She will live a private life,
you understand, in the cart. I should never think of bringing her
infirmities before the public. I wouldn't make a show of her for any
money."
The gentleman nodded, and seemed to approve.
"Well," says he, "can you part with her for two years?"
"To do her that good,--yes, sir."
"There's another question," says the gentleman, looking towards her,--"can
she part with you for two years?"
I don't know that it was a harder matter of itself (for the other was
hard enough to me), but it was harder to get over. However, she was
pacified to it at last, and the separation betwixt us was settled. How
it cut up both of us when it took place, and when I left her at the door
in the dark of an evening, I don't tell. But I know this; remembering
that night, I shall never pass that same establishment without a
heartache and a swelling in the throat; and I couldn't put you up the
best of lots in sight of it with my usual spirit,--no, not even the gun,
nor the pair of spectacles,--for five hundred pound reward from the
Secretary of State for the Home Department, and throw in the honour of
putting my legs under his mahogany arterwards.
Still, the loneliness that followed in the cart was not the old
loneliness, because there was a term put to it, however long to look
forward to; and because I could think, when I was anyways down, that she
belonged to me and I belonged to her.
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