quickly. After a while the servant entered and laid a
pile of letters on the table. "Tell the boy I shall have done in fifteen
minutes." She wrote on. Then she caught sight of the writing on one of
the letters. She put down her pen, and opened it. It ran so:--

"Dear Friend,--I am writing to you, because I know you will rejoice to
hear of my great happiness. Do you remember how you told me that day by
the fire to wait, and after long, long years I should see that all was
for the best? That time has come sooner than we hoped. Last week in Rome
I was married to the best, noblest, most large-hearted of men. We are
now in Florence together. You don't know how beautiful all life is to
me. I know now that the old passion was only a girl's foolish dream.
My husband is the first man I have ever truly loved. He loves me and
understands me as no other man ever could. I am thankful that my dream
was broken; God had better things in store for me. I don't hate that
woman any more; I love every one! How are you, dear? We shall come and
see you as soon as we arrive in England. I always think of you so happy
in your great work and helping other people. I don't think now it is
terrible to be a woman; it is lovely.

"I hope you are enjoying this beautiful spring weather.

"Yours, always full of gratitude and love,

"E--."

The woman read the letter: then she stood up and walked towards the
fire. She did not re-read it, but stood with it open in her hand,
looking down into the blaze. Her lips were drawn in at the corners.
Presently she tore the letter up slowly, and watched the bits floating
down one by one into the grate. Then she went back to her desk, and
began to write, with her mouth still drawn in at the corners. After a
while she laid her arm on the paper and her head on her arm, and seemed
to go to sleep there.

Presently the servant knocked; the boy was waiting. "Tell him to wait
ten minutes more." She took up her pen--"The Policy of the Australian
Colonies in favour of Protection is easily understood--" she
waited--"when one considers the fact--the fact--;" then she finished the
article.

Cape Town, South Africa, 1892.

End of Project Gutenberg's Dream Life and Real Life, by Olive Schreiner

*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK DREAM LIFE AND REAL LIFE ***

***** This file should be named 1458.txt or 1458.zip *****
This and all associated files of various formats will be found in:
http://www.guten