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Updated: June 21, 2025
A narrow nature cannot see absurdity in what it loves, but Zilda's nature was not narrow. She had learnt to love little Gilby in a fond, deep, silent way that was her fashion of loving. He had explained to her the principles of ventilation and why he disliked close waiting-rooms. Zilda could not make her father learn the lesson, but it bore fruit afterwards when she came into power.
From higher levels of taste he would have been seen to be, in external notions, a common little man, but from Zilda's standpoint, even in matters of outward taste he was an ideal; and Zilda, placed as she was, quickly perceived, what those who looked down upon him might not have discovered, that the heart of him was very good.
'I wished to see the broken road, monsieur. There was nothing in her voice or manner then or at any other time to indicate that she took a special interest in him. 'Do you often take such long walks? he asked with curiosity. Zilda shrugged her shoulders. 'Sometimes; why not?
This was mortifying to little Gilby; his manner was quite huffy for some minutes after. Zilda had her own ideas of what she would do. She presently left him alone and walked on swiftly to the place of the breakdown. There she borrowed a hand-car; it was a light one that could be worked easily by two men, and Zilda determined to work it alone.
He was short in stature, much shorter than the hulking fellows who stood and surveyed him through the smoke of their pipes, but he had such a cocky little way with him that he overawed them much more than a big man would have done. Out of sheer dulness he took to talking to Zilda. Zilda stood with her back against the wall. 'Fine day, said Gilby, stopping beside her. 'Oui, monsieur.
In some curious way their repetition lends to the stark road a certain grace. When Zilda Chaplot was young there were fewer wires on these telegraph poles, fewer railway-lines opposite the station, fewer houses in St. Armand, which lies half a mile away. The hotel itself is the same, but in those days it was not painted yellow, as it is now, and was not half so well kept.
He had not the slightest thought of making love to her; he felt too strongly on the subject of his dignity and his principles for that; but although he haggled with Chaplot over the bill, he talked in a bombastic manner about making Zilda a present.
It was just as well that he did not know, for he would have been terribly affronted; as it was, he remained on the best of terms with them to the end. The feeling of amusement found vent in his absence in laughter and mimicry. Zilda joined in this mimicry; she watched the Frenchmen strut along the platform in imitation of Gilby, and smiled when their imitation was good.
Zilda heard the story told, and commented upon, and again talked over, in the way in which such matters of interest are slowly digested by the country intellect. Alas! then Zilda knew how far she had travelled along a flowery path which, as it now seemed to her, led to nowhere.
'Don't you speak English? 'Yes, sir, said Zilda. This was not very interesting for Gilby. He had about him a good deal of the modern restlessness that cannot endure one hour without work or amusement.
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