Night came again, and this time John opened the subject, by placing
before me a large package of foolscap, and a new gold pen.
'I have brought some paper for you to spoil, Helen,' he said, 'for I
foresaw how it would end. Do your best, and I will do mine in the matter
of beginnings. I cannot write easily, you know, but I can suggest and
dictate, when you wish it; and you have been my amanuensis for a year
and more, so it will all seem very natural.'
He looked down, as he spoke, at the scarred right hand and its missing
fingers, carried away eighteen months before by a rebel bullet, and a
little shade passed over his face.
'No, John,' I said, 'don't look there now; look at my two hands waiting
to do the work of that, and tell me if two are not better than one. We
will write an article which shall astonish the critics, and bring
letters from all the magazines, begging us to become special
contributors at once; and we will not quarrel as to who shall have the
glory, but make it a joint matter. And now I am ready to begin, and
propose to speak upon a subject which I wonder greatly no one has taken
up in detail before. Your words last evening brought out some dormant
ideas. 'We do our share in aggravating the people we meet daily,' you
said, and I have been reflecting upon the matter ever since, till now I
am prepared to give my opinions to the world.'
So saying, I arranged the table properly, took out some sheets of the
smooth, white paper, filled my pen, and waited for the dawning of an
idea.
Pages:
44
45
46
47
48
49
50
51
52
53
54
55
56
57
58
59
60
61
62
63
64
65
66
67
68