"It's wonderful," wrote Sylvia, "the intuition of the Castleman
women. We were in the launch, passing one of the viaducts of the new
railroad, and Aunt Varina exclaimed, 'What a wonderful piece of
work!' 'Yes,' put in my husband, 'but don't let Sylvia hear you say
it.' 'Why not?' she asked; and he replied, 'She'll tell you how many
hours a day the poor Dagoes have to work.' That was all; but I saw
Aunt Varina give a quick glance at me, and I saw that she was not
fooled by my efforts to make conversation. It was rather horrid of
Douglas, for he knows that I love these old people, and do not want
them to know about my trouble. But it is characteristic of him--when
he is annoyed he seldom tries to spare others.
"As soon as we were alone, Aunt Varina began, 'Sylvia, my dear, what
does it mean? What have you done to worry your husband?'
"You would be entertained if I could remember the conversation. I
tried to dodge the trouble by answering off-hand, 'Douglas had eaten
too many turtle-eggs for luncheon '--this being a man-like thing,
that any dear old lady would understand. But she was too shrewd. I
had to explain to her that I was learning to think, and this sent
her into a perfect panic.
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