n half ashamed of Paterson's faith
in me, but when I saw it begin to shrink I fought for it. An easy task,
you may say, but it was a hard one, for gradually a change had come over
the youth. I am now arrived at a time when the light-heartedness had
gone out of him; he had lost his zest for fun, and dubiety sat in the
eyes that were once so certain. He was not doubtful of me, not then, but
of human nature in general; that whilom noble edifice was tottering. He
mixed with boys in the Gardens; ah, mothers, it is hard to say, but how
could he retain his innocence when he had mixed with boys? He heard your
talk of yourselves, and so, ladies, that part of the edifice went down.
I have not the heart to follow him in all his discoveries. Sometimes
he went in flame at them, but for the most part he stood looking on,
bewildered and numbed, like one moaning inwardly.

He saw all, as one fresh to the world, before he had time to breathe
upon the glass. So would your child be, madam, if born with a man's
powers, and when disillusioned of all else, he would cling for a moment
longer to you, the woman of whom, before he saw you, he had heard so
much. How you would strive to cheat him, even as I strove to hide my
real self from Paterson, and still you would strive as I strove after
you knew the game was up.

The sorrowful eyes of Paterson stripped me bare. There were days when I
could not endure looking at him, though surely I have long ceased to be
a vain man. He still met us in the Gardens, but for hours he and I would
be together without speaking. It was so upon the last day, one of those
innumerable dreary days when David, having sneezed the night before,
was kept at home in flannel, and I sat alone with Paterson on the
Story-seat. At last I turned to address him. Never had we spoken of what
chained our tongues, and I meant only to say now that we must go, for
soon the gates would close, but when I looked at him I saw that he was
more mournful than ever before; he shut his eyes so tightly that a drop
of blood fell from them.

"It was all over, Paterson, long ago," I broke out harshly, "why do we
linger?"

He beat his hands together miserably, and yet cast me appealing looks
that had much affection in them.

"You expected too much of me," I told him, and he bowed his head. "I
don't know where you brought your grand ideas of men and women from. I
don't want to know," I added hastily.

"But it must have been from a prettier wor