FREE BOOKS

Author's List




PREV.   NEXT  
|<   105   106   107   108   109   110   111   112   113   114   115   116   117   118   119   120   121   122   123   124   125   126   127   128   129  
130   131   132   133   134   135   136   137   138   139   140   141   142   143   144   145   146   147   148   149   150   151   152   153   154   >>   >|  
e heard Mordaunt's step outside more than half an hour later did he move, and then very abruptly he returned to the writing-table and seized the pen anew. He was writing with feverish rapidity when Mordaunt entered. Very quietly Mordaunt came up and looked over his shoulder. "My boy," he said, "I am very sorry, but that is not legible." His tone was unreservedly kind, and Bertrand jerked up his head as if surprised. He surveyed the page before him with pursed lips, then flashed a quick look into Mordaunt's face. "It is true," he admitted, with a rueful smile. "I also am sorry." "Leave it," Mordaunt said. "You are looking fagged, Yes, I mean it. It will keep." "But I have done nothing!" Bertrand protested, with outspread hands. "No? Well, I don't believe you ought to be doing anything at present. Come and sit down." Then, peremptorily, as Bertrand hesitated: "I won't have you overworking yourself. Understand that! I have had trouble enough to get you off the sick list as it is." He spoke with that faint smile of his that placed most men at their ease with him. Bertrand turned impulsively and grasped his hand. "You have been--you are--more than a brother to me, monsieur," he said, with feeling. "And I--I--ah! Permit me to tell you--I--am glad that Mademoiselle has placed herself in your keeping. It was a great surprise, yes. But I am glad--from my heart. She will be safe--and happy--with you." He spoke with great earnestness; his sincerity was shining in his eyes. Mordaunt, looking straight down into them, saw no other emotion than sheer friendliness, a friendliness that touched him, coming from one who was so nearly friendless. "I shall do my best to make her so," he made grave reply. "She has been telling me about you, Bertrand." "Ah!" The Frenchman's eyes interrogated him for a moment and instantly fell away. "I am surprised," he said, "to be remembered after so long. No, I had not forgotten her; but that is different, _n'est-ce pas_? I think that no one would easily forget her." He smiled as though involuntarily at some reminiscence. "_Christine et le bon Cinders_!" he said in his soft voice. "We were all friends together. We were--" again his eyes darted up to meet the Englishman's level scrutiny--"what you call 'pals,' monsieur." Mordaunt smiled. "So I gathered. It happened at Valpre, I understand." Bertrand nodded. His eyes grew dreamy, grew remote. "Yes," he said slowly, "it happene
PREV.   NEXT  
|<   105   106   107   108   109   110   111   112   113   114   115   116   117   118   119   120   121   122   123   124   125   126   127   128   129  
130   131   132   133   134   135   136   137   138   139   140   141   142   143   144   145   146   147   148   149   150   151   152   153   154   >>   >|  



Top keywords:
Mordaunt
 

Bertrand

 

smiled

 
surprised
 
monsieur
 
friendliness
 

writing

 

scrutiny

 

surprise

 

touched


coming
 
Cinders
 

friendless

 

emotion

 

earnestness

 

sincerity

 

darted

 

Englishman

 

shining

 

friends


happene
 

straight

 

keeping

 
forgotten
 

nodded

 
reminiscence
 
involuntarily
 

forget

 

Christine

 

easily


dreamy

 

happened

 
Frenchman
 
gathered
 

telling

 
interrogated
 

remembered

 

understand

 

Valpre

 

moment


instantly

 

remote

 
slowly
 

jerked

 
surveyed
 
unreservedly
 

shoulder

 

legible

 
admitted
 

rueful