Long before they were "all packed up," John did change his mind. I was
present when he changed it. Lucy, Evelyn, and I were in the
living-room helping each other to pack large silver-framed photographs
into the tray of a trunk. It was slow work. During the winter none of
us had looked at the photographs or commented on the originals, but now
that they were to be swathed in tissue paper and put out of sight each
one had to be approved or disapproved, and long excursions had to be
made into the life histories and affairs of the friends who had sat for
them.
Lucy had just taken a large photograph of Evelyn from the top of the
low bookshelves that filled one end of the room when John came in from
the garden with an open letter in his hand. He was smiling in a
puzzled sort of way.
"What do you know about this!" he exclaimed rather than asked.
"Nothing," said Lucy, "_yet_." And she began to wrap Evelyn's
photograph in many folds of tissue paper.
"Yesterday," said John, "I tried to get some money from the bank, but
they turned me down. Now they write that upon reconsideration I can
have anything I like."
Well, Lucy's expression at that moment was worth a great deal more than
the few thousands which her husband would see fit to borrow from the
bank, and I couldn't but feel that there are moments when it is really
worth while to be alive and rich.
"Wonder what made 'em change their minds?" said John.
"There's one thing sure," said Lucy. "You are not to look a gift horse
in the mouth."
She unwrapped the photograph of Evelyn and put it back in its old place
on top of the bookshelves.
"This settles everything, does it?" asked John. "We don't go back to
New York?"
"We do not," said Lucy firmly.
"Well," said John, "I'd better see the bank before it changes its mind
again. Is the buggy outside?"
"No, but you can take Archie's or Evelyn's. Can't he? I sent
Cornelius Twombly to do some chores."
"I'll drive you down," said Evelyn, "having a telegram to send."
"And I'll stay and help Lucy unpack," I said. "Lord, people, I'm glad
you're not going!"