A Kentucky cardinal ; and, Aftermath . Jacob had often begged me to cut hima private gateway on that side of the garden, sothat only he might come in and go out; and Ihad refused, since I did not wish him to get tome so easily with his complaints. Besides, agate once opened, who may not use it ? and Iwas indignant that Georgiana should lightlyask anything at my hands; therefore I lookedquickly and sternly up at her and said, I willnot. Afterwards the thought rushed over me thatshe had not spoken of any gateway throughmy garden fence, but of another one, mystical,hidden, infinitely more sacred.
A Kentucky cardinal ; and, Aftermath . Jacob had often begged me to cut hima private gateway on that side of the garden, sothat only he might come in and go out; and Ihad refused, since I did not wish him to get tome so easily with his complaints. Besides, agate once opened, who may not use it ? and Iwas indignant that Georgiana should lightlyask anything at my hands; therefore I lookedquickly and sternly up at her and said, I willnot. Afterwards the thought rushed over me thatshe had not spoken of any gateway throughmy garden fence, but of another one, mystical,hidden, infinitely more sacred. For her voicedescended almost in a whisper, and her face, asshe bent down towards me, had on it I knownot what angelic expression. She seemed float-ing to me from heaven. May 17. To-day I put a little private gatethrough my fence under Georgianas window,as a sign to her. Balaams beast that I am !Yes, seven times more than the inspired ass. As I passed to-day, I noticed Georgiana look-ing down at the gate that I made yesterday. She112. LOOKING DOWN AT THE GATE THAT I MADE YESTERDAY 113 held a flower to her nose and eyes, but behindthe leaves I detected that she was laughing. Good-morning ! she called to me. Whatdid you cut that ugly hole in your fence for ? Thats not an ugly hole. Thats a littleprivate gateway. But whats the little private gateway for ? Oh, well! You dont understand these mat-ters. Ill tell your mother. My mother is too old. She no longer stoopsto such things. Tell me ! Impossible! Im dying to know. What will you give me ? Anything — this flower ! But what would the flower stand for in thatcase? A little pri — Nothing. Take it! and she dropped itlightly on my face and disappeared. As I stoodtwirling it ecstatically under my nose, and won-dering how I could get her to come back to thewindow, the edge of a curtain was lifted, anda white hand stole out and softly closed theshutters. In the evening Sylvia went in to a concert ofthe school, which was to be held
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