The Wings of the Dove Henry James (android based ebook reader TXT) đ
- Author: Henry James
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âInteresting, dearest?ââ âMrs. Stringham felt her feet firmer. âI donât know if heâs interesting or not; but I do know, my own,â she continued to quaver, âthat heâs just as much interested as you could possibly desire.â
âCertainlyâ âthatâs it. Like all the world.â
âNo, my precious, not like all the world. Very much more deeply and intelligently.â
âAh there you are!â Milly laughed. âThatâs the way, Susie, I want you. So buck up, my dear. Weâll have beautiful times with him. Donât worry.â
âIâm not worrying, Milly.â And poor Susieâs face registered the sublimity of her lie.
It was at this that, too sharply penetrated, her companion went to her, met by her with an embrace in which things were said that exceeded speech. Each held and clasped the other as if to console her for this unnamed woe, the woe for Mrs. Stringham of learning the torment of helplessness, the woe for Milly of having her, at such a time, to think of. Millyâs assumption was immense, and the difficulty for her friend was that of not being able to gainsay it without bringing it more to the proof than tenderness and vagueness could permit. Nothing in fact came to the proof between them but that they could thus cling togetherâ âexcept indeed that, as we have indicated, the pledge of protection and support was all the younger womanâs own. âI donât ask you,â she presently said, âwhat he told you for yourself, nor what he told you to tell me, nor how he took it, really, that I had left him to you, nor what passed between you about me in any way. It wasnât to get that out of you that I took my means to make sure of your meeting freelyâ âfor there are things I donât want to know. I shall see him again and again and shall know more than enough. All I do want is that you shall see me through on his basis, whatever it is; which itâs enoughâ âfor the purposeâ âthat you yourself should know: that is with him to show you how. Iâll make it charming for youâ âthatâs what I mean; Iâll keep you up to it in such a way that half the time you wonât know youâre doing it. And for that youâre to rest upon me. There. Itâs understood. We keep each other going, and you may absolutely feel of me that I shanât break down. So, with the way you havenât so much as a dig of the elbow to fear, how could you be safer?â
âHe told me I can help youâ âof course he told me that,â Susie, on her side, eagerly contended. âWhy shouldnât he, and for what else have I come out with you? But he told me nothing dreadfulâ ânothing, nothing, nothing,â the poor lady passionately protested. âOnly that you must do as you like and as he tells youâ âwhich is just simply to do as you like.â
âI must keep in sight of him. I must from time to time go to him. But thatâs of course doing as I like. Itâs lucky,â Milly smiled, âthat I like going to him.â
Mrs. Stringham was here in agreement; she gave a clutch at the account of their situation that most showed it as workable. âThatâs what will be charming for me, and what Iâm sure he really wants of meâ âto help you to do as you like.â
âAnd also a little, wonât it be,â Milly laughed, âto save me from the consequences? Of course,â she added, âthere must first be things I like.â
âOh I think youâll find some,â Mrs. Stringham more bravely said. âI think there are someâ âas for instance just this one. I mean,â she explained, âreally having us so.â
Milly thought. âJust as if I wanted you comfortable about him, and him the same about you? Yesâ âI shall get the good of it.â
Susan Shepherd appeared to wander from this into a slight confusion. âWhich of them are you talking of?â
Milly wondered an instantâ âthen had a light. âIâm not talking of Mr. Densher.â With which moreover she showed amusement. âThough if you can be comfortable about Mr. Densher too so much the better.â
âOh you meant Sir Luke Strett? Certainly heâs a fine type. Do you know,â Susie continued, âwhom he reminds me of? Of our great manâ âDr. Buttrick of Boston.â
Milly recognised Dr. Buttrick of Boston, but she dropped him after a tributary pause. âWhat do you think, now that youâve seen him, of Mr. Densher?â
It was not till after consideration, with her eyes fixed on her friendâs, that Susie produced her answer. âI think heâs very handsome.â
Milly remained smiling at her, though putting on a little the manner of a teacher with a pupil. âWell, that will do for the first time. I have done,â she went on, âwhat I wanted.â
âThen thatâs all we want. You see there are plenty of things.â
Milly shook her head for the âplenty.â âThe best is not to knowâ âthat includes them all. I donâtâ âI donât know. Nothing about anythingâ âexcept that youâre with me. Remember that, please. There wonât be anything that, on my side, for you, I shall forget. So itâs all right.â
The effect of it by this time was fairly, as intended, to sustain Susie, who dropped in spite of herself into the reassuring. âMost certainly itâs all right. I think you ought to understand that he sees no reasonâ ââ
âWhy I shouldnât have a grand long life?â Milly had taken it straight up, as to understand it and for a moment consider it. But she disposed of it otherwise. âOh of course I know that.â She spoke as if her friendâs point were small.
Mrs. Stringham tried to enlarge it. âWell, what I mean is that he didnât say to me
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