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than that of my excellent sire。 It is true； I might have made a
target of the defenceless invalid； but I haven't a taste for
artillery； moi。
VI。
JOHN FLEMMING TO EDWARD DELANEY。
August 17； 1872。
For a man who hasn't a taste for artillery； it occurs to me； my
friend； you are keeping up a pretty lively fire on my inner works。
But go on。 Cynicism is a small brass field…piece that eventually
bursts and kills the artilleryman。
You may abuse me as much as you like； and I'll not complain； for I
don't know what I should do without your letters。 They are curing
me。 I haven't hurled anything at Watkins since last Sunday； partly
because I have grown more amiable under your teaching； and partly
because Watkins captured my ammunition one night； and carried it
off to the library。 He is rapidly losing the habit he had acquired
of dodging whenever I rub my ear； or make any slight motion with my
right arm。 He is still suggestive of the wine…cellar； however。 You
may break； you may shatter Watkins； if you will； but the scent of
the Roederer will hang round him still。
Ned； that Miss Daw must be a charming person。 I should certainly
like her。 I like her already。 When you spoke in your first letter
of seeing a young girl swinging in a hammock under your chamber
window； I was somehow strangely drawn to her。 I cannot account for
it in the least。 What you have subsequently written of Miss Daw has
strengthened the impression。 You seem to be describing a woman I
have known in some previous state of existence； or dreamed of in
this。 Upon my word； if you were to send me her photograph； I
believe I should recognize her at a glance。 Her manner； that
listening attitude； her traits of character； as you indicate them；
the light hair and the dark eyesthey are all familiar things to
me。 Asked a lot of questions； did she？ Curious about me？ That is
strange。
You would laugh in your sleeve； you wretched old cynic； if you knew
how I lie awake nights； with my gas turned down to a star； thinking
of The Pines and the house across the road。 How cool it must be
down there！ I long for the salt smell in the air。 I picture the
colonel smoking his cheroot on the piazza。 I send you and Miss Daw
off on afternoon rambles along the beach。 Sometimes I let you
stroll with her under the elms in the moonlight； for you are great
friends by this time； I take it； and see each other every day。 I
know your ways and your manners！ Then I fall into a truculent
mood； and would like to destroy somebody。 Have you noticed anything
in the shape of a lover hanging around the colonel Lares and
Penates？ Does that lieutenant of the horse…marines or that young
Stillwater parson visit the house much？ Not that I am pining for
news of them； but any gossip of the kind would be in order。 I
wonder； Ned； you don't fall in love with Miss Daw。 I am ripe to do
it myself。 Speaking of photographs； couldn't you manage to slip
one of her cartes…de…visite from her albumshe must have an album；
you knowand send it to me？ I will return it before it could be
missed。 That's a good fellow！ Did the mare arrive safe and sound？
It will be a capital animal this autumn for Central Park。
Ohmy leg？ I forgot about my leg。 It's better。
VII。
EDWARD DELANEY TO JOHN FLEMMIMG。
August 20； 1872。
You are correct in your surmises。 I am on the most friendly terms
with our neighbors。 The colonel and my father smoke their afternoon
cigar together in our sitting…room or on the piazza opposite； and I
pass an hour or two of the day or the evening with the daughter。 I
am more and more struck by the beauty； modesty； and intelligence of
Miss Daw。
You asked me why I do not fall in love with her。 I will be frank；
Jack； I have thought of that。 She is young； rich； accomplished；
uniting in herself more attractions； mental and personal； than I
can recall in any girl of my acquaintance； but she lacks the
something that would be necessary to inspire in me that kind of
interest。 Possessing this unknown quality； a woman neither
beautiful nor wealthy nor very young could bring me to her feet。
But not Miss Daw。 If we were shipwrecked together on an uninhabited
islandlet me suggest a tropical island； for it costs no more to
be picturesqueI would build her a bamboo hut； I would fetch her
bread…fruit and cocoanuts； I would fry yams for her； I would lure
the ingenuous turtle and make her nourishing soups； but I wouldn't
make love to hernot under eighteen months。 I would like to have
her for a sister； that I might shield her and counsel her； and
spend half my income on old threadlace and camel's…hair shawls。 （We
