WHAT CAN THAT "LUF" BE?
Perhaps Orito recognized this fact, and for that reason seldom wearied
her with over-attention. He was tenderness itself to her; he took great
interest in all her studies; played games with her and Koto; and tried
in every way possible to make things pleasant for her. In this way a
very dear sympathy had sprung up between them. Although Orito had told
her nothing directly of his plans, yet he had often tried to give her
some inkling of the state of affairs. Thus, he would say: "I will be
your friend and brother forever, Numè-san."
Numè had a peculiar temperament for a Japanese girl. Although apparently
open and ingenuous and artless in all things, nevertheless where she
chose to be she could keep her own counsel, and one might almost have
accused her of being sly. But then the girl was far from being as
childish, or as innocent and contented, as she seemed at times. On the
contrary, her nature was self-willed almost to stubbornness. She either
loved one with all her strength, or she was indifferent, or she hated
one fiercely. There was nothing lukewarm about her. Perhaps when she
should meet the one to whom she could give her heart, she would give it
with a passion that would shake every fibre of her little body. This
was the reason why she was restless in her betrothal to Orito.
She instinctively felt her capability for a deeper love. The Japanese
are not, as a rule, a demonstrative people. It is said to be a weakness
to love before marriage, though a great many do so, especially those who
are thrown into contact with the opposite sex to any extent. Numè knew
this, and strove bravely to live up to the popular idea. She did not, as
yet, understand her own self, nor was she cognizant of the possibilities
for feeling which were latent in her. She attributed her restlessness
solely to the fact that she was so soon to be married. She had not
analyzed the word "love." It had only existed in her vocabulary since
she had known the Americans. She had tired Mrs. Davis out asking
questions about it. "Was this luf good?" "Was it wrong to luf too many
people?" "Why must she not tell when she lufed any one?" "Did the pretty
Americazan ladies luf their husbands, and was that why they were always
so proud and beautiful?" "She" (Numè) "would like to luf too."--"How
would she know it?"
These almost unanswerable questions, and many others, she put to Mrs
Davis, that lady answering them as sagely and wisely as possible, the
natural love of romance prompting her to encourage the girl to talk so,
but her desire to give only such advice as would keep her from thinking
of Sinclair causing her to modify her answers so that they might suit
the case. The worst of the matter was that although Numè would thank her
very sweetly for any information on the subject, she had a lingering
doubt that she ever wholly believed her, and that, in spite of her
advice, the girl would willfully permit her thoughts to run riot. No!
the Americazan lady could not prevent Numè from thinking of whom she
chose.