Mrs. Derrick laid down her work.
"Well you have changed!" she said, "there's no doubt of that! I don't recollect that you used to care so much about seeing her when you were here before. If I don't forget, you set your dog on her cat. And as to when you'll see her again, I'm sure I can't tell, doctor. She's a busy child, and folks out of the house have to do without seeing her till she finds time to see them." Whereat Mrs Derrick smiled upon Dr. Harrison with the happy consciousness that she was one of the folks in the house.
The doctor stood smiling at her, with a half humourous, quite pleasant expression of face.
"Set my dog on her cat!" he exclaimed. "That is why she would be angry with me for calling her a cherub!—
'Tantae ne animis celestibus irae!'"
The doctor sat down.
"What shall I do!" he said. "Advise me, Mrs. Derrick."
"I know what I should have done if I'd got hold of you," said Mrs. Derrick. "I thought I never would speak to you again—but you see I've got over it."
"I'm not sure of it," said the doctor meditatively. "'Folks out of the house'—well! It strikes me I've been 'in' to little purpose this afternoon."—He rose again. "Where is Mr. Linden? is he 'out', or 'in', this fine day?"
"He's out this afternoon," said Mrs. Derrick. "I was thinking to ask you if you wanted to see him, and then I knew it was no use."