Shewouldgobacktoherstudioandpreparepicturesthatwent，etc。，etc。
　　Themill-wheelofthoughtswungroundslowly，thatnosectionofitmightbeslurredover，andthered-hairedgirltossedandturnedbehindher。
　　MaisieputherchininherhandsanddecidedthattherecouldbenodoubtwhateverofthevillainyofDickTojustifyherself，shebegan，unwomanly，toweightheevidenceTherewasaboy，andhehadsaidhelovedherAndhekissedher，——kissedheronthecheek，——byayellowsea-poppythatnoddeditsheadexactlylikethemaddeningdryroseinthegardenThentherewasaninterval，andmenhadtoldherthattheylovedher——justwhenshewasbusiestwithherworkThentheboycameback，andattheirverysecondmeetinghadtoldherthathelovedher。
　　Thenhehad——ButtherewasnoendtothethingshehaddoneHehadgivenherhistimeandhispowersHehadspokentoherofArt，housekeeping，technique，teacups，theabuseofpicklesasastimulant，——thatwasrude，——sablehair-brushes，——hehadgivenherthebestinherstock，——sheusedthemdaily；hehadgivenheradvicethatsheprofitedby，andnowandagain——alookSuchalook！Thelookofabeatenhoundwaitingforthewordtocrawltohismistress’sfeetInreturnshehadgivenhimnothingwhatever，except——hereshebrushedhermouthagainsttheopen-worksleevefhernightgown——theprivilegeofkissingheronceAndonthemouth，tooDisgraceful！Wasthatnotenough，andmorethanenough？andifitwasnot，hadhenotcancelledthedebtbynotwritingand——probablykissingothergirls？
　　’Maisie，you’llcatchachillDogoandliedown，’saidtheweariedvoiceofhercompanion’Ican’tsleepawinkwithyouatthewindow。’
　　MaisieshruggedhershouldersanddidnotanswerShewasreflectingonthemeannessesofDick，andonothermeannesseswithwhichhehadnothingtodoThemoonlightwouldnotlethersleepItlayontheskylightofthestudioacrosstheroadincoldsilver；shestaredatitintentlyandherthoughtsbegantoslideoneintotheotherTheshadowofthebigbell-handleinthewallgrewshort，lengthenedagain，andfadedoutasthemoonwentdownbehindthepastureandaharecamelimpinghomeacrosstheroadThenthedawn-windwashedthroughtheuplandgrasses，andbroughtcoolnesswithit，andthecattlelowedbythedrought-shrunkriverMaisie’sheadfellforwardonthewindow-sill，andthetangleofblackhaircoveredherarms。
　　’Maisie，wakeupYou’llcatchachill。’
　　’Yes，dear；yes，dear。’Shestaggeredtoherbedlikeaweariedchild，andassheburiedherfaceinthepillowsshemuttered，’Ithink——Ithink……
　　Butheoughttohavewritten。’
　　Daybroughttheroutineofthestudio，thesmellofpaintandturpentine，andthemonotonewisdomofKami，whowasaleadenartist，butagoldenteacherifthepupilwereonlyinsympathywithhimMaisiewasnotinsympathythatday，andshewaitedimpatientlyfortheendofthework。
　　Sheknewwhenitwascoming；forKamiwouldgatherhisblackalpacacoatintoabunchbehindhim，and，withfadedflueeyesthatsawneitherpupilsnorcanvas，lookbackintothepasttorecallthehistoryofoneBinat’Youhavealldonenotsobadly，’hewouldsay’Butyoushallrememberthatitisnotenoughtohavethemethod，andtheart，andthepower，noreventhatwhichistouch，butyoushallhavealsotheconvictionthatnailstheworktothewallOfthesomanyI
　　taught，’——herethestudentswouldbegintounfixdrawing-pinsorgettheirtubestogether，——’theverysomanythatIhavetaught，thebestwasBinat。
　　AllthatcomesofthestudyandtheworkandtheknowledgewastohimevenwhenhecameAfterheleftmeheshouldhavedoneallthatcouldbedonewiththecolour，theform，andtheknowledgeOnly，hehadnottheconvictionSoto-dayIhearnomoreofBinat，——thebestofmypupils，——andthatislongagoSoto-day，too，youwillbegladtohearnomoreofmeContinuez，mesdemoiselles，and，aboveall，withconviction。’
　　HewentintothegardentosmokeandmournoverthelostBinatasthepupilsdispersedtotheirseveralcottagesorloiteredinthestudiotomakeplansforthecooloftheafternoon。
