Show me your friend's anonymous letter. I may, perhaps, be able to
throw a light on it."
The conversation was interrupted by Admiral Bruce, who had approached
them unobserved. "Excuse me," said he, "but you ladies seem to have hit
upon a very interesting theme."
"Yes, papa," said Bella. "I took the liberty to question this lady as
to her experiences of sick-beds, and she was good enough to give me
some of them."
Having uttered this with a sudden appearance of calmness that first
amazed the Sister, then made her smile, she took her father's arm,
bowed politely, and a little stiffly, to her new friend, and drew the
admiral away.
"Oh!" thought the Sister. "I am not to speak to the old gentleman. He
is not in her confidence. Yet she is very fond of him. How she hangs on
his arm! Simplicity! Candor! We are all tarred with the same stick--we
women."
That night Bella was a changed girl--exalted and depressed by turns,
and with no visible reason.
Her father was pleased. Anything better than that deadly languor.
The next day Bella sat by her father's side in the square, longing to
go to the Sister, yet patiently waiting to be ordered.
At last the admiral, finding her dull and listless, said, "Why don't
you go and talk to the Sister? She amuses you.
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