下载辰思小说免费APP
Fannycouldnotkeepthesecret，andcameandtoldherthatnightunderatransparentpretextofneededadvice。“Mr。Snooks，“saidFanny，“wantstowritetome。Fancy！Ihadnoidea。ButshouldIlethim？“Theytalkeditoverlongandearnestly，andMissWinchelseawascarefultokeeptheveiloverherheart。Shewasalreadyrepentinghisdisregardedhints。Whyshouldshenothearofhimsometimes——painfulthoughhisnamemustbetoher？MissWinchelseadecideditmightbepermitted，andFannykissedhergood-nightwithunusualemotion。
AftershehadgoneMissWinchelseasatforalongtimeatthewindowofherlittleroom。Itwasmoonlight，anddownthestreetamansang“SantaLucia“withalmostheart-dissolvingtenderness……
Shesatverystill。
Shebreathedawordverysoftlytoherself。Thewordwas“SNOOKS。“
Thenshegotupwithaprofoundsigh，andwenttobed。Thenextmorninghesaidtohermeaningly，“Ishallhearofyouthroughyourfriend。“
Mr。SnookssawthemofffromRomewiththatpatheticinterrogativeperplexitystillonhisface，andifithadnotbeenforHelenhewouldhaveretainedMissWinchelsea’shold-allinhishandasasortofencyclopaedickeepsake。OntheirwaybacktoEnglandMissWinchelseaonsixseparateoccasionsmadeFannypromisetowritetoherthelongestoflongletters。Fanny，itseemed，wouldbequitenearMr。Snooks。Hernewschool——shewasalwaysgoingtonewschools——wouldbeonlyfivemilesfromSteelyBank，anditwasintheSteelyBankPolytechnic，andoneortwofirst-classschools，thatMr。Snooksdidhisteaching。Hemightevenseeherattimes。Theycouldnottalkmuchofhim——sheandFannyalwaysspokeof“him，“neverofMr。Snooks，——becauseHelenwasapttosayunsympatheticthingsabouthim。Hernaturehadcoarsenedverymuch，MissWinchelseaperceived，sincetheoldTrainingCollegedays；
shehadbecomehardandcynical。Shethoughthehadaweakface，mistakingrefinementforweaknessaspeopleofherstampareapttodo，andwhensheheardhisnamewasSnooks，shesaidshehadexpectedsomethingofthesort。MissWinchelseawascarefultospareherownfeelingsafterthat，butFannywaslesscircumspect。
ThegirlspartedinLondon，andMissWinchelseareturned，withanewinterestinlife，totheGirls’HighSchoolinwhichshehadbeenanincreasinglyvaluableassistantforthelastthreeyears。
HernewinterestinlifewasFannyasacorrespondent，andtogiveheraleadshewroteheralengthydescriptiveletterwithinafortnightofherreturn。Fannyanswered，verydisappointingly。Fannyindeedhadnoliterarygift，butitwasnewtoMissWinchelseatofindherselfdeploringthewantofgiftsinafriend。ThatletterwasevencriticisedaloudinthesafesolitudeofMissWinchelsea’sstudy，andhercriticism，spokenwithgreatbitterness，was“Twaddle！“
ItwasfullofjustthethingsMissWinchelsea’sletterhadbeenfullof，particularsoftheschool。AndofMr。Snooks，onlythismuch:“IhavehadaletterfromMr。Snooks，andhehasbeenovertoseemeontwoSaturdayafternoonsrunning。HetalkedaboutRomeandyou；webothtalkedaboutyou。Yourearsmusthaveburnt，mydear……“
MissWinchelsearepressedadesiretodemandmoreexplicitinformation，andwrotethesweetestlongletteragain。“Tellmeallaboutyourself，dear。Thatjourneyhasquiterefreshedourancientfriendship，andIdosowanttokeepintouchwithyou。“AboutMr。SnooksshesimplywroteonthefifthpagethatshewasgladFannyhadseenhim，andthatifheSHOULDaskafterher，shewastoberememberedtohimVERYKINDLY(underlined)。AndFannyrepliedmostobtuselyinthekeyofthat“ancientfrien
