'He came here and saw her yesterday. Have you seen him since?'
No; Edgar had kept out of the way, and would not talk of him; but stood over his sister, wishing to soothe and relieve the little thing, for whom he cared more than for all the lovers put together, and whose wan exhausted looks, visible suffering, and nervous shudders he could not bear to see. 'I wish you weren't too big for rocking, Baby,' he said. And then he sat down to the piano, playing and singing a low soft lullaby, which at last brought quiet sleep to the refreshment of the harassed mind and weary frame.
The hum of conversation in an undertone at length gradually roused her.
'The long and short of it is, that she was tired of it.'
'But she wouldn't have invented such a story.'
'I never said she invented it! She's not so stupid but that she can put a gloss on a thing; and you _know_ she hates to have a civil word said to any one but herself--particularly to that poor little dear.'
'Then it wasn't right to let him be always running after her.'
'Stuff! They'd been cronies ever since he was first caught; in fact, she was one of the tame elephants that licked him into shape, long before he set eyes on either of you. No stuff about it at all; they are just like brother and sister. The poor child would no more be capable of such a thing than that lay figure of hers--hasn't it in her; and for you to go and bully her!'
'Well,' in a half-puzzled, half-angered tone, 'that's what Alda says. She declares she only told me, and never meant me to speak to _her_ about the cause.'
'She wanted to play off the injured heroine; and you--not being up to such delicate subtilties, walked off to speak your mind. Eh!'
'You put your great thumb on a poor little May-fly, just as if it had been a tortoise!'
'I'm sure I had no notion she would be so unhappy; all girls do such things; and most are proud of it. I was only disappointed to find her like the rest; but I'd no notion she would cry herself ill.'
Here Geraldine's senses became sufficiently clear to make her aware that she was the topic, and ought to rouse herself, no longer to let the discussion mingle with her dreams. With some effort she opened her eyes, and saw Edgar astride on the music-stool, and Marilda leaning on the mantel-shelf.