"What should you think now, Miss Hungerford," he continued, moistening
his parched lips; "if I should do such a thing as to--ahem!--as to speak
of such a thing as--ahem!--as something of that sort to you, now, Miss
Hungerford? Now, what should you think of such a thing? now, really?"
"I should think you were very inconsiderate," I said, "and would probably
regret your rashness afterwards."
"_I_ think so," said Lovell; "ahem! _I_ think so, Miss Hungerford; _I_
do, certainly."
After this it seemed as though a weight had been lifted from Lovell's
mind. He kept his seat better. His was not a buoyant spirit, but there
was, on this occasion, an air of repressed cheerfulness about him such as
I had never before seen him exhibit. I tried to think that it was a
joyous mental rebound from the contemplation of those dark riddles which
trouble humanity, "Why does the hen go across the road," etc.
After a brief pause, Lovell said; "You--you wouldn't mind if I should
sing a little now, now would you, Miss Hungerford?"
I assured him that I should be very glad to have him do so, and he sang,
I remember, all the rest of the way home. At the gate, I thanked him for
the ride and its cheerful vocal accompaniment, and Lovell said; "Do you
like to hear me sing, now? Do you--do you, really, now, Miss Hungerford?"
and turned away with a smile on his face to seek his home by the sea.
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