"Mr. Linden,"--she said timidly, "Dr. Harrison said he would not be here this morning. Would you like to have me first--it would be only pleasure to me, if you are not afraid,--do what he does for you?"
He answered at first rather quick, as if he knew what sort of pleasure it was.
"O no!--I can wait,--it cannot signify very much." And then with as quick a recognition of the real pleasure it would be, after all, Mr. Linden compounded matters.
"I am afraid. Miss Faith!--I am naturally timid."
"What does that mean?" said she coming before him and looking with an inquisitive smile. "I don't know, Mr. Linden!"
"Do you expect me to explain such a humiliating confession?"
"No, certainly.--I thought, perhaps, you wouldn't keep to it, after all."
"I am a little afraid for you. What do you suppose I shall do this afternoon while you are gone?"
"I don't know--" she said, looking a little wistfully.
"I shall lie here and study that wood-box. You see I carry out my principles, Miss Faith--I have not thanked you for it."
"I don't think you'll study it very long," said Faith,--"there isn't much in it."
"Somebody has said," replied Mr. Linden, "that 'in every subject there is inexhaustible meaning,--the eye sees in it what the eye brings means of seeing.' You must not limit my power of eyesight."
"If you wouldn't limit my power of something else?"--she said with gentle persistency.
"I will not, Miss Faith--then will you please perform your kind office at once? It will be a great comfort to me, and I shall be the better able to do something for you afterwards." And the manner almost made Faith feel as if the proposition had come from her at first.
She went about it, not this first time without some trembling of heart, but with also a spirit that rose above and quite kept down that. She knew exactly and intelligently what was to be done; it was only the hands that were unwonted, and therefore she feared unskilful. But there are things that some women have by nature, and a skilful hand is one of them; and it was Faith's. Her womanly love and care were enough for all the rest; she made no mistakes, nor delays; and her soft fingers inflicted no pain that it was in the power of fingers to spare. A little longer than the doctor she was perhaps about it; not much, and not more awkward; and that is saying enough.