“How kind you are—how pleasant your voice is; it soothes me to listen to it.”
“But we must not talk any more now, my child.”
“O yes, let us talk, it is so delightful; tell me of all the fine people you see daily. Do you speak to them as kindly as to me, or are you more reserved and distant? Do tell me.”
“I will tell you all about these things another time, when it will be safer for you to hear them. You must have perfect rest and quiet now.”
“It would quiet me far more to listen to you than to let me think on and on, as I have been doing. You are going away already?”
“I cannot help it, my child; I have many others waiting for me to see them.”
“But you wouldn’t hurry away from me in this fashion if I were a great person?”
“Pardon me; you are a very great person to me.”
“How so? Tell me what you mean; do tell me,” cried she; and she started up and caught his hand with both her own. “I must know what that means.”
“Listen to me, my child,” and he spoke in a graver, almost a stern manner; “I can only do the work of my daily life by being very despotic. I have replied to more questions of yours now, than I should have answered to a Royal Highness. Good-by.”