’It’stoogoodofyou，——muchtoogoodBecauseyouareconsolingyourselfwithwhatwillneverhappen，andIknowthat，andyetIwanttokeepyouDon’tblamemelater，please。’
’I’mgoingintothematterwithmyeyesopenMoreovertheQueencandonowrongItisn’tyourselfishnessthatimpressesmeIt’syouraudacityinproposingtomakeuseofme。’
’Pooh！You’reonlyDick，——andaprint-shop。’
’Verygood：that’sallIamBut，Maisie，youbelieve，don’tyou，thatIloveyou？Idon’twantyoutohaveanyfalsenotionsaboutbrothersandsisters。’
Maisielookedupforamomentanddroppedhereyes。
’It’sabsurd，but——IbelieveIwishIcouldsendyouawaybeforeyougetangrywithmeBut——butthegirlthatliveswithmeisred-haired，andanimpressionist，andallournotionsclash。’
’Sodoours，IthinkNevermindThreemonthsfromto-dayweshallbelaughingatthistogether。’
Maisieshookherheadmournfully’Iknewyouwouldn’tunderstand，anditwillonlyhurtyoumorewhenyoufindoutLookatmyface，Dick，andtellmewhatyousee。’
TheystoodupandfacedeachotherforamomentThefogwasgathering，anditstifledtheroarofthetrafficofLondonbeyondtherailingsDickbroughtallhispainfullyacquiredknowledgeoffacestobearontheeyes，mouth，andchinunderneaththeblackvelvettoque。
’It’sthesameMaisie，andit’sthesameme，’hesaid’We’vebothnicelittlewillsofourown，andoneorotherofushastobebroken。
NowaboutthefutureImustcomeandseeyourpicturessomeday，——Isupposewhenthered-hairedgirlisonthepremises。’
’SundaysaremybesttimesYoumustcomeonSundaysTherearesuchheapsofthingsIwanttotalkaboutandaskyouradviceabout。
NowI
mustgetbacktowork。’
’TrytofindoutbeforenextSundaywhatIam，’saidDick’Don’ttakemywordforanythingI’vetoldyouGood-bye，darling，andblessyou。’
MaisiestoleawaylikealittlegraymouseDickwatchedhertillshewasoutofsight，buthedidnothearhersaytoherself，verysoberly，’I’mawretch，——ahorrid，selfishwretchButit’sDick，andDickwillunderstand。’
Noonehasyetexplainedwhatactuallyhappenswhenanirresistibleforcemeetstheimmovablepost，thoughmanyhavethoughtdeeply，evenasDickthoughtHetriedtoassurehimselfthatMaisiewouldbeledinafewweeksbyhismerepresenceanddiscoursetoabetterwayofthinkingThenherememberedmuchtoodistinctlyherfaceandallthatwaswrittenonit。
’IfIknowanythingofheads，’hesaid，’there’severythinginthatfacebutloveIshallhavetoputthatinmyself；andthatchinandmouthwon’tbewonfornothingButshe’srightSheknowswhatshewants，andshe’sgoingtogetitWhatinsolence！Me！Ofallthepeopleinthewideworld，touseme！Butthenshe’sMaisieThere’snogettingoverthatfact；
andit’sgoodtoseeheragainThisbusinessmusthavebeensimmeringatthebackofmyheadforyearsShe’llusemeasIusedBinatatPortSaid。
She’squiterightItwillhurtalittleIshallhavetoseehereverySunday，——likeayoungmancourtingahousemaidShe’ssuretocomearound；andyet——thatmouthisn’tayieldingmouthIshallbewantingtokissherallthetime，andIshallhavetolookatherpictures，——I
don’tevenknowwhatsortofworkshedoesyet，——andIshallhavetotalkaboutArt，——Woman’sArt！Therefo...完整阅读请扫描二维码下载丁香书院APP免费看：