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Page 57
So she did wifely duty to
her best,
And comforted and tended. And one day
When Gervase came for news, she went to him
With a pale radiant face, where a grave joy
And something sorrow-like played tremulous.
She said, "There is no doubt now. He will live,
The doctors are assured, live and be well."
He said, "Days since they told me so, but thought
You should not be sure then, for fear of change.
God bless you Lota."
Then she looked at him
Half frightened but with purpose, spoke to him
"Gervase, O dear brave friend, friend whom I love
With love beyond a sister's but yet like,
My husband is more noble than I knew,
And, oh! he loves me, and - and I" - she looked
Away from him and spoke in a low voice,
"And I am learning a wife's love."
He took
Her hand that clasped his freely, lifted it
To his cold trembling lips, "We both of us
Ought to thank God for that." And then he went.
And presently his country squires were scared
With more new systems, more new enterprize,
New works upon his lands, new drains, new dams,
New cottages, new cricket-grounds, new schools,
New churches, new steam-ploughs - he ceaselessly,
Ubiquitously, busy. "Egad" they cried,
"The devil's in the man! Here he comes back
With added cent for cent of hobby power
When we all looked his town life naturally
Would take the zeal out of him."
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