“Oh,takecare!”Shewasunaccustomedtothismethodofawakeningtheyoung.
“Heisnotmuchlongerthanmyboot,ishe?Canyoubelievethatintimehisownbootswillbeaslarge?Andthathealso—”
“Butoughtyoutotreathimlikethat?”
Hestoodwithonefootrestingonthelittlebody,suddenlymusing,filledwiththedesirethathissonshouldbelikehim,andshouldhavesonslikehim,topeopletheearth.Itisthestrongestdesirethatcancometoaman—ifitcomestohimatall—strongereventhanloveorthedesireforpersonalimmortality.Allmenvauntit,anddeclarethatitistheirsbuttheheartsofmostaresetelsewhere.Itistheexceptionwhocomprehendsthatphysicalandspirituallifemaystreamoutofhimforever.MissAbbott,forallhergoodness,couldnotcomprehendit,thoughsuchathingismorewithinthecomprehensionofwomen.AndwhenGinopointedfirsttohimselfandthentohisbabyandsaid“father-son,”shestilltookitasapieceofnurseryprattle,andsmiledmechanically.
Thechild,thefirstfruits,wokeupandglaredather.Ginodidnotgreetit,butcontinuedtheexpositionofhispolicy.
“ThiswomanwilldoexactlywhatItellher.Sheisfondofchildren.Sheiscleanshehasapleasantvoice.SheisnotbeautifulIcannotpretendthattoyouforamoment.ButsheiswhatIrequire.”
Thebabygaveapiercingyell.
“Oh,dotakecare!”beggedMissAbbott.“Youaresqueezingit.”
“Itisnothing.Ifhecriessilentlythenyoumaybefrightened.HethinksIamgoingtowashhim,andheisquiteright.”
“Washhim!”shecried.“You?Here?”Thehomelypieceofnewsseemedtoshatterallherplans.Shehadspentalonghalf-hourinelaborateapproaches,inhighmoralattacksshehadneitherfrightenedherenemynormadehimangry,norinterferedwiththeleastdetailofhisdomesticlife.
“IhadgonetotheFarmacia,”hecontinued,“andwassittingtherecomfortably,whensuddenlyIrememberedthatPerfettahadheatedwateranhourago—overthere,look,coveredwithacushion.Icameawayatonce,forreallyhemustbewashed.Youmustexcuseme.Icanputitoffnolonger.”
“Ihavewastedyourtime,”shesaidfeebly.
Hewalkedsternlytotheloggiaanddrewfromitalargeearthenwarebowl.Itwasdirtyinsidehedusteditwithatablecloth.Thenhefetchedthehotwater,whichwasinacopperpot.Hepoureditout.Headdedcold.Hefeltinhispocketandbroughtoutapieceofsoap.Thenhetookupthebaby,and,holdinghiscigarbetweenhisteeth,begantounwrapit.MissAb