　　MaisielookedatherveryunhappyMelancolia，restrainedadesiretogrimacebeforeit，andwashurryingacrosstheroadtowritealettertoDick，whenshewasawareofalargemanonawhitetroop-horse。
　　HowTorpenhowhadmanagedinthecourseoftwentyhourstofindhiswaytotheheartsofthecavalryofficersinquartersatVitry-sur-Marne，todiscusswiththemthecertaintyofagloriousrevengeforFrance，toreducethecoloneltotearsofpureaffability，andtoborrowthebesthorseinthesquadronforthejourneytoKami’sstudio，isamysterythatonlyspecialcorrespondentscanunravel。
　　’Ibegyourpardon，’saidhe’Itseemsanabsurdquestiontoask，butthefactisthatIdon’tknowherbyanyothername：IsthereanyyoungladyherethatiscalledMaisie？’
　　’IamMaisie，’wastheanswerfromthedepthsofagreatsun-hat。
　　’Ioughttointroducemyself，’hesaid，asthehorsecaperedintheblindingwhitedust’MynameisTorpenhowDickHeldarismybestfriend，and——and——thefactisthathehasgoneblind。’
　　’Blind！’saidMaisie，stupidly’Hecan’tbeblind。’
　　’Hehasbeenstone-blindfornearlytwomonths。’
　　Maisieliftedupherface，anditwaspearlywhite’No！No！Notblind！I
　　won’thavehimblind！’
　　’Wouldyoucaretoseeforyourself？’saidTorpenhow。
　　’Now，——atonce？’
　　’Oh，no！TheParistraindoesn’tgothroughthisplacetillto-night。
　　Therewillbeampletime。’
　　’DidMrHeldarsendyoutome？’
　　’CertainlynotDickwouldn’tdothatsortofthingHe’ssittinginhisstudio，turningoversomelettersthathecan’treadbecausehe’sblind。’
　　Therewasasoundofchokingfromthesun-hatMaisiebowedherheadandwentintothecottage，wherethered-hairedgirlwasonasofa，complainingofaheadache。
　　’Dick’sblind！’saidMaisie，takingherbreathquicklyasshesteadiedherselfagainstachair-back’MyDick’sblind！’
　　’What？’Thegirlwasonthesofanolonger。
　　’AmanhascomefromEnglandtotellmeHehasn’twrittentomeforsixweeks。’
　　’Areyougoingtohim？’
　　’Imustthink。’
　　’Think！IshouldgobacktoLondonandseehimandIshouldkisshiseyesandkissthemandkissthemuntiltheygotwellagain！Ifyoudon’tgoI
　　shallOh，whatamItalkingabout？Youwickedlittleidiot！GotohimatonceGo！’
　　Torpenhow’sneckwasblistering，buthepreservedasmileofinfinitepatienceasMaisie’sappearedbareheadedinthesunshine。
　　’Iamcoming，’saidshe，hereyesontheground。
　　’YouwillbeatVitryStation，then，atseventhisevening。’ThiswasanorderdeliveredbyonewhowasusedtobeingobeyedMaisiesaidnothing，butshefeltgratefulthattherewasnochanceofdisputingwiththisbigmanwhotookeverythingforgrantedandmanagedasquealinghorsewithonehandShereturnedtothered-hairedgirl，whowasweepingbitterly，andbetweentears，kisses，——veryfewofthose，——menthol，packing，andaninterviewwithKami，thesultryafternoonworeaway。
　　ThoughtmightcomeafterwardsHerpresentdutywastogotoDick，——Dickwhoownedthewondrousfriendandsatinthedarkplayingwithherunopenedletters。
　　’Butwhatwillyoudo，’shesaidtohercompanion。
　　’I？Oh，Ishallstayhereand——finishyourMelancolia，’shesaid，smilingpitifully’Writetomeafterwards。’
　　ThatnightthereranalegendthroughVitry-sur-MarneofamadEnglishman，doubtlesssufferingfromsunstroke，whohaddrunkalltheofficersofthegarrisonunderthetable，hadborrowedahorsefromthelines，andhadthenandthereeloped，aftertheEnglishcustom，withoneofthosemoremadEnglishgirlswhodrewpicturesdownthereunderthecareofthatgoodMonsieurKami。
　　’Theyareverydroll，’saidSuzannetotheconscriptinthemoonlightbythestudiowall’Shewalkedalwayswiththosebigeyesthatsawnothing，andyetshekissesmeonbothcheeksasthoughsheweremysister，andgivesme——see——tenfrancs！’
　　Theconscriptleviedacontributiononbothgifts；forhepridedhimselfonbeingagoodsoldier。
　　TorpenhowspokeverylittletoMaisieduringthejourneytoCalais；buthewascarefultoattendtoallherwants，togetheracompartmententirelytoherself，andtoleaveheraloneHewasamazedoftheeasewithwhichthematterhadbeenaccomplished。
