Only it's here in
my heart and in the sunshine; the birds sing of it and--and--oh, how
can I think of anything else?"
The Ancient Person laid gentle hand upon her glossy hair. "Wait, dear
child, and Love, I think, shall open to you a nobler living, shall
give you pinions to soar awhile--"
"How--what d'ye mean, old pal?"
"Nay, ask Peregrine," answered his lordship, shaking his head. "Only
very sure am I that love which is true and everlasting is infinitely
unselfish."
And presently we took our leave, the Earl attending to see us into the
phaeton and bid us adieu; and all the way back I must needs ponder his
definition of love and wonder exactly what he had meant.
CHAPTER XXXV
OF A SHADOW IN THE SUN
And now ensued a halcyon season, dewy dawns wherein I bathed and
sparred with Jessamy, long, sunny days full of labour and an
ever-growing joy of Diana's radiant loveliness, nights of healthful,
dreamless slumber beneath the stars.
Sometimes, when work was slack, I would walk far afield with Diana for
my companion, or we would jog to market with the Tinker in the
four-wheeled cart, hearkening to his shrewd animadversions upon men
and life in general; and Diana's slim hand in mine.
Indeed this poor pen may never adequately set down all the happiness
of these care-free, swift-passing days, and how may I hope to describe
Diana's self or the joy of her companionship, a sweet intimacy that
did but teach me to love her the more for her changing moods and swift
intuitions, her quickness of perception, her deep wisdom, her warm
impetuousness and the thousand contradictions that made her what she
was.
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