-humouredlysmiling."Ithoughtitsingularlyimpertinent,butotherwiseuninteresting."
"Mr.Jacksondoesn'tthinkmuchofyou,"saidUncleWilliam,withalaugh,ignoringhissister'slook,whichimploredhimtobesilent.
"Icanbearthatwithequanimity.Ineversetupforaverywonderfulperson."
"HewaswrongtomakelittleofyourattempttosaveyoungLarcher,"saidMrs.Parsons,gently.
"Why?"askedJames."Hewaspartlyright.Physicalcourageismoreorlessaccidental.Inbattleonetakesone'schance.Onesoongetsusedtoshellsflyingaboutthey'renotsodangerousastheylook,andafterawhileoneforgetsallaboutthem.Nowandthenonegetshit,andthenit'stoolatetobenervous."
"Butyouwentback—intotheveryjawsofdeath—tosavethatboy."
"I'veneverbeenabletounderstandwhy.Itdidn'toccurtomethatImightgetkilleditseemedthenaturalthingtodo.Itwasn'treallybrave,becauseIneverrealisedthattherewasdanger."
IntheafternoonJamesreceivedanotefromMrs.Clibborn,askinghimtocalluponher.Maryandherfatherwereoutwalking,shesaid,sotherewouldbenoonetodisturbthem,andtheycouldhaveapleasantlittlechat.TheinvitationwasaclimaxtoJamie'smanyvexations,andhelaughedgrimlyattheprospectofthatveryfoolishlady'sindignation.Still,hefeltboundtogo.Itwas,afterafashion,apointofhonourwithhimtoavoidnoneoftheannoyanceswhichhisacthadbroughtuponhim.ItwaspartlyinordertofaceeveryinflictionthatheinsistedonremainingatLittlePrimpton.
"Whyhaven'tyoubeentoseeme,James?"Mrs.Clibbornmurmured,withasurprisinglytendersmile.
"Ithoughtyouwouldn'twishmeto."
"James!"
Shesighedandcastuphereyestoheaven.
"Ialwayslikedyou.Ishallneverfeeldifferentlytowardsyou."
"It'sverykindofyoutosayso,"repliedJames,somewhatrelieved.
"Youmustcomeandseemeoften.It'llcomfortyou."
"I'mafraidyouandColonelClibbornmustbeveryangrywithme?"
"Icouldneverbeangrywithyou,James....PoorReginald,hedoesn'tunderstand!Butyoucan'tdeceiveawoman.