Erveng's
headache until I reached the foot of the steps.
I was relieved to find no one in the parlour, or in the room across the
hall, where the table was set for breakfast. But as I stepped out on the
broad front piazza, Hilliard rose from the hammock in which he had been
lying, and came forward with such a pleasant "Good-morning!" that I felt
surprised and ashamed.
"How is your head?" he asked, adding, "It must be better, I fancy,--you
look so much brighter than you did yesterday."
I could feel my face getting warm; I hate to apologise to people, but I
knew that I ought to do it here. "That headache made me cross, and I was
homesick," I answered, speaking as fast as I could to get it all over
with quickly. "I am sorry I spoke so rudely--"
But Hilliard broke in quickly,--for him. "Don't say that; please
don't ever speak of it again," he said earnestly. "It's for _me_ to
apologise; I must have deserved what you said, or I know you would
not have said it."
[Illustration: "BETTY."]
Well, I _was_ taken aback! that was a new view of the case. At first I
thought he might be in sarcasm; but no, he was in earnest, saying the
words in his slow, deliberate way, with his eyes half shut.
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