“I’ll tell you what I’ll do,” he said, suddenly, as a thought struck him, “I’ll walk you, as I used to do, when you got nervous and unhappy. It always made you quiet—do you remember?”
“Oh, you’re so good to me, darling!” she murmured, as he took her up in his arms like a child, and began to walk up and down the room with her. He was magnificently strong, and she was light and little, so that it was no great tax upon him. Fleecy, with her plumy tail held high and her little gold bell tinkling, joined them, and walked at their side, up and down, up and down. Now and then Mimi would murmur some words of tenderness and gratitude, and he would answer with some soothing caress.
The faculty of humor was not lacking in his composition, at least, for, in spite of the agitated pain he had just been suffering, when he caught sight of the little procession in passing a mirror, he smiled at his own reflection. The smile was quickly suppressed, however, as he went on speaking to her soothingly. It had—as he had predicted—a marvellous effect. The little thing ceased sobbing, and her breast grew quiet, after its excited heavings.
At last, the clock struck, and he took her to the lounge and laid her down. “I have not another moment,” he said, “you will let me go now, like the good, brave darling you are?”
“Yes,” she whispered, in a faint, unnatural tone. “I’ll let you go now. Tell me good-by once more.”
“Good-by, my darling wife.”
“Good-by, my darling husband.”
She put her lips up, and he pressed a quick kiss on them, and was gone.
On the landing outside Mauma was sitting, erect and repellent, in every line of figure and face.
“Go to your mistress, Mauma,” said Leith. “I trust you to look after her and take good care of her.”