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〃Good…day；〃 he said to the face； absolutely getting his hat clear off his
head this time。
〃Good…day to you； sir。〃
〃I am glad you have a fine sky again to look at。〃
〃Thank you； sir。 It is kind if you。〃
〃You are an invalid； I fear？〃
〃No； sir。 I have very good health。〃
〃But are you not always lying down？〃
〃Oh yes； I am always lying down； because I cannot sit up！ But I am
not an invalid。〃
The laughing eyes seemed highly to enjoy his great mistake。
〃Would you mind taking the trouble to come in； sir？ There is a
beautiful view from this window。 And you would see that I am not at all
illbeing so good as to care。〃
It was said to help him； as he stood irresolute； but evidently desiring to
enter； with his diffident hand on the latch of the garden…gate。 It did help
him； and he went in。
The room up…stairs was a very clean white room with a low roof。 Its
only inmate lay on a couch that brought her face to a level with the
window。 The couch was white too； and her simple dress or wrapper
being light blue； like the band around her hair； she had an ethereal look；
and a fanciful appearance of lying among clouds。 He felt that she
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instinctively perceived him to be by habit a downcast taciturn man； it was
another help to him to have established that understanding so easily； and
got it over。
There was an awkward constraint upon him； nevertheless； as he
touched her hand； and took a chair at the side of her couch。
〃I see now；〃 he began； not at all fluently； 〃how you occupy your hand。
Only seeing you from the path outside； I thought you were playing upon
something。〃
She was engaged in very nimbly and dexterously making lace。 A
lace… pillow lay upon her breast； and the quick movements and changes of
her hands upon it； as she worked； had given them the action he had
misinterpreted。
〃That is curious；〃 she answered with a bright smile。 〃For I often
fancy； myself； that I play tunes while I am at work。〃
〃Have you any musical knowledge？〃
She shook her head。
〃I think I could pick out tunes； if I had any instrument； which could be
made as handy to me as my lace…pillow。 But I dare say I deceive myself。
At all events； I shall never know。〃
〃You have a musical voice。 Excuse me； I have heard you sing。〃
〃With the children？〃 she answered； slightly colouring。 〃Oh yes。 I
sing with the dear children； if it can be called singing。〃
Barbox Brothers glanced at the two small forms in the room； and
hazarded the speculation that she was fond of children； and that she was
learned in new systems of teaching them？
〃Very fond of them；〃 she said； shaking her head again； 〃but I know
nothing of teaching； beyond the interest I have in it； and the pleasure it
gives me when they learn。 Perhaps your overhearing my little scholars
sing some of their lessons has led you so far astray as to think me a grand
teacher？ Ah！ I thought so！ No； I have only read and been told about
that system。 It seemed so pretty and pleasant； and to treat them so like
the merry Robins they are； that I took up with it in my little way。 You
don't need to be told what a very little way mine is； sir；〃 she added with a
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glance at the small forms and round the room。
All this time her hands were busy at her lace…pillow。 As they still
continued so； and as there was a kind of substitute for conversation in the
click and play of its pegs； Barbox Brothers took the opportunity of
observing her。 He guessed her to be thirty。 The charm of her
transparent face and large bright brown eyes was； not that they were
passively resigned； but that they were actively and thoroughly cheerful。
Even her busy hands； which of their own thinness alone might have
besought compassion； plied their task with a gay courage that made mere
compassion an unjustifiable assumption of superiority； and an
impertinence。
He saw her eyes in the act of rising towards his； and he directed his
towards the prospect； saying： 〃Beautiful； indeed！〃
〃Most beautiful； sir。 I have sometimes had a fancy that I would like
to sit up； for once； only to try how it looks to an erect head。 But what a
foolish fancy that would be to encourage！ It cannot look more lovely to
any one than it does to me。〃
Her eyes were turned to it； as she spoke； with most delighted
admiration and enjoyment。 There was not a trace in it of any sense of
deprivation。
〃And those threads of railway； with their puffs of smoke and steam
changing places so fast； make it so lively for me；〃 she went on。 〃I think
of the number of people who can go where they wish； on their business； or
their pleasure； I remember that the puffs make signs to me that they are
actually going while I look； and that enlivens the prospect with abundance
of company； if I want company。 There is the great Junction； too。 I don't
see it under the foot of the hill； but I can very often hear it； and I always
know it is there。 It seems to join me； in a way； to I don't know how many
places and things that I shall never see。〃
With an abashed kind of idea that it might have already joined himself
to something he had never seen； he said constrainedly： 〃Just so。〃
〃And so you see； sir；〃 pursued Phoebe； 〃I am not the invalid you
thought me； and I am very well off indeed。〃
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〃You have a happy disposition；〃 said Barbox Brothers： perhaps with
a slight excusatory touch for his own disposition。
〃Ah！ But you should know my father；〃 she replied。 〃His is the
happy disposition！Don't mind； sir！〃 For his reserve took the alarm at a
step upon the stairs； and he distrusted that he would be set down for a
troublesome intruder。 〃This is my father coming。〃
The door opened； and the father paused there。
〃Why； Lamps！〃 exclaimed Barbox Brothers； starting from his chair。
〃How do you do； Lamps？〃
To which Lamps responded： 〃The gentleman for Nowhere！ How
do you DO； sir？〃
And they shook hands； to the greatest admiration and surprise of
Lamp's daughter。
〃I have looked you up half…a…dozen times since that night；〃 said
Barbox Brothers； 〃but have never found you。〃
〃So I've heerd on； sir； so I've heerd on；〃 returned Lamps。 〃It's your
being noticed so often down at the Junction； without taking any train； that
has begun to get you the name among us of the gentleman for Nowhere。
No offence in my having called you by it when took by surprise； I hope；
sir？〃
〃None at all。 It's as good a name for me as any other you could call
me by。 But may I ask you a question in the corner here？〃
Lamps suffered himself to be led aside from his daughter's couch by
one of the buttons of his velveteen jacket。
〃Is this the bedside where you sing your songs？〃
Lamps nodded。
The gentleman for Nowhere clapped him on the shoulder； and they
faced about again。
〃Upon my word； my dear；〃 said Lamps then to his daughter； looking
from her to her visitor； 〃it is such an amaze to me； to find you brought
acquainted with this gentleman； that I must （if this gentleman will excuse
me） take a rounder。〃
Mr。 Lamps demonstrated in action what this meant； by pulling out his
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oily handkerchief rolled up in the form of a ball； and giving himself an
elaborate smear； from behind the right