Unleavened Bread eBook

Robert Grant (novelist)
This eBook from the Gutenberg Project consists of approximately 449 pages of information about Unleavened Bread.

Unleavened Bread eBook

Robert Grant (novelist)
This eBook from the Gutenberg Project consists of approximately 449 pages of information about Unleavened Bread.

So she put away her baby things, dropping tears over the little socks and other reminders of her sorrow, and took up her life again, keeping her own counsel.  The sympathy offered her was an interesting experience.  Mrs. Earle came to her at once, and took her to her bosom; Mrs. Taylor sent her flowers with a kind note, which set Selma thinking whether she ought not to buy mourning note-paper; and within a week she received a visit of condolence from Mr. Glynn, rather a ghastly visit.  Ghastly, because Lewis sat through it all with red eyes, very much as though he were listening to a touching exhortation in church.  To be sure, he gripped the pastor’s hand like a vice, at the end, and thanked him for coming, but his silent, afflicted presence had interfered with the free interchange of thought which would have been possible had she been alone with the clergyman.  The subject of death, and the whole train of reflections incident to it, were uppermost in her mind, and she would have been glad to probe the mysteries of the subject by controversial argument, instead of listening to hearty, sonorous platitudes.  She listened rather contemptuously, for she recognized that Mr. Glynn was saying the stereotyped thing in the stereotyped way, without realizing that it was nothing but sacerdotal pap, little adapted to an intelligent soul.  What was suited to Lewis was not fit for her.  And yet her baby’s death had served to dissipate somewhat the immediate discontent which she felt with her husband.  His strong grief had touched her in spite of herself, and, though she blamed him still for his inconsiderate accusation, she was fond of him as she might have been fond of some loving Newfoundland, which, splendid in awkward bulk, caressed her and licked her hand.  It was pleasant enough to be in his arms, for the touch of man—­even the wrong man—­was, at times, a comfort.

She took up again with determined interest her relations to the Institute, joining additional classes and pursuing a variety of topics of study, in regard to some of which she consulted Littleton.  She missed his presence less than she had expected, especially after they had begun to correspond and were able to keep in touch by letter.  His letters were delightful.  They served her in her lecture courses, for they so clearly and concisely expressed her views that she was able to use long extracts from them word for word.  And every now and then they contained a respectful allusion which showed that he still retained a personal interest in her.  So the weeks slipped away and she was reasonably happy.  She was absorbed and there was nothing new to mar the tenor of her life, though she was vaguely conscious that the loss of their little girl had widened the breach between her and her husband—­widened it for the reason that now, for the first time, he perceived how lonely he was.  The baby had furnished him with constant delight and preoccupation.  He had looked forward all day to seeing it at night, and questions relating

Copyrights
Project Gutenberg
Unleavened Bread from Project Gutenberg. Public domain.