"You see how much better it is for me than preaching," he explained. "I don't mean to put my name to the book, and shall never know what it has done for people. God only will know that, so there will be no chance of conceit and pride getting the better of me in my work. I do not see how I can forget God in the work as I need Him every moment. I feel I am contending with the devil and he does not leave me alone. But no-one knows but God—and now," he added, "my wife."
Rachel had never loved her husband or admired him more than she did at that moment. She sat and looked at him with her heart in her eyes; but she did not speak.
"I meant to keep it a secret," he said, "till I could put the finished book into your hands. But now you know. I have sent the first few chapters to Sharnis and he is pleased with them and quite hopes to undertake its publication. But I don't want anyone to know about it. Now do you think you can help me about my mother? I don't feel as if I could be constantly asked questions about it. It's such a sacred thing to me that I cannot talk about it. Besides, as I'm not putting my name to the book, it is important that no-one should know that I'm writing it."
"She would be so pleased that she would find it difficult to keep the fact to herself."
"That's just it."
"What a pity though that she will never know," said Rachel.
"Perhaps sometime after its publication I may tell her, but not now. But can you manage to keep her from disturbing me without hurting her? A woman can generally do this kind of thing better than a man. I would not hurt my dear mother for the world if I could help it."
They neither of them heard the door open and then softly close again, and Luke never knew that his mother had turned away from his study murmuring:
"Luke was talking to Rachel about me! His mother! I never thought he would talk to anyone about his mother." The pain was almost too much to bear.
