Honorable Boss and father is as per accustomed but no
different. Admirable Sami child also of strong appetite when last
observed. departure of Missy is well to remain so. Moon-devil not
say when, but arrive spontaneous. This insignificant advise from
worthless personage Li Ho."
Desire handed back the letter with a hand that was not quite steady.
The professor frowned. He had hoped that she was beginning to
forget. But, with one so unused to self-revelation as Desire, it had
been difficult to tell. He had thought it unwise to question and he
had never pressed any comparison between her life as it was and as
it had been. Better, he thought, to let all the old memories die.
They were, he fancied, not very tellable memories, being compounded
not so much of word and deed as of those more subtle things without
voice or being which are no less terribly, evilly, real and whose
mark remains longest upon the soul. Even complete understanding
would not help him to rub out these markings. Only that slow over-
growing of life, which we call forgetfulness, could do that. She was
so young, there was still an infinite impulse of growth within her
and in the new growth old scars might pass away.
Desire noticing the new seriousness of his face was conscious of a
pang of guilt. It seems such crass ingratitude to doubt for one
instant the stability of the happiness he had given her. Had he not
done more than it had seemed possible for anyone to do? From the
first she had overflowed with silent gratitude to him.
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