He felt sorry for Mabel, because she enjoyed it, and consequently more tenderhearted towards her than he had ever felt before.
He had not, however, a great many thoughts to give to this sorrow, for he was thinking continually of the bright apparition of the afternoon.
When he went to his room to get ready for tea he fell into a muse, looking over the fields and woods to the distant glimpse of blue water he could see from his window.

When he came down to the evening meal, he found himself wondering foolishly upon what food the child lost in the sea had fed while she grew so rapidly to a woman's stature.

The present meal was such as fell to the daily lot of that household.

In homely blue delft cups a dozen or more eggs were ranged beside high stacks of buttered toast, rich and yellow.

The butter, the jugs of yellow cream, the huge platter heaped with wild raspberries--as each of these met his eye he was wondering if the sea-maid ever ate such food, or if her diet was more delicate.
"Am I going mad ?" he thought to himself.