Anne Douglas Sedgwick

“ He is rather shy with people and his life here suits him perfectly.”
“Are not Stoics the people who do not mind the things other people mind?” Alix inquired.
“They cared, perhaps, so much for some things that other things did not hurt,” said Toppie, smiling. “I don't know much about them, myself, though; I'm not at all learned. I've never been to school.”
“I am glad you are not learned. One may go to school and yet not be learned; as you can see from me,” Alix smiled back. “But I can't imagine what those things can be that keep us from being hurt; can you?” ”

“ Yes. And Owen was porcelain; and Giles is earthenware; and dear Mrs. Bradley is both together.” Toppie mused on the simile with satisfaction.
But it did not satisfy Alix. “Some earthenware is very rare and precious; tough and fine at once. And it wears and wears.”
“But it never has the beauty,” said Toppie.
Giles was now within speaking distance, and by the light of their lantern Alix saw that his eyes were fixed upon Toppie with an indefinable expression; not alarm; not inquiry; but a steady watchfulness that, to her perception, controlled these feelings. ”

“ I saw in your face at once, dear little Alix, that you had shared unhappiness.—You are so young; younger than your age in one way; yet in another you are so grown up; it is strange.” Toppie's eyes mused on her for a moment. “Why was he unhappy?” she added gently. “Though, indeed, most people are.” ”

“ Alix exclaimed, and there rose before her the memory of Giles's face as he had watched Toppie yesterday evening. “Do not even imagine it. It is too dreadful. I am sorry that in your church you have nuns, too. That is foolish of you, I think, when you need not have them. It is different for priests. They have to administer the sacraments. But for a woman it is dreadful. Far, far better marry and be out in the world.” ”

“ If he had had the close curled wig, that went with his type he would, Alix thought, have looked very like a silent, dignified sheep that may, in the meadow, as it looks at you, emit once or twice a formal baa.
Toppie told her that her father was writing a book on the Stoics. “He has, fortunately, a great deal of time. It's a tiny parish; just right for a scholar like my father; more a scholar than a priest, I sometimes think. ”

“ She did all those chairs while she was waiting for his birth. She was only twenty-one. I often think of her; so young; stitching her thoughts of home, her hopes for her baby the past and the future—into the embroidery. ”

“ I have never cared for dolls and he teased me about them, he said a girl must be made to care about dolls, and he bought dreadful little ones with small feet in painted boots and hid them in my napkin at dinner or even under my pillow, where I found them at night, I used to fling them at him—rush down to the salon where he and Maman sat, and fling them at him.—For I was already fifteen, and at that age one is not supposed to care about dolls, in any case. We had great games, it was a happy time, in spite of all the sadness. ”

“ Only smell how sweet.” And Alix bent over the bowl filled with the little deep pink roses.
There was a sedate sofa to match the chairs, with the tea-table placed as at the Bradleys'; but how different was this tea. No thick bread-and-butter; no loaves of cake. Only a plate of little dry biscuits, that Alix liked, however, and another of bread-and-butter cut to a wafer-like thinness. And instead of the affectionate turmoil of Heathside was Toppie's sweet, chill voice and Mr. ”