[Glasses by Henry James]@TWC D-Link bookGlasses CHAPTER IX 7/13
She's in very bad danger." "But from what cause? I, who by God's mercy have kept mine, know everything that can be known about eyes," said Mrs.Meldrum. "She might have kept hers if she had profited by God's mercy, if she had done in time, done years ago, what was imperatively ordered her; if she hadn't in fine been cursed with the loveliness that was to make her behaviour a thing of fable.
She may still keep her sight, or what remains of it, if she'll sacrifice--and after all so little--that purely superficial charm.
She must do as you've done; she must wear, dear lady, what you wear!" What my companion wore glittered for the moment like a melon-frame in August.
"Heaven forgive her--now I understand!" She flushed for dismay. But I wasn't afraid of the effect on her good nature of her thus seeing, through her great goggles, why it had always been that Flora held her at such a distance.
"I can't tell you," I said, "from what special affection, what state of the eye, her danger proceeds: that's the one thing she succeeded this morning in keeping from me.
<<Back Index Next>> D-Link book Top TWC mobile books
|