Love Lies Dreaming Read Online Free PDF Page A

was the kind of thing that flashed through my mind for a second or two as I stood by the door. But then Constance looked up, and I saw the expression on her face. “Dear,” she said to me, “come and look.”
    Of course I looked, but looking did nothing to help me appreciate the reason for the wistful happiness on Constance’s face. No three-months-old baby is a pretty sight—naturally only disinterested people can judge this—and when I saw that child’s button nose and senseless expression and lack of forehead and chin Icould only marvel silently to myself. That Constance, with her keen, aching appreciation of the beautiful, should lose her head over an object as unbeautiful as this was little short of bewildering. But for all that it broke upon me, in a flash of inspiration, that to Constance our present Eden was objectless and rather silly unless it should be turned upside down and inside out by the introduction of a third and very junior partner. But by the time that revelation had come to me Constance had forgotten me entirely, and was once more bent over that ugly morsel who had not the slightest idea of his good fortune.
    We talked it over later. It was not for the first time, of course, but previously we had not gone into the subject very deeply because, blind blunderer that I was, I was not very interested, and it had seemed to me that the question was ruled out and unworthy of debate because of the expense and inconvenience; that was as far as I had considered it. This time was rather different.
    The matter was soon settled. I think that was the last time that I thought of Constance as a child. Almost always before she had seemed so to me, and thatevening, as she sat on my lap, and buried her face in my shoulder as I broached the subject, she seemed more a child than ever. I caught myself marveling to myself, as I had often marveled before, how it came about that this small infant—I could hardly think of her as more than twelve—could run a man’s household, and control Mrs. Rundle, and could actually be contemplating maternity. The fact that all my happiness lay in her hands I had always accepted as unaccountable, though pleasant.
    As the conversation progressed Constance began to peep out from my shoulder. Her expression was beyond even my anxious analysis. The childlike look faded perceptibly before my very eyes. There was a hint of mischief, and of amusement, but these were counterbalanced by that look of wistful, happy yearning which had made me catch my breath earlier in the day. By the time the conversation had grown really animated the child had disappeared altogether, and in her place there was a new Constance, excitedly sitting upright on my lap entering into details with a fluency and a bald simplicity far beyond any mere childless man’s capacity. Constance made me feel positively shy—untilshe noticed it. And then her expression changed again, to one I had seen before, and as she leaned toward me I gathered her into my arms with all my love for her flooding through my veins and pulsing in my fingertips.
    I was not told about it at all in the manner of the books. Constance did not volunteer the information. It did not come to me as unexpected news, altering my whole outlook. I rather think that one morning I said to Constance:
    â€œWell?” And she said:
    â€œYes, I think so, dear.”
    Constance kissed me very tenderly and maternally, and we were more than usually silent over breakfast. Then I hurried off to the office.
    The news had a very unexpected and depressing effect on me. I had hoped that when it was certain and inevitable I would experience a miraculous change of heart, and would look forward to the event as eagerly as Constance did. But it was not so at all.
    During the journey to town I grew more and more lugubrious, and the first hour in the office sufficed to reduce me to a condition of complete, dull consternation.The office grew