The Argosy — page 389: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

_ Lest Harmony. 373 know that, for me, it was miserable from my intense, suppressed excite- ment. Of course they missed me at home every hour of every day. What did Heinrich say of my absence? How strange it would seem to him to look in vain for my familiar figure ! Would he tell me, when I returned, how long he thought these first summer days he had spent without me? After barely a week’s absence I weft home, and I chose Sunday, and the evening time, to go, because I knew Heinrich would be there. I remember Aunt Anna was resting in her low chair beside the window, and opposite her stood Heinrich, reading aloud to her the words he had chosen for his oratorio. I stood to listen to the tones I loved; So eager, yet so reverent; and no one knew I was there until the words ceased. “ Aunt Anna, I am come.” She looked up gladly, and kissed me again and again as if she liked to have me back; then I shook hands with Herr Werkle. But I found I had not courage to ask them whether they had missed me, and could only try to read it in their faces, while I began at once to tell them of ny visit. In my very first distinct pause, Heinrich slipped away. Was he so glad to be released from his kind effort to take my place, and was /ts all the difference my coming home had made to him? ‘Yes, dear? Go on,” put in Aunt Anna, wondering at my long pause. “I—I forget, auntie.” For how could I speak on glowingly and mernly, when my lips were twitching so, and when it was so hard to keep the tears out of sight? “ He—you haven’t missed me, auntie ?” ‘‘T have, my dear,” she answered, with a tenderness which struck to my heart in the consciousness of how little I had thought of her. ‘‘ But then we knew it was only for a few days.” We knew! Ah! yes, he knew it was only fora few days. I had not thought of that. Of course ‘he would say, “It is only fora few days.” It would be different if he had thought it was for ever. Suppose —— | “Phyllis,” said Aunt Anna, presently, ‘go in and ask Herr Heinrich if he will take supper with you and me. We dined not very long ago, but still you must be hungry, and it will be more sociable to be together.” I thanked Aunt Anna in my heart. Of my own accord I could not have ventured into his room just then; but armed with a message from her, I was only too willing to go. He was not playing, or even reading, when I entered his room; only lying back in his chair upon the hearth, his hands quite still and idle, and his eyes turned from me. ‘‘ Herr Heinrich.” He rose at my call, and waited for what I had to say, though I CORnniclooolkks (CO)