Sandford spread a clear page of
nature before me and interpreted it. He answered unspoken
questions; he filled great vacancies of my ignorance; into
what had been abysms of thought he poured a whole treasury of
intelligence and brought floods of light. All so quietly, so
luminously, with such a wealth of knowledge and facility of
giving it, that it is a simple thing to say no story of
Eastern magic was ever given into more charmed ears around an
Arabian desert fire. I listened, and he talked and fanned me.
He talked like one occupied with his subject and not with me;
but he met every half uttered doubt or question, and before he
had done he satisfied it fully. I had always liked Dr.
Sandford; I had never liked him so much. I had never, since
the old childish times, had such a free talk with him. And
now, he did not talk to me as a child or a very young girl,
except in bending himself to my ignorance; but as one who
loves knowledge likes to give it to others, so he gave it to
me. Only I do not remember seeing him like to give it in such
manner to anybody else.
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