Пробный камень
XIV
Glennardsawthatshemeanttoliveasfrugallyaspossibletillwhatshedeemedtheirdebtwasdischarged;andheprayedshemightnotdiscoverhowfar-reaching,initsmerelymaterialsense,wastheobligationshethushopedtoacquit.Hermindwasfixedonthesumoriginallypaidfortheletters,andthisheknewhecouldlayasideinayearortwo.Hewastouched,meanwhile,bythespiritthatmadeherdiscardthepettyluxurieswhichsheregardedasthesignsoftheirbondage.Theirsharedrenunciationsdrewhernearertohim,helped,intheirevidenceofherhelplessness,torestorethefullprotectingstatureofhislove.Andstilltheydidnotspeak.
Itwasseveralweekslaterthat,oneafternoonbythedrawing-roomfire,shehandedhimaletterthatshehadbeenreadingwhenheentered.
“I’veheardfromMr.Flamel,”shesaid.
Glennardturnedpale.Itwasasthoughalatentpresencehadsuddenlybecomevisibletoboth.Hetookthelettermechanically.
“It’sfromSmyrna,”shesaid.“Won’tyoureadit?”
Hehandeditback.“Youcantellmeaboutit—hishand’ssoillegible.”Hewanderedtotheotherendoftheroomandthenturnedandstoodbeforeher.“I’vebeenthinkingofwritingtoFlamel,”hesaid.
Shelookedup.
“There’sonepoint,”hecontinued,slowly,“thatIoughttoclearup.Itoldhimyou’dknownaboutthelettersallalong;foralongtime,atleast;andIsawithurthimhorribly.ItwasjustwhatImeanttodo,ofcourse;butIcan’tleavehimtothatfalseimpression;Imustwritehim.
