eBooks Base 2000

Later, when outwardly mistress of herself, the inclination to tears
successfully conquered and her normal half-playful gravity regained, she
went to her bedroom, Hordle had brought her this beguiling packet.
Inside the silver paper wrappings she found a red leather jewel case, and
a note in Carteret's singularly definite hand, character rather than
script, the severe yet decorative quality of Arabic about it.
"To the dear witch," it read, "in memory of our incomparable Henrietta's
dance, and of the midnight walk which followed it, and of our hours of
pleasant sightseeing at Marseilles."
No signature followed, only the date.
Now, sitting up in bed, while the day came into full and joyous being,
Nature's face duly decked and painted by the greatly reconciling sun,
Damaris read the exquisitely written note again. The writing in itself
moved her with a certain home-sickness for the East, which it seemed in
some sort to embody and from which to hail. Then meanings she detected,
behind the apparently light-hearted words, filled her with gratitude.


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