are off the island now。） If such were not my feeling； there would
still be an obstacle to my loving Miss Daw。 A greater misfortune
could scarcely befall me than to love her。 Flemming； I am about to
make a revelation that will astonish you。 I may be all wrong in my
premises and consequently in my conclusions； but you shall judge。
That night when I returned to my room after the croquet party at
the Daw's； and was thinking over the trivial events of the evening；
I was suddenly impressed by the air of eager attention with which
Miss Daw had followed my account of your accident。 I think I
mentioned this to you。 Well； the next morning； as I went to mail my
letter； I overtook Miss Daw on the road to Rye； where the post…
office is； and accompanied her thither and back； an hour's walk。
The conversation again turned to you； and again I remarked that
inexplicable look of interest which had lighted up her face the
previous evening。 Since then； I have seen Miss Daw perhaps ten
times； perhaps oftener； and on each occasion I found that when I
was not speaking of you； or your sister； or some person or place
associated with you； I was not holding her attention。 She would be
absent…minded； her eyes would wander away from me to the sea； or to
some distant object in the landscape； her fingers would play with
the leaves of a book in a way that convinced me she was not
listening。 At these moments if I abruptly changed the themeI did
it several times as an experimentand dropped some remark about my
friend Flemming； then the sombre blue eyes would come back to me
instantly。
Now； is not this the oddest thing in the world？ No； not the oddest。
The effect which you tell me was produced on you by my casual
mention of an unknown girl swinging in a hammock is certainly as
strange。 You can conjecture how that passage in your letter of
Friday startled me。 Is it possible； than； that two people who have
never met； and who are hundreds of miles apart； can exert a
magnetic influence on each other？ I have read of such psychological
phenomena； but never credited them。 I leave the solution of the
problem to you。 As for myself； all other things being favorable； it
would be impossible for me to fall in love with a woman who listens
to me only when I am talking of my friend！
I am not aware that any one is paying marked attention to my fair
neighbor。 The lieutenant of the navyhe is stationed at Rivermouth
sometimes drops in of an evening； and sometimes the rector from
Stillwater； the lieutenant the oftener。 He was there last night。 I
should not be surprised if he had an eye to the heiress； but he is
not formidable。 Mistress Daw carries a neat little spear of irony；
and the honest lieutenant seems to have a particular facility for
impaling himself on the point of it。 He is not dangerous； I should
say； though I have known a woman to satirize a man for years； and
marry him after all。 Decidedly； the lowly rector is not dangerous；
yet； again； who has not seen Cloth of Frieze victorious in the
lists where Cloth of Gold went down？
As to the photograph。 There is an exquisite ivory…type of Marjorie；
in passe…partout； on the drawing room mantel…piece。 It would be
missed at once if taken。 I would do anything reasonable for you；
Jack； but I've no burning desire to be hauled up before the local
justice of the peace； on a charge of petty larceny。
P。S。Enclosed is a spray of mignonette； which I advise you to
treat tenderly。 Yes； we talked of you again last night； as usual。
It is becoming a little dreary for me。
VIII。
EDWARD DELANEY TO JOHN FLEMMING。
August 22； 1872。
Your letter in reply to my last has occupied my thoughts all the
morning。 I do not know what to think。 Do you mean to say that you
are seriously half in love with a woman whom you have never seen
with a shadow； a chimera？ for what else can Miss Daw to be you？ I
do not understand it at all。 I understand neither you nor her。 You
are a couple of ethereal beings moving in finer air than I can
breathe with my commonplace lungs。 Such delicacy of sentiment is
something that I admire without comprehending。 I am bewildered。 I
am of the earth earthy； and I find myself in the incongruous
position of having to do with mere souls； with natures so finely
tempered that I run some risk of shattering them in my awkwardness。
I am as Caliban among the spirits！
Reflecting on your letter； I am not sure that it is wise in me to
continue this correspondence。 But no； Jack； I do wrong to doubt the
good sense that forms the basis of your character。 You are deeply
interested in Miss Daw； you