There was a stone outside my hut, a tall grey stone. It looked as if it had a sort of friendly feeling towards me; as if it noticed me when I came by, and knew me again. I liked to go round that way past the stone, when I went out in the morning; it was like leaving a good friend there, who I knew would be still waiting for me when I came back.

GLAHN鈥橲 DEATH A DOCUMENT OF 1861 II

Came to see you safely off,鈥� said the Doctor.

Thank you, Edwarda,鈥� I said. And then I added with all my heart: You are all too good for me, but I am thankful that you will have me; God will reward you for that. I鈥檓 not so fine as many you could have, no doubt, but I am all yours 鈥� so endlessly yours, by my eternal soul. 鈥�- What are you thinking of now, to bring tears to your eyes?鈥�

I forgot, by the way, that he could not by any means be called a perfect man, handsome though he was. He told me himself that he had an old gunshot wound in his left foot, and that it was full of gout whenever the weather changed.