"Why did you blow out the candles?"
"We can light them again from the fire," answered Nicholas. He did
not add that he had meant to ask that same question of Jan. He thrust
them among the glowing logs, first one and then the other; and the
shadows crept back into their corners.
"You will not stop and see Christina?" asked Nicholas.
"Not to-night," answered Jan.
"The paper that I signed," Nicholas reminded him--"you have it?"
"I had forgotten it," Jan answered.
The old man took it from the desk and handed it to him. Jan thrust it
into his pocket and went out. Nicholas bolted the door behind him and
returned to his desk; sat long there, his elbow resting on the open
ledger.
Nicholas pushed the ledger aside and laughed. "What foolery! As if
such things could be! The fellow must have bewitched me."
Nicholas crossed to the fire and warmed his hands before the blaze.
"Still, I am glad he is going to marry the little lass. A good lad, a
good lad."
Nicholas must have fallen asleep before the fire. When he opened his
eyes, it was to meet the grey dawn. He felt cold, stiff, hungry, and
decidedly cross. Why had not Christina woke him up and given him his
supper. Did she think he had intended to pass the night on a wooden
chair? The girl was an idiot.
Pages:
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25