“You will not repent—I mean relent—and come to the christening of your only son this afternoon, Sir?”
“Good morning, Nurse,” observed Colonel Matthew Devon de Warrenne, and resumed his hurried pacing of the verandah.
It is not enough that a man love his wife dearly and hold her the sweetest, fairest, and best of women—he should tell her so, morning and night.
There is a proverb (the unwisdom of many and the poor wit of one) that says Actions speak louder than Words. Whether this is the most untrustworthy of an untrustworthy class of generalizations is debateable.
Anyhow, let no husband or lover believe it. Vain are the deeds of dumb devotion, the unwearying forethought, the tender care, the gifts of price, and the priceless gifts of attentive, watchful guard and guide, the labours of Love—all vain. Silent is the speech of Action.
But resonant loud is the speech of Words and profitable their investment in the Mutual Alliance Bank.
“Love me, love my Dog?” Yes—and look to the dog for a dog’s reward.
“Do not show me that you love me—tell me so.” Far too true and pregnant ever to become a proverb.
Colonel de Warrenne had omitted to tell his wife so—after she had accepted him—and she had died thinking herself loveless, unloved, and stating the fact.