"In some instances, yes?"
They were walking up and down the walk they had named years ago "the shrubbery path." He had found her in the shrubbery path in the old days when she used to walk up and down and dream her girlish dreams. Like Linnet she liked her real life better than anything she had dreamed.
Mr. Holmes had returned with his shoulders thrown back, the lines of care softened into lines of thought, and the slouched hat replaced by a broad-brimmed panama; his step was quick, his voice had a ring in it, the stern, determined expression was altogether gone; there was a loveliness in his face that was not in Miss Prudence"s own; when his sterner and stronger nature became sweet, it was very sweet. Life had been a long fight; in yielding, he had conquered. He bubbled over into nonsense now and then. Twenty years ago he had walked this path with Prudence Pomeroy, when there was hatred in his heart and an overwhelming sorrow in hers.
There always comes a time when we are _through_. He believed that tonight. Prue was not lighter of heart than he.
"Twenty years is a large piece out of a man"s lifetime; but I would have waited twice twenty for this hour, Prudence."
"I wish I deserved my happiness as much as you do yours, John."
"Perhaps you haven"t as much to deserve."
"I"m glad I don"t deserve it. I want it to be all G.o.d"s gift and his goodness."
"It is, dear."
"I wish we might take Marjorie with us," she said, after a moment; "she would have such an unalloyed good time."
"Any one else?"
"Mrs. Kemlo."
"Is that all?"
"There"s Deborah."
"Prudence, you ought to be satisfied with me. You don"t know how to be married."
"Suppose I wait twenty years longer and learn."
"No, it is like learning to swim; the best way is to plunge at once. And at once will be in about twenty minutes, instead of twenty years."
"What do you mean?" she asked, standing still in unfeigned astonishment.
"I mean that your neighbor across the way has been invited to call at half past six this evening to marry me, and I supposed you were willing to be married at the same time."
"John Holmes!"
"Do you want to send me off again?"
"But I never thought of such a thing."
"It wasn"t necessary; one brilliant mind is enough to plan. What did you ask me to come home for?"
"But not now--not immediately."
"Why not?" he asked, gravely.
"Because," she smiled at her woman"s reason, "I"m not ready."
"Don"t you know whether you are willing or not?"
"Yes, I know that."
"Aren"t you well enough acquainted with me? Haven"t you proved me long enough?"
"O, John," her eyes filling with tears.
"What else can you mean by "ready"?"
She looked down at her dress; a gray flannel--an iron gray flannel--a gray flannel and linen collar and cuffs to be married in. But was it not befitting her gray locks?
"John, look at me!"
"I am looking at you."
"What do you see?"
"You were never so lovely in your life."
"You were never so obstinate in your life."
"I never had such a good right before. Now listen to reason. You say this house is to be sold; and the furniture, for future housekeeping, is to be packed and stored; that you and Prue are to sail for Havre the first steamer in July; and who beside your husband is to attend to this, and to get you on board the steamer in time?"
"But, John!" laying her hand in expostulation upon his arm.
"But, Prudence!" he laughed. "Is Deborah to go with us? Shall we need her in our Italian palace, or are we to dwell amid ruins?"
"Nothing else would make her old heart so glad."
"Marjorie and Mrs. Kemlo expect to go home to-morrow."
"Yes."
"Don"t you want Marjorie to stay and help you?"
"With such a valiant husband at the front! I suspect you mean to create emergencies simply to help me out of them."
"I"m creating one now; and all I want you to do is to be helped out--or in."
"But, John, I must go in and fix my hair."
"Your hair looks as usual."
"But I don"t want it to look as usual. Do you want the bride to forget her attire and her ornaments?"
A blue figure with curls flying and arms outstretched was flying down towards them from the upper end of the path.
"O, Aunt Prue! Mr. March has come over--without Mrs. March, and he asked for you. I told him Uncle John had come home, and he smiled, and said he could not get along without him."