Question
followed question, and answer followed answer, Letty feeling all
the time she _must_ go, yet standing and standing, like one
in a dream, who thinks he can not, and certainly does not break
its spell--for in the act only is the ability and the deed born.
Besides, was she to go away and leave her beautiful book in his
hand? What would Godfrey think if she did? Again and again she
stretched out her own to take it, but, although he saw the
motion, he held on to the book as to his best anchor, hurriedly
turned its leaves by fits and searching for something more to his
mind than anything of Milton's. Suddenly his face brightened.
"Ah!" he said--and remained a moment silent, reading. "I don't
wonder," he resumed, "at your admiration of Milton. He's very
grand, of course, and very musical, too; but one can't be
listening to an organ always. Not that I prefer merry music; that
must be inferior, for the tone of all the beauty in the world is
sad." Much Tom Helmer knew of beauty or sadness either! but
ignorance is no reason with a fool for holding his tongue. "But
there is the violin, now!--that can be as sad as any organ,
without being so ponderous. Hear this, now! This is the violin
after the organ--played as only a master can!"
With this preamble, he read a song of Shelley's, and read it
well, for he had a good ear for rhythm and cadence, and prided
himself on his reading of poetry.
Pages:
80
81
82
83
84
85
86
87
88
89
90
91
92
93
94
95
96
97
98
99
100
101
102
103
104