"Why are your eyes wet?" asked Eva.
"She has a lovely forehead, though," I said, "and her hands are always
clean. It was only an accident that they were dirty once. I did not mean
to say what I did." But then I went on angrily, with clenched teeth: "I
sit thinking of you all the time, Eva; but it occurs to me that perhaps
you have not heard what I am going to tell you now. The first time
Edwarda saw Asop, she said: 'Asop--that was the name of a wise man--a
Phrygian, he was.' Now wasn't that simply silly? She had read it in a
book the same day, I'm sure of it."
"Yes," says Eva; "but what of it?"
"And as far as I remember, she said, too, that Asop had Xanthus for his
teacher. Hahaha!"
"Yes?"
"Well, what the devil is the sense of telling a crowd of people that
Asop had Xanthus for his teacher? I ask you. Oh, you are not in the mood
to-day, Eva, or you would laugh till your sides ached at that."
"Yes, I think it is funny," said Eva, and began laughing forcedly and in
wonder. "But I don't understand it as well as you do."
I sit silent and thoughtful, silent and thoughtful.
"Do you like best to sit still and not talk?" asked Eva softly. Goodness
shone in her eyes; she passed her hand over my hair,
"You good, good soul," I broke out, and pressed her close to me.
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