Of course, like a good girl, she had
come to a fixed and settled resolution to think of James as little as
possible; but when the path of duty lay directly along scenes and among
people fitted to recall him, it was more agreeable than if it had lain
in another direction. Added to this, a very tender and silent friendship
subsisted between Mrs. Marvyn and Mary; in which, besides similarity of
mind and intellectual pursuits, there was a deep, unspoken element of
sympathy.
Candace watched the light in Mary's eyes with the instinctive shrewdness
by which her race seem to divine the thoughts and feelings of their
superiors, and chuckled to herself internally. Without ever having been
made a _confidante_ by any party, or having a word said to or before
her, still the whole position of affairs was as clear to her as if
she had seen it on a map. She had appreciated at once Mrs. Scudder's
coolness, James's devotion, and Mary's perplexity,--and inly resolved,
that, if the little maiden did not think of James in his absence, it
should not be her fault.
"Laws, Miss Scudder," she said, "I's right glad you's comin'; 'cause you
hasn't seen how we's kind o' splendified since Massa Jim come home.
Pages:
368
369
370
371
372
373
374
375
376
377
378
379
380
381
382
383
384
385
386
387
388
389
390
391
392