Mistress Winthrop sauntered out into the garden. The calm and fragrance of the night invited her. Alone with her thoughts, she paced the lawn a while, until her solitude was disturbed by the advent of Mr. Caryll. He, too, had need to think, and he had come out into the peace of the night to indulge his need. Seeing her, he made as if to withdraw again; but she perceived him, and called him to her side. He went most readily. Yet when he stood before her in an attitude of courteous deference, she was at a loss what she should say to him, or, rather, what words she should employ. At last, with a half-laugh of nervousness, "I am by nature very inquisitive, sir," she prefaced.
"I had already judged you to be an exceptional woman," Mr. Caryll commented softly.
She mused an instant. "Are you never serious?" she asked him.
"Is it worth while?" he counter-questioned, and, whether intent or accident, he let her see something of himself. "Is it even amusing - to be serious?""Is there in life nothing but amusement?"
"Oh, yes - but nothing so vital. I speak with knowledge. The gift of laughter has been my salvation.""From what, sir?"
"Ah - who shall say that? My history and my rearing have been such that had I bowed before them, I had become the most gloomy, melancholy man that steps this gloomy, melancholy world. By now I might have found existence insupportable, and so - who knows? I might have set a term to it. But I had the wisdom to prefer laughter. Humanity is a delectable spectacle if we but have the gift to observe it in a dispassionate spirit. Such a gift have I cultivated. The squirming of the human worm is interesting to observe, and the practice of observing it has this advantage, that while we observe it we forget to squirm ourselves.""The bitterness of your words belies their purport."He shrugged and smiled. "But proves my contention. That Imight explain myself, you made me for a moment serious, set me squirming in my turn."She moved a little, and he fell into step beside her. Alittle while there was silence.
Presently - "You find me, no doubt, as amusing as any other of your human worms," said she.
"God forbid!" he answered soberly.
She laughed. "You make an exception in my case, then. That is a subtle flattery!""Have I not said that I had judged you to be an exceptional woman?""Exceptionally foolish, not a doubt."
"Exceptionally beautiful; exceptionally admirable," he corrected.
"A clumsy compliment, devoid of wit!"
"When we grow truthful, it may be forgiven us if we fall short of wit.""That were an argument in favor of avoiding truth.""Were it necessary," said he. "For truth is seldom so intrusive as to need avoiding. But we are straying. There was a score upon which you were inquisitive, you said; from which I take it that you sought knowledge at my hands. Pray seek it; I am a well, of knowledge.""I desired to know - Nay, but I have asked you already. Idesired to know did you deem me a very pitiful little fool?"They had reached the privet hedge, and turned. They paused now before resuming their walk. He paused, also, before replying. Then:
