“I think I shall rest content with Anne’s choice,” said Mrs. Lyndsay. “But, ah me, there might be many, many things.”
“Dick, it is your turn,” said Lyndsay.
“I—I—don’t know. Yes, yes. The days of the great lizards—and things,” he added, comprehensively; “and that beast with a brain in his head and one in his tail. And, father, may I see the insides of that salmon? He has a lot of what the men call sea-lice on him.”
“Certainly. He loses them very soon in fresh water. It is a sign of a clean run fish. Yes, of course. Do as you like, my boy.”
“Mrs. Maybrook was here this morning,” said Mrs. Lyndsay. “I was away. You and Anne must see her, Rose. She is really a personage. I, at least, have never seen any one like her. She left word that the little boy was sick at Joe Colkett’s,—the upper clearing, you know, Archie; and could we do something to help them? There is no doctor for fifty miles. I thought, Rose, you might take some things, and go over after lunch, and see what it is.”
Now, Rose was salmon-bitten, but it was characteristic that she said at once she would go. A glance at the mother’s face decided her. Anne, who understood everybody with strange readiness, nodded to her gently, and Rose had her reward. It is pleasant to be clearly read by those we love. Then the chat went on, gay or grave, but plenty of it, and with ample sauce of folly.
As the girl went out onto the porch, Lyndsay said to his sister, “I was sorry for Rose. Her first day of salmon-fishing. Sometimes my good Margaret is—well, a little too positive about these confounded duties. She might—”
“No, Archie. Rose understood her mother. Of course, she did not like it, but she was right, and was perfectly sweet about it.”
“I shall take her up myself, and wait for her,” he went on. “If we start early, she will be in time for a late cast. Hang the black flies!—get a smudge, Tom,” he called. “I suppose Margaret is right. Even the simulation of goodness is valuable. Of course, Anne, as Marcus Aurelius said, ‘Affect a virtue—’ No, confound it! he says, ‘If you have not a virtue, make believe to have it, and by and by you will have it.’”[have it.’”]
Anne smiled. “I think there is a statute of limitations for some of us.”