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In a quiet way of her own, as she went gently about household matters, or knitted my father's stockings, she was a great day-dreamer one of the most unselfish kind, however; a builder of air-castles, for those she loved to dwell in; planned, fitted, and furnished according to the measure of her affections. He came at last to listen very tolerantly when she dilated on my future greatness.
Many of his sketches and short stories and most of his romances deal with historical facts, moods, and atmospheres, and he knew the past of New England as few men have ever known it. There is solid historical and psychological stuff as the foundation of his air-castles.
It was a mere turning of the head that sent the air-castles tumbling and left him choking in the dust of their dissolution.
It was not quite so far off as could have been wished; but it was probably far enough, her radius of movement and repute having been so small. To persons of limited spheres, miles are as geographical degrees, parishes as counties, counties as provinces and kingdoms. On one point she was resolved: there should be no more d'Urberville air-castles in the dreams and deeds of her new life.
Supper on the big flat stone a feast of bear steak, hot-stone biscuits, coffee, and that most delectable of all wilderness luxuries, a potato apiece, and the two irrepressible young gold hunters were once more scheming and building their air-castles for the following day.
I never had that day in my air-castles, either. Nor you coming to stay all day with me, nor writing to Hollis. I had a letter from him last night, the funniest letter! I laughed all the time I was reading it. He begins: 'Poor little Mousie, and ends, 'ours, till next time. I'll show it to you. He doesn't say much about Helen.
"Yes, he may, and I shall be very glad if he does; but we must not build too many air-castles on that chance." "I wish I could see the dear boy again," sighed his mother, looking up from the stocking she was laboriously darning. "So do I," said Walter. "He would have a lot to tell us." "California seems so far away," resumed Mrs.
The prospect of their union was still very uncertain in those days, and yet it must sometimes have crossed his mind as he built air-castles in the middle of his reading; or strolled with a comrade along those old-fashioned streets, among their population of "wild-looking students," with long fair hair, pipes between their lips, and the scars of many a sword-duel on forehead and cheek; or penetrated into the country, where the brown peasant women, "with curious caps and handkerchiefs," came bearing their burden of sticks from the forest, like figures in old fairy tales.
In the evening, when they were gathered about the drawing-room table, he was the gayest of the three. He built a hundred air-castles, pictured a hundred pleasure-parties, when he was able to go abroad again. Hector rejoiced at his returning health. "Clement is getting on finely," said he to Bertha, one evening. She understood only too well what he meant. "Always thinking of Laurence?"
John is an energetic man in an emergency, and I haven't a doubt he has been here at least once a week ever since we left. I'll keep a record of John this fall." And so the two contented home-comers talked happily along, and when they closed their eyes in sleep that night they were, upon the whole, very well satisfied with life. Weeks elapsed, and with them some of the air-castles collapsed.
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