　　’ThesafestthingwouldbetoletherthinkthingsoutByDick’sshowing，——whenhewasoffhishead，——shemusthaveorderedhimaboutverythoroughlyWonderhowshelikesbeingunderorders。’
　　MaisienevertoldShesatintheemptycompartmentoftenwithhereyesshut，thatshemightrealisethesensationofblindnessItwasanorderthatsheshouldreturntoLondonswiftly，andshefoundherselfatlastalmostbeginningtoenjoythesituationThiswasbetterthanlookingafterluggageandared-hairedfriendwhonevertookanyinterestinhersurroundingsButthereappearedtobeafeelingintheairthatshe，Maisie，——ofallpeople，——wasindisgraceThereforeshejustifiedherconducttoherselfwithgreatsuccess，tillTorpenhowcameuptoheronthesteamerandwithoutprefacebegantotellthestoryofDick’sblindness，suppressingafewdetails，butdwellingatlengthonthemiseriesofdeliriumHestoppedbeforehereachedtheend，asthoughhehadlostinterestinthesubject，andwentforwardtosmokeMaisiewasfuriouswithhimandwithherself。
　　ShewashurriedonfromDovertoLondonalmostbeforeshecouldaskforbreakfast，and——shewaspastanyfeelingofindignationnow——wasbiddencurtlytowaitinahallatthefootofsomelead-coveredstairswhileTorpenhowwentuptomakeinquiriesAgaintheknowledgethatshewasbeingtreatedlikeanaughtylittlegirlmadeherpalecheeksflameItwasallDick’sfaultforbeingsostupidastogoblind。
　　Torpenhowledheruptoashutdoor，whichheopenedverysoftly。
　　Dickwassittingbythewindow，withhischinonhischestTherewerethreeenvelopesinhishand，andheturnedthemoverandoverThebigmanwhogaveorderswasnolongerbyherside，andthestudiodoorsnappedbehindher。
　　Dickthrustthelettersintohispocketasheheardthesound’Hullo，Topr！Isthatyou？I’vebeensolonely。’
　　HisvoicehadtakenthepeculiarflatnessoftheblindMaisiepressedherselfupintoacorneroftheroomHerheartwasbeatingfuriously，andsheputonehandonherbreasttokeepitquietDickwasstaringdirectlyather，andsherealisedforthefirsttimethathewasblind。
　　Shuttinghereyesinarail-waycarriagetoopenthemwhenshepleasedwaschild’splayThismanwasblindthoughhiseyeswerewideopen。
　　’Torp，isthatyou？Theysaidyouwerecoming。’Dicklookedpuzzledandalittleirritatedatthesilence。
　　’No；it’sonlyme，’wastheanswer，inastrainedlittlewhisper。
　　Maisiecouldhardlymoveherlips。
　　’H’m！’saidDick，composedly，withoutmoving’ThisisanewphenomenonDarknessI’mgettingusedto；butIobjecttohearingvoices。’
　　Washemad，then，aswellasblind，thathetalkedtohimself？
　　Maisie’sheartbeatmorewildly，andshebreathedingaspsDickroseandbegantofeelhiswayacrosstheroom，touchingeachtableandchairashepassedOncehecaughthisfootonarug，andswore，droppingonhiskneestofeelwhattheobstructionmightbeMaisierememberedhimwalkingintheParkasthoughalltheearthbelongedtohim，trampingupanddownherstudiotwomonthsago，andflyingupthegangwayoftheChannelsteamerThebeatingofherheartwasmakinghersick，andDickwascomingnearer，guidedbythesoundofherbreathingSheputoutahandmechanicallytowardhimoffortodrawhimtoherself，shedidnotknowwhichIttouchedhischest，andhesteppedbackasthoughhehadbeenshot。
　　’It’sMaisie！’saidhe，withadrysob’Whatareyoudoinghere？’
　　’Icame——Icame——toseeyou，please。’
　　Dick’slipsclosedfirmly。
　　’Won’tyousitdown，then？Yousee，I’vehadsomebotherwithmyeyes，and——’
　　’IknowIknowWhydidn’tyoutellme？’
　　’Icouldn’twrite。’
　　’YoumighthavetoldMrTorpenhow。’
　　’Whathashetodowithmyaffairs？’
　　’He——hebroughtmefromVitry-sur-MarneHethoughtIoughttoseeyou。’
　　’Why，whathashappened？CanIdoanythingforyou？No，Ican’tI
　　forgot。’
　　’Oh，Dick，I’msosorry！I’vecometotellyou，and——Letmetakeyoubacktoyourchair。’
　　’Don’t！I’mnotachildYouonlydothatoutofpityInevermeanttotellyouanythingaboutitI’mnogoodnowI’mdownanddonefor。
　　Letmealone！’