"Perhaps," thought she, smiling to herself, while a faint tinge of color came into her cheeks—"perhaps, like so many others, he may be inclined to be a little sentimental also, though he will never be as silly as some of them.
"What a noble part he acted toward those Bruders! The heart of a pagan could not fail to be touched by that poor little fellow's story, and it has made me believe that I have more heart than I supposed. Sometimes, especially when I hear or read of some such noble deed, I catch glimpses of a life infinitely better than the one I know, like the sun shining through a rift in the clouds; then they shut down again, and father's practical wisdom seems the best there is.
"At any rate," she said aloud, getting up and walking the floor with something of the old restless energy, "I intend to live while I live, and crowd into life's brief day all that I can. I thank Mr. Fleet for a few sensations in what would otherwise have been a monotonous, dreary afternoon."
"What, strawberries!" said Mr. Ludolph, coming in. "Where did you get these? They are the first I have seen."
"Your man-of-all-work sent them to me," said Christine, daintily dipping one after another in sugar.
"Well, that is a good joke."
"A most excellent one, which I am enjoying, and in which you may share.
Help yourself."
"And what has led him to this extravagant favor?"
"Consistency, I suppose. As a good Christian he would return good for evil; and I certainly caused him many and varied tortures the other day."
"No, he is grateful; from first to last the callow youth has been overwhelmed with gratitude that I have permitted him to be worth to me double what I paid him."