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as restless as the devil under this confinementa thing I'm not
used to。 Take a man who has never had so much as a headache or a
toothache in his life； strap one of his legs in a section of water…
spout； keep him in a room in the city for weeks； with the hot
weather turned on； and then expect him to smile and purr and be
happy！ It is preposterous。 I can't be cheerful or calm。
Your letter is the first consoling thing I have had since my
disaster； ten days ago。 It really cheered me up for half an hour。
Send me a screed； Ned； as often as you can； if you love me。
Anything will do。 Write me more about that little girl in the
hammock。 That was very pretty； all that about the Dresden china
shepherdess and the pond…lily； the imagery a little mixed； perhaps；
but very pretty。 I didn't suppose you had so much sentimental
furniture in your upper story。 It shows how one may be familiar for
years with the reception…room of his neighbor； and never suspect
what is directly under his mansard。 I supposed your loft stuffed
with dry legal parchments； mortgages； and affidavits； you take down
a package of manuscript； and lo！ there are lyrics and sonnets and
canzonettas。 You really have a graphic descriptive touch； Edward
Delaney； and I suspect you of anonymous love…tales in the
magazines。
I shall be a bear until I hear from you again。 Tell me all about
your pretty inconnue across the road。 What is her name？ Who is she？
Who's her father？ Where's her mother？ Who's her lover？ You cannot
imagine how this will occupy me。 The more trifling； the better。 My
imprisonment has weakened me intellectually to such a degree that I
find your epistolary gifts quite considerable。 I am passing into my
second childhood。 In a week or two I shall take to India rubber
rings and prongs of coral。 A silver cup； with an appropriate
inscription； would be a delicate attention on your part。 In the
mean time； write！
IV。
EDWARD DELANEY TO JOHN FLEMMING。
August 12； 1872。
The sick pasha shall be amused。 Bismillah！ he wills it so。 If the
story…teller becomes prolix and tediousthe bow…string and the
sack； and two Nubians to drop him into the Piscataqua！ But truly；
Jack； I have a hard task。 There is literally nothing hereexcept
the little girl over the way。 She is swinging in the hammock at
this moment。 It is to me compensation for many of the ills of life
to see her now and then put out a small kid boot； which fits like a
glove； and set herself going。 Who is she； and what is her name？ Her
name is Daw。 Only daughter if Mr。 Richard W。 Daw； ex…colonel and
banker。 Mother dead。 One brother at Harvard； elder brother killed
at the battle of Fair Oaks； ten years ago。 Old； rich family； the
Daws。 This is the homestead； where father and daughter pass eight
months of the twelve； the rest of the year in Baltimore and
Washington。 The New England winter too many for the old gentleman。
The daughter is called MarjorieMarjorie Daw。 Sounds odd at first；
doesn't it？ But after you say it over to yourself half a dozen
times； you like it。 There's a pleasing quaintness to it； something
prim and violet…like。 Must be a nice sort of girl to be called
Marjorie Daw。
I had mine host of The Pines in the witness…box last night； and
drew the foregoing testimony from him。 He has charge of Mr。 Daw's
vegetable…garden； and has known the family these thirty years。 Of
course I shall make the acquaintance of my neighbors before many
days。 It will be next to impossible for me not to meet Mr。 Daw or
Miss Daw in some of my walks。 The young lady has a favorite path to
the sea…beach。 I shall intercept her some morning； and touch my hat
to her。 Then the princess will bend her fair head to me with
courteous surprise not unmixed with haughtiness。 Will snub me； in
fact。 All this for thy sake； O Pasha of the Snapt Axle…tree！。 。 。
How oddly things fall out！ Ten minutes ago I was called down to the
parloryou know the kind of parlors in farm…houses on the coast； a
sort of amphibious parlor； with sea…shells on the mantel…piece and
spruce branches in the chimney…placewhere I found my father and
Mr。 Daw doing the antique polite to each other。 He had come to pay
his respects to his new neighbors。 Mr。 Daw is a tall； slim
gentleman of about fifty…five； with a florid face and snow…white
mustache and side…whiskers。 Looks like Mr。 Dombey； or as Mr。 Dombey
would have looked if he had served a few years in the British Army。
Mr。 Daw was a colonel in the late war； commanding the regiment in
which his son was a lieutenant。 Plucky old boy； backbone of New
