“Why did you spoil the first part of that pretty speech with the last?” he said with a frown.
“It was only your vanity that made me pause.”
“Could you read me like that?”
“Of course, all men are vain, much vainer than women.” Again there was a long silence.
They had reached the outskirts of the city now and were driving slowly through the deep shadows of a great forest.
“What beautiful trees!” he exclaimed.
“They are fine. Do you love big trees?”
“Yes, they always seem to me to have a soul. It used to make me almost cry to watch them fall beneath Nelse’s axe. I’d never have the heart to clear a piece of woods if I owned it.”
“I’m so glad to hear you say that. Papa laughed at me when I said something of the sort when he wanted to cut these woods. He left them just to please me. They belong to our place. They hide the house till you get right up to the gate, but I love them.”
Again he looked into her eyes and was silent.