human
I am going to give him a lot of money for a hospital, she said.
gpt
I'm not going to leave it to him; I'm only sixty-two, and I don't propose to die yet awhile. When I do Blair will probably contest the will. He can't break it. It's cast-iron. But I don't want David to wait until I'm dead and gone, and Blair has given up trying to break my will, and the estate is settled. I'm going to give it to him before I die. In a year or two, maybe. I'm realizing on securities now--why don't I give him the securities? My dear sir, what does a doctor know about securities? Doctors have no more financial sense than parsons--at least, not much more, she added, with relenting justice.
human
No; David is to have his money, snug in the bank--that new bank, on Federal Street. I told the president I was rolling up a nest-egg for somebody--I could see he thought it was for Blair! I didn't enlighten him, because I don't want the thing talked about. When I get the amount I want, I'll hand Master David a bank certificate of deposit, and with all his airs about accepting money, he won't be able to help himself! He'll have to build his hospital, and draw his wages. It will make him independent of his outside customers, you see. Yes, I guess I can whip the devil round the stump as well as the next person!
gpt
But she was not. When, a day or two after he had gone to see Elizabeth, he went to Philadelphia, Mrs. Richie was tremulously glad to see him, so that she might pour out her fears about David and ask advice on this point and that.
human
Being a man, you understand better than I do, she acknowledged meekly; then broke down and cried for her boy's pain. And when the kind, barking old friend, himself blinking behind misty spectacles, said,
gpt
Oh, now, my dear, don't cry, she was so comforted that she cried some more, and for a single minute found her head most unexpectedly on his shoulder. But all the same, she was not
human
Don't ask me, dear Mr. Ferguson, she said, wiping her eyes.
gpt
We are such good friends, and I'm so fond of you, don't let's spoil it all.
human
I believe you are fond of me, he said,
gpt
Don't be so hard on people who do wrong, she pleaded;
human
I'm not hard; Elizabeth is her mother's daughter; that's all.
gpt
Oh! she cried, with sudden passion,
human
No, he said;
gpt
I can't.
human
You ought to forgive Elizabeth, at any rate, she insisted, faintly;
gpt
Have you forgiven her?
human
I think I have. I've tried to; but I don't understand her. I can understand doing something--wicked, for love; but not for hate.
gpt
If forgiveness was a question of understanding, I'm afraid you'd be as hard on her mother as I am.
human
On the contrary, she said, vehemently,
gpt
Then she broke out, almost with tears:
human
Oh, how can you be so unkind as not to go and see the child? The time we need our friends most is when we have done wrong!
gpt
Sometimes, she said,
human
You wish I would do wrong? I'm _always_ doing wrong! I did wrong when I growled so. But-- he paused;
gpt
I believe I _have_ seen Elizabeth, he said sheepishly;
human
I believe we kissed and made up.