she used to insist on my
eating some of them with her; she liked to compare notes as to how they
tasted while eating them. I used to get a toothache from them, but I
bore with it although at that time I hated toothache almost as much as
I hated sweets. Then I asked her to come out with me for a walk. She
was willing enough and it was a novel experience for me. Indeed, it was
rather exciting. We went out together often after that, and sometimes
we'd meet people I knew, young men from my office or from other offices.
I used to be shy when some of these people winked at me as they saluted.
It was pleasant, too, telling the girl who they were, their business and
their salaries: for there was little I didn't know. I used to tell her
of my own position in the office and what the chief said to me through
the day. Sometimes we talked of the things that had appeared in the
evening papers. A murder perhaps, some phase of a divorce case, the
speech a political person had made, or the price of stock. She was
interested in anything so long as it was talk. And her own share in the
conversation was good to hear. Every lady that passed us had a hat that
stirred her to the top of rapture or the other pinnacle of disgust.
She told me what ladies were frights and what were ducks. Under her
scampering tongue I began to learn something of humanity, even though
she saw most people as delightfully funny clowns or superb, majestical
princes, but I noticed that she never said a bad word of a man, although
many of the men she looked after were ordinary enough. Until I went
walking with her I never knew what a shop window was. A jeweller's
window especially: there were curious things in it. She told me how a
tiara should be worn, and a pendant, and she explained the kind of studs
I should wear myself; they were made of gold and had red stones in them;
she showed me the ropes of pearl or diamonds that she thought would look
pretty on herself: and one day she said that she liked me very much. I
was pleased and excited that day, but I was a business man and I said
very little in reply. I never liked a pig in a poke.

"She used to go out two nights in the week, Monday and Thursday, dressed
in her best clothes. I didn't know where she went, and I didn't ask--I
thought she visited an acquaintance, a girl friend or some such. The
time went by and I made up my mind to ask her to marry me. I had watched
her long enough and she was always kind and bright.