Sometimes I had a glimpse of
Thorold; for many both of cadets and officers used to come and
speak to me and rally me on my seclusion, and endeavour to
tempt me out of it. Thorold did not that; he only looked at
me, as if I were something to be a little wondered at but
wholly approved of. It was not a disagreeable look to meet.
"I must have it out with you," he said one evening, when he
had just a minute to speak to me. "There is a whole world, of
things I don't understand, and want to talk about. Let us go
Saturday afternoon and take a good, long walk up to 'Number
Four' — do you like hills?"
"Yes."
"Then let us go up there Saturday — will you?"
And when Saturday came, we went. Preston luckily was not on
hand; and Dr. Sandford, also luckily, was gone to dine at the
General's with his brother. There were no more shadows on
earth than there were clouds in the sky, as we took our way
across the plain and along the bank in front of the officers'
quarters looking north, and went out at the gate.
Pages:
519
520
521
522
523
524
525
526
527
528
529
530
531
532
533
534
535
536
537
538
539
540
541
542
543