"I thought you told me you were engaged
with your cousin to-day."
"I was, but I sent her a note yesterday to say I was unable to meet
her."
"Then why didn't you write at the same time and tell me you were
coming? I might have gone out for the day."
"I had no intention of coming then."
"What's the matter? You look out of sorts."
"I don't feel in very good spirits. By the by, I heard from the
publishers yesterday. Here's the note."
It simply stated that Messrs. So-and-so had given their best
attention to the play of "Stilicho," which Mr. Casti had been so
good as to submit to them, and regretted their inability to make any
proposal for its publication, seeing that its subject was hardly
likely to excite popular interest. They thanked the author for
offering it to them, and begged to return the MS.
"Well, it's a disappointment," said Waymark, "but we must try again.
I myself am so hardened to this kind of thing that I fear you will
think me unsympathetic. It's like having a tooth out. You never
quite get used to it, but you learn after two or three experiments
to gauge the moment's torture at its true value. Re-direct your
parcel, and fresh hope beats out the old discouragement"
"It wasn't altogether that which was making me feel restless and
depressed," Casti said, when they had left the house and were
walking along.
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