Simpleandsincereinallthings,MacgaveRoseanewsurprisebykeepinghispromisetotheletteraskednothingofher,saidnothingofhishope,andwentonasifnothinghadhappened,quiteintheoldfriendlyway。No,notquite,fornowandthen,whensheleastexpectedit,shesawagaintheindescribableexpressiononhisface,alookthatseemedtoshedasuddensunshineoverher,makinghereyesfallinvoluntarily,hercolorrise,andherheartbeatquickerforamoment。Notaworddidhesay,butshefeltthatanewatmospheresurroundedherwhenhewasby,andalthoughheusednoneofthelittledevicesmostloversemploytokeeptheflamealight,itwasimpossibletoforgetthatunderneathhisquietudetherewasahiddenworldoffireandforcereadytoappearatatouch,awordfromher。
ThiswasratherdangerousknowledgeforRose,andshesoonbegantofeelthatthereweremoresubtletemptationsthanshehadexpected,foritwasimpossibletobeunconsciousofherpower,oralwaystoresistthetrialsofitwhichdailycameunsought。Shehadneverfeltthisdesirebefore,forCharliewastheonlyonewhohadtouchedherheart,andhewasconstantlyaskingaswellasgiving,andweariedherbydemandingtoomuchoroppressedherbyofferingmorethanshecouldaccept。
Macdidneither;heonlylovedher,silently,patiently,hopefully,andthisgeneroussortoffidelitywasveryeloquenttoanaturelikehers。
Shecouldnotrefuseorchide,sincenothingwasaskedorurged;therewasnoneedofcoldness,forheneverpresumed;nocallforpity,sincehenevercomplained。Allthatcouldbedonewastotryandbeasjustandtrueashewas,andtowaitastrustfullyfortheend,whateveritwastobe。
Foratimeshelikedthenewinterestitputintoherlife,yetdidnothingtoencourageitandthoughtthatifshegavethislovenofooditwouldsoonstarvetodeath。Butitseemedtothriveonair,andpresentlyshebegantofeelasifaverystrongwillwasslowlybutsteadilyinfluencingherinmanyways。IfMachadnevertoldherthathemeantto\"makeherlovehim,\"shemighthaveyieldedunconsciously,butnowshemistooktheimpulsetoobeythisundercurrentforcompassionandresistedstoutly,notcomprehendingyetthereasonfortheunrestwhichtookpossessionofheraboutthistime。