wife.
"Sophia," said Mr. Tetterby, "I must reveal it. I couldn't rest in my conscience unless I mentioned it. My little woman------"
" Mrs. William's very nearly here !" screamed Johnny at the door.
"My little woman, I wondered how," gasped Mr. Tetterby, supporting himself by his chair, " I wondered how I had ever admired you—I forgot the precious children you have brought about me, and thought you didn't look as slim as I could wish. I—I never gave a recollection," said Mr. Tetterby, with severe self-accusation, "to the cares you've had as my wife, and along of me and mine, when you might have had hardly any with another man, who got on better and was luckier than me (anybody might have found such a man easily I am sure); aud I quarrelled with you for having aged a little in the rough years you have lightened for me. Can you believe it, my little woman ? I hardly can myself.'' |
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