Bessiewithdrew，scrubbinghercheekwitharaggedpocket-handkerchiefThetwomenlookedateachother。
’You’reaman，’saidTorpenhow。
’I’mafraidI’vebeenafoolItisn’tourbusinesstorunabouttheearthreformingBessieBrokesAndawomanofanykindhasnorightonthislanding。’
’Perhapsshewon’tcomeback。’
’ShewillifshethinksshecangetfoodandwarmthhereIknowshewill，worseluckButremember，oldman，sheisn’tawoman；she’smymodel；
andbecareful。’
’Theidea！She’sadissolutelittlescarecrow，——agutter-snippetandnothingmore。’
’SoyouthinkWaittillshehasbeenfedalittleandfreedfromfearThatfairtyperecoversitselfveryquicklyYouwon’tknowherinaweekortwo，whenthatabjectfearhasdiedoutofhereyesShe’llbetoohappyandsmilingformypurposes。’
’Butsurelyyou’renottakingheroutofcharity？——topleaseme？’
’Iamnotinthehabitofplayingwithhotcoalstopleaseanybody。
Shehasbeensentfromheaven，asImayhaveremarkedbefore，tohelpmewithmyMelancolia。’
’Neverheardawordabouttheladybefore。’
’What’stheuseofhavingafriend，ifyoumustslingyournotionsathiminwords？YououghttoknowwhatI’mthinkingaboutYou’veheardmegruntlately？’
’Evenso；butgruntsmeananythinginyourlanguage，frombad’baccytowickeddealersAndIdon’tthinkI’vebeenmuchinyourconfidenceforsometime。’
’ItwasahighandsoulfulgruntYououghttohaveunderstoodthatitmeanttheMelancolia。’DickwalkedTorpenhowupanddowntheroom，keepingsilenceThenhesmotehimintheribs，’Nowdon’tyouseeit？
Bessie’sabjectfutility，andtheterrorinhereyes，weldedontooneortwodetailsinthewayofsorrowthathavecomeundermyexperiencelatelyLikewisesomeorangeandblack，——twokeysofeachButI
can’texplainonanemptystomach。’
’ItsoundsmadenoughYou’dbettersticktoyoursoldiers，Dick，insteadofmaunderingaboutheadsandeyesandexperiences。’
’Thinkso？’Dickbegantodanceonhisheels，singing——
’They’reasproudasaturkeywhentheyholdthereadycash，Yououghtto’earthewaytheylaughan’joke；
Theyaretrickyan’they’refunnywhenthey’vegotthereadymoney，——
Ow！butsee’emwhenthey’reallstone-broke。’
ThenhesatdowntopourouthishearttoMaisieinafour-sheetletterofcounselandencouragement，andregisteredanoaththathewouldgettoworkwithanundividedheartassoonasBessieshouldreappear。
Thegirlkeptherappointmentunpaintedandunadorned，afraidandoverboldbyturnsWhenshefoundthatshewasmerelyexpectedtositstill，shegrewcalmer，andcriticisedtheappointmentsofthestudiowithfreedomandsomepointShelikedthewarmthandthecomfortandthereleasefromfearofphysicalpainDickmadetwoorthreestudiesofherheadinmonochrome，buttheactualnotionoftheMelancoliawouldnotarrive。
’Whatamessyoukeepyourthingsin！’saidBessie，somedayslater，whenshefeltherselfthoroughlyathome’Is’poseyourclothesarejustasbad。
Gentlemenneverthinkwhatbuttonsandtapearemadefor。’
’Ibuythingstowear，andwear’emtilltheygotopiecesIdon’tknowwhatTorpenhowdoes。’
Bessiemadediligentinquiryinthelatter’sroom，andunearthedabaleofdisreputablesocks’SomeoftheseI’llmendnow，’shesaid，’andsomeI’lltakehomeD’youknow，Isitalldaylongathomedoingnothing，justlikealady，andnomorenoticingthemothergirlsinthehousethaniftheywassomanyfliesIdon’thaveanyunnecessarywords，butIput’emdownquick，Icantellyou，whentheytalktomeNo；it’squitenicethesedaysIlockmydoor，andtheycanonlycallmenamesthroughthekeyhole，andIsitinside，justlikealady，mendingsocksMr。
Torpenhowwearshissocksoutbothendsatonce。’
’Threequidaweekfromme，andthedelightsofmysocietyNosocksmendedNothingfromTorpexceptanodonthelandingnowandagain，andallhissocksmendedBessieisverymuchawoman，’thoughtDick；
andhelookedatherbetweenhalf-shuteyesFoodandresthadtransformedthegirl，asDickknewtheywould。
’Whatareyoulookingatmelikethatfor？’shesaidquickly’Don’t。
Youlookreg’larbadwhenyoulookthatwayYoudon’tthinkmucho’
me，doyou？’
’Thatdependsonhowyoubehave。’
BessiebehavedbeautifullyOnlyitwasdifficultattheendofasittingtobidhergooutintothegraystreetsSheverymuchpreferredthestudioandabigchairbythestove，withsomesocksinherlapasanexcusefordelayThenTorpenhowwouldcomein，andBessiewouldbemovedtotellstrangeandwonderfulstoriesofherpast，andstillstrangeronesofherpresentimprovedcircumstancesShewouldmakethemteaasthoughshehadarighttomakeit；andonceortwiceontheseoccasionsDickcaughtTorpenhow’seyesfixedonthetrimlittlefigure，andbecauseBessie’’flittingsabouttheroommadeDickardentlylongforMaisie，herealisedwhitherTorpenhow’sthoughtsweretendingAndBessiewasexceedinglycarefuloftheconditionofTorpenhow’slinenShespokeverylittletohim，butsometimestheytalkedtogetheronthelanding。
’Iwasagreatfool，’Dicksaidtohimself’Iknowwhatredfirelightlooksl...完整阅读请扫描二维码下载丁香书院APP免费看：