You love me when you are not with me, don't
you?"
"Indeed I do," answered Diamond, stroking her hand. "I see!
I see! How could I be able to love you as I do if you weren't
there at all, you know? Besides, I couldn't be able to dream
anything half so beautiful all out of my own head; or if I did,
I couldn't love a fancy of my own like that, could I?"
"I think not. You might have loved me in a dream, dreamily,
and forgotten me when you woke, I daresay, but not loved me like
a real being as you love me. Even then, I don't think you could
dream anything that hadn't something real like it somewhere. But
you've seen me in many shapes, Diamond: you remember I was a
wolf once -- don't you?"
"Oh yes -- a good wolf that frightened a naughty drunken
nurse."
"Well, suppose I were to turn ugly, would you rather I
weren't a dream then?"
"Yes; for I should know that you were beautiful inside all
the same. You would love me, and I should love you all the same.
I shouldn't like you to look ugly, you know. But I shouldn't
believe it a bit."
"Not if you saw it?"
"No, not if I saw it ever so plain."
"There's my Diamond! I will tell you all I know about it
then. I don't think I am just what you fancy me to be.
Pages:
338
339
340
341
342
343
344
345
346
347
348
349
350
351
352
353
354
355
356
357
358
359
360
361
362