chair as
he sat idly at his easel; I watched with him through the long nights,
but he never suspected that I was there! How often when he has called
me have I answered, and when he has prayed for one glimpse of me have I
clung to him, but had no sign from him to tell me that he even blindly
guessed that our prayer might have been granted! I have put my arms
around him; my head has lain upon his shoulder; I have passionately
called upon him, but still been as empty air! Yet it comforted me to be
with him, and I could not doubt that some time he would come to know of
my presence. It was impossible, I thought, for him to dwell in such an
atmosphere of love and always be unconscious of it. Why, we thought
only of each other, we longed only for each other, and so he must at
last come to know how near I was, and then, I thought with joy, waiting
would lose its pain!

"I could laugh as I now think of this fond and foolish fancy--of my
trust in time, in a man's intuition! Why, I did not even know that men
do not nurse grief as we do; and I was surprised by Philip's resolute
bravery in turning to work, and trying to forget in study all he had
lost in love. But do not think it was easy for him! I was much too
intimately connected with his art not to be always suggested by it; and
my dumb and unknown presence awakened none of the old inspiration of
our talks, our mutual sympathy and interest. Sometimes his desire for
me became so intense that I felt that my time for recognition had
surely come, and I have knelt, clinging to him, waiting for that
blessed smile of knowledge, but all in vain!

"Time, however, smoothes all griefs for mortals, and soon life began to
run tranquilly in the house. Nellie was happy in my sister's care, and
Philip became absorbed in work. The old sparkle and gayety was gone,
but youth and vigor were left, so they lived pleasantly enough, and I
wandered through the rooms lonely, but not forlorn. I could not be
miserable, for I was ever with them. And I could not but be happy in
seeing how tenderly I was remembered, how constantly I was thought of
by them all. Nothing was changed, for even my work-basket kept its
place in Philip's room, and some of my ribbons were still tumbled in
with his collars! Thus some years passed away. Nellie grew tall and
pretty, and Philip became graver, more studious, and was as famous as
he was popular. I do not believe that he ever thought of making any
change in his life, of f