Part One - NINE

by Willa Cather

　　After three weeks the Captain was up and around again. He draggedhis left foot, and his left arm was uncertain. Though he recoveredhis speech, it was thick and clouded; some words he could notpronounce distinctly,--slid over them, dropped out a syllable.Therefore he avoided talking even more than was his habit. Thedoctor said that unless another brain lesion occurred, he might geton comfortably for some years yet.

　　In August Niel was to go to Boston to begin coaching for hisentrance examinations at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology,where he meant to study architecture. He put off bidding theForresters good-bye until the very day before he left. His lastcall was different from any he had ever made there before. Alreadythey began to treat him like a young man. He sat rather stiffly inthat parlour where he had been so much at home. The Captain was inhis big chair in the bay window, in the full glow of the afternoonsun, saying little, but very friendly. Mrs. Forrester, on the sofain the shadowy corner of the room, talked about Niel's plans andhis journey.

　　"Is it true that Mary is going to marry Pucelik this fall?" heasked her. "Who will you get to help you?"

　　"No one, for the present. Ben will do all I can't do. Never mindus. We will pass a quiet winter, like an old country couple,--aswe are!" she said lightly.

　　Niel knew that she faced the winter with terror, but he had neverseen her more in command of herself,--or more the mistress of herown house than now, when she was preparing to become the servant ofit. He had the feeling, which he never used to have, that herlightness cost her something.

　　"Don't forget us, but don't mope. Make lots of new friends.You'll never be twenty again. Take a chorus girl out to supper--apretty one, mind! Don't bother about your allowance. If you gotinto a scrape, we could manage a little cheque to help you out,couldn't we, Mr. Forrester?"

　　The Captain puffed and looked amused. "I think we could, Niel, Ithink so. Don't get up, my boy. You must stay to dinner."

　　Niel said he couldn't. He hadn't finished packing, and he wasleaving on the morning train.

　　"Then we must have a little something before you go." CaptainForrester rose heavily, with the aid of his cane, and went into thedining-room. He brought back the decanter and filled three glasseswith ceremony. Lifting his glass, he paused, as always, andblinked.

　　"Happy days!"

　　"Happy days!" echoed Mrs. Forrester, with her loveliest smile, "andevery success to Niel!"

　　Both the Captain and his wife came to the door with him, and stoodthere on the porch together, where he had so often seen them standto speed the parting guest. He went down the hill touched andhappy. As he passed over the bridge his spirits suddenly fell.Would that chilling doubt always lie in wait for him, down there inthe mud, where he had thrown his roses one morning?

　　He burned to ask her one question, to get the truth out of her andset his mind at rest: What did she do with all her exquisitenesswhen she was with a man like Ellinger? Where did she put it away?And having put it away, how could she recover herself, and giveone--give even him--the sense of tempered steel, a blade that couldfence with anyone and never break?