Hampshire granite。 Before taking his leave； the colonel delivered
himself of an invitation as if he were issuing a general order。
Miss Daw has a few friends coming； at 4 p。m。； to play croquet on
the lawn （parade…ground） and have tea （cold rations） on the piazza。
Will we honor them with our company？ （or be sent to the guard…
house。） My father declines on the plea of ill…health。 My father's
son bows with as much suavity as he knows； and accepts。
In my next I shall have something to tell you。 I shall have seen
the little beauty face to face。 I have a presentiment； Jack； that
this Daw is a rara avis！ Keep up your spirits； my boy； until I
write you another letterand send me along word how's your leg。
V。
EDWARD DELANEY TO JOHN FLEMMING。
August 13； 1872。
The party； my dear Jack； was as dreary as possible。 A lieutenant of
the navy； the rector of the Episcopal Church at Stillwater； and a
society swell from Nahant。 The lieutenant looked as if he had
swallowed a couple of his buttons； and found the bullion rather
indigestible； the rector was a pensive youth； of the daffydowndilly
sort； and the swell from Nahant was a very weak tidal wave indeed。
The women were much better； as they always are； the two Miss
Kingsburys of Philadelphia； staying at the Seashell House； two
bright and engaging girls。 But Marjorie Daw！
The company broke up soon after tea； and I remained to smoke a
cigar with the colonel on the piazza。 It was like seeing a picture；
to see Miss Marjorie hovering around the old soldier； and doing a
hundred gracious little things for him。 She brought the cigars and
lighted the tapers with her own delicate fingers； in the most
enchanting fashion。 As we sat there； she came and went in the
summer twilight； and seemed； with her white dress and pale gold
hair； like some lovely phantom that had sprung into existence
out of the smokewreaths。 If she had melted into air； like the
statue of Galatea in the play； I should have been more sorry than
surprised。
It was easy to perceive that the old colonel worshipped her and she
him。 I think the relation between an elderly father and a daughter
just blooming into womanhood the most beautiful possible。 There is
in it a subtile sentiment that cannot exist in the case of mother
and daughter； or that of son and mother。 But this is getting into
deep water。
I sat with the Daws until half past ten； and saw the moon rise on
the sea。 The ocean； that had stretched motionless and black against
the horizon； was changed by magic into a broken field of glittering
ice； interspersed with marvellous silvery fjords。 In the far
distance the Isle of Shoals loomed up like a group of huge bergs
drifting down on us。 The Polar Regions in a June thaw！ It was
exceedingly fine。 What did we talk about？ We talked about the
weatherand you！ The weather has been disagreeable for several
days pastand so have you。 I glided from one topic to the other
very naturally。 I told my friends of your accident； how it had
frustrated all our summer plans； and what our plans were。 I played
quite a spirited solo on the fibula。 Then I described you； or；
rather； I didn't。 I spoke of your amiability； of your patience
under this severe affliction； of your touching gratitude when
Dillon brings you little presents of fruit； of your tenderness to
your sister Fanny； whom you would not allow to stay in town to
nurse you； and how you heroically sent her back to Newport；
preferring to remain alone with Mary； the cook； and your man
Watkins； to whom； by the way； you were devotedly attached。 If you
had been there； Jack； you wouldn't have known yourself。 I should
have excelled as a criminal lawyer； if I had not turned my
attention to a different branch of jurisprudence。
Miss Marjorie asked all manner of leading questions concerning you。
It did not occur to me then； but it struck me forcibly afterwards；
that she evinced a singular interest in the conversation。 When I
got back to my room； I recalled how eagerly she leaned forward；
with her full； snowy throat in strong moonlight； listening to what
I said。 Positively； I think I made her like you！
Miss Daw is a girl whom you would like immensely； I can tell you
that。 A beauty without affectation； a high and tender natureif
one can read the soul in the face。 And the old colonel is a noble
character； too。
I am glad that the Daws are such pleasant people。 The Pines is an
isolated spot； and my resources are few。 I fear I should have found
life here somewhat monotonous before long； with no other society
than that of my excellent sire。 It is true； I might have made a
target of the defenceless invalid； but I haven't a