He
says I am not in the least changed. You know how polite he always
was. He was coming away when I came, and we walked a little distance
together. He is still very handsome, only, of course, he looks
older, and he is not so--so animated as he used to be. There was a
touch of sadness about him; but there was a touch of sadness about
him before--especially when he went away. I am afraid he has not
been very successful--that he has never got thoroughly established.
I don't suppose he is sufficiently plodding, and that, after all, is
what succeeds in this world." Mrs. Penniman had not mentioned Morris
Townsend's name to her niece for upwards of the fifth of a century;
but now that she had broken the spell, she seemed to wish to make up
for lost time, as if there had been a sort of exhilaration in hearing
herself talk of him. She proceeded, however, with considerable
caution, pausing occasionally to let Catherine give some sign.
Catherine gave no other sign than to stop the rocking of her chair
and the swaying of her fan; she sat motionless and silent. "It was
on Tuesday last," said Mrs. Penniman, "and I have been hesitating
ever since about telling you. I didn't know how you might like it.
At last I thought that it was so long ago that you would probably not
have any particular feeling. I saw him again, after meeting him at
Marian's. I met him in the street, and he went a few steps with me.
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