"Well?" she said at length, and he found he had been standing
stock-still staring at her for several seconds.
"Excuse me! I really took you for a wood-nymph. I'm not sure yet--
you see the place is so well suited. It--it was a natural
mistake."
She dropped her eyes shyly and turned away at his look.
"It is only our swimming-pool. There have been no fairies here
since I was a very little girl. But once upon a time there were
many--oh, a great many." It was impossible to describe the odd,
sweet sound her tongue gave to the English words. It was not a
dialect, hardly an accent, just a delicious, hesitating mannerism
born of unfamiliarity.
"Did you ever see them?"
"N-no! I arrived always a little too late. But there are such
things."
He nodded. "Everybody knows that since 'Peter Pan.'"
Another shy glance told her that he was still regarding her with
his look of wondering admiration. She pointed to a path, saying:
"This way will bring you to the road, sir, if you wish."
"But--I don't wish--not yet." He sought wildly for an excuse to
stay, and exclaimed: "Oh, the orchid. I must get it for you."
"That will be very nice of you, sir. For two years I have awaited
its blooming. If you had not arrived I would have got it, anyhow.
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