The little feast
looked somewhat meagre, and the doctor spoke irreverently of his
housekeeper and proceeded to abstract a jar of her best strawberry jam
from the convenient store-closet, and to collect other articles of
food which seemed to him to be inviting, however inappropriate to the
occasion. The guest would have none of the jam, but Dr. Leslie cut a
slice of the loaf of bread for himself and one for Nan, though it had
already waned beyond its last quarter, and nobody knew what would
happen if there were no toast at breakfast time. Marilla would never
know what a waste of jam was spread upon these slices either, but she
was a miser only with the best preserves, and so our friends reveled
in their stolen pleasure, and were as merry together as heart could
wish.
Nan thought it very strange when she found that the doctor and his
guest had been at school together, for the stranger seemed so old and
worn. They were talking about other classmates at first, and she sat
still to listen, until the hour of Marilla's return drew near and Dr.
Leslie prudently returned to his own uninvaded apartment. Nan was
told, to her sorrow, that it was past her bed-time and as she stopped
to say good-night, candle in hand, a few moments afterward, the doctor
stooped to kiss her with unusual tenderness, and a little later, when
she was safe in her small bedroom and under the coverlet which was
Marilla's glory, having been knit the winter before in an intricate
pattern, she almost shook with fear at the sound of its maker's
vengeful footsteps in the lower room.
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