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I had seen her, already, and now I saw him.
Enough to do, and all so real and
so grand! My dearfriends, do not forget that I had seen myself. But I was bent
withfrenzy upon my purpose. I had seen her, already, and now I saw him. I told
him that I had not the slightest idea of selling myspectacles.
There are but
many varieties of a few types.
It grew dark as we stood in the office talking,
and taking our hats wewent out together. I could have smiled to see the humid
tendernesswith which she regarded her strange _vis-à-vis_.
I told him that I
had not the slightest idea of selling myspectacles.
I am, or rather was, a
minister, of the Sandemanian connection. I am not very fond of looking
throughthem. The lightsthat cheer the future of other men had gone out for
me.
I did not findthose I came to clearer sighted than those I had left
behind.
The sound ofcheerful singing came wafted from distant fields upon the
lightbreeze. I could have smiled to see the humid tendernesswith which she
regarded her strange _vis-à-vis_. I feared lest some instinct should warn me to
beware. saidTitbottom, with a bow of quaint respect to my wife.
I saw the pure
resolve, the generous faith, the fine scornof doubt, the impatience of
suspicion.
But one was a well ofcool, deep water, and looking suddenly in, one
day, I saw the stars. It was then that, on my wifes suggestion, I resolved to
lookout for a Double. And as Titbottom opened the door, Iheard the low
words:And Preciosa? You may spare yourself the pain of trying to impose uponme.
Titbottom, isthe happy possessor of a pair of wonderful spectacles. Titbottom
will not refuse to tell us thehistory of his mysterious spectacles.
And what do
I know of Aurelia or any other girl?
These things were matters of long, long
ago, and I came to thiscountry soon after. The governor smiled approvingly, and
looked at my grandfather.
In fact, I think a grosswould be quite enough to
supply the world.
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