All men vaunt it, and declare
that it is theirs; but the hearts of most are set
elsewhere. It is the exception who comprehends that
physical and spiritual life may stream out of him for ever.
Miss Abbott, for all her goodness, could not comprehend it,
though such a thing is more within the comprehension of
women. And when Gino pointed first to himself and then to
his baby and said "father-son," she still took it as a piece
of nursery prattle, and smiled mechanically.
The child, the first fruits, woke up and glared at her.
Gino did not greet it, but continued the exposition of his policy.
"This woman will do exactly what I tell her. She is
fond of children. She is clean; she has a pleasant voice.
She is not beautiful; I cannot pretend that to you for a
moment. But she is what I require."
The baby gave a piercing yell.
"Oh, do take care!" begged Miss Abbott. "You are
squeezing it."
"It is nothing. If he cries silently then you may be
frightened. He thinks I am going to wash him, and he is
quite right."
"Wash him!" she cried. "You? Here?" The homely piece
of news seemed to shatter all her plans. She had spent a
long half-hour in elaborate approaches, in high moral
attacks; she had neither frightened her enemy nor made him
angry, nor interfered with the least detail of his domestic life.
"I had gone to the Farmacia," he continued, "and was
sitting there comfortably, when suddenly I remembered that
Perfetta had heated water an hour ago--over there, look,
covered with a cushion.
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