But I can't believe it, I really can't! They've got their
troubles same as ourselves, poor things, and what's the use of their
fine clothes and grand carriages when the dark days come and the night's
falling on them?"
It was harder than ever to speak now, so I got up to look at some silver
cups that stood on the mantelpiece.
"Martin's," said his mother, to whom they were precious as rubies. "He
won them at swimming and running and leaping and climbing and all to
that. Aw, yes, yes! He was always grand at games, if he couldn't learn
his lessons, poor boy. And now he's gone away from us--looking for South
Poles somewheres."
"I know--I saw him in Rome," said I.
She dropped her porridge-stick and looked at me with big eyes.
"Saw him? In Rome, you say? After he sailed, you mean?"
I nodded, and then she cried excitedly to the doctor who was just then
coming into the house, after washing his hands under the pump.
"Father, she saw himself in Rome after he sailed."
There was only one _himself_ in that house, therefore it was not
difficult for the doctor to know who was meant.
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