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Updated: June 23, 2025
They fell away from it, as Dick looked at him. Ronnie's wife knelt on the floor beside him, but she was not looking at Ronnie. She was staring, with white face and starting eyes, into the mirror. Her left arm, stretched out before her, was rigid with horror, from the shoulder to the tip of the pointing finger. "Look, Dick!" she shrieked. "Oh, heavens! Look!"
Ronnie's wife knelt down and gently kissed the unconscious, shining face of the Infant of Prague. Turning from the settee beneath the window, she saw herself reflected in the mirror a tall fair figure in trailing garments, soft and white. She held the candle high above her head, looked at her own reflection, and smiled. She was glad she was so lovely for Ronnie's sake.
As a small boy I was always 'Ronnie' when people were pleased, and 'Ronald' if I was in for a wigging. The feeling of it sticks to you all your life." "Of course it does," said Aubrey sympathetically. "Beastly hard lines. Well? Helen says 'Ronald' ?" Ronnie's eyes sought the paper again; but once more the black spots danced in a wild shower. He rubbed his eyes and went on reading.
But, months later when in her presence aspersions were being cast on Dick for his indomitable ambition, his ruthless annihilation of all who stood in his way, his utter lack of religious principle and orthodox belief Helen, her sweet face shadowed by momentary sadness, her eyes full of pathetic remembrance, spoke up for Ronnie's chum.
My whole concern is with the present; my earnest looking forward is to the future. And remember, that which set me completely free to think only of the present, was when my Ronnie's soul looked out at me from that strange vision of the past. I cannot say exactly what I believe. But I know my entire responsibility is to the present; my hope and confidence are towards the future.
Her face seemed thinner than it used to be; but the sea breeze and sunshine had brought a bright colour to her cheeks. Ronnie's eyes left the ripples, and wandered cautiously up and down the shore. The beach was deserted. No moving figures dotted the esplanade. Helen and he would have been alone, had it not been for one tiresome man who sat reading on the next seat to theirs.
"Insolent Jackanapes!" When Dick Cameron reached the outer door his cap was on the back of his head, his hands were thrust deep into his coat pockets. "Good-evening," he said. "Excuse my long intrusion. I shall be immensely obliged if you will let me have a wire reporting your safe arrival, and a letter, later on, with details as to Ronnie's state.
No doubt this arrangement of relative values, made for success. Ronnie's success had been very rapid, and very brilliant. He accepted it with the unconscious modesty of the true artist; his work meaning immeasurably more to him than that which his work brought him, either in praise or pennies.
But "beastly" still showed, pathetically, beneath the line. And, by-and-by, the heart of Ronnie's wife, from which all clouds had suddenly rolled away, understood it, and wept over it, and kissed it; and thought "beastly" a dear word! It was so quaintly like Ronnie to substitute "large" for "beastly." All clouds had rolled away, before Helen read the note; for this is what had happened.
I down every one who dares stand in my way; or I use them as stepping-stones. There! Isn't that a worse Upas tree than poor old Ronnie's? Mine is a life untouched by love, or any gentler feelings. All that sort of thing was killed in me when I was quite a little chap. It is the story of a broken halo. Perhaps I'll tell it you some day.
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