Valerie French (1923)
Page 25
Breathless, panting, she stopped— with her heart in her mouth.
The resolute look was fading. The boy— the boy was coming ... coming back ... tentatively ... venturing out to play.
Spellbound, she watched the wonder steal into his eyes.
Hardly daring to breathe, she watched him trying to realize that his dream was true.
The thing seemed too big for him.
A half-perplexed, half-frightened look displaced the wonder ... He put a hand to his head.... Then, the wonder returned, stronger and clearer than before. The boy was beginning to smile... Little by little, that blessed, happy look was coming back....
Suddenly, he seemed to hesitate.
Then, very gently, he put up a boyish hand and touched her hair.
Valerie thrilled to her core.
Again, for a moment, he hesitated.
Then, with a shy smile, he began to take out the pins....
Valerie could have burst into tears of pure joy. Her cup was full. She had beaten the fairy tale. The frog had become a prince.
With a leaping heart, she bowed her beautiful head and suffered his gentle fingers...
When her glorious hair was all loosened, Valerie lifted her head and shook her fragrant treasure about her shoulders.
The boy gazed at it with rapture; the king was beholding his kingdom: the hunter was on his knees.
"I always wanted to see it down," he whispered, "always. The first time I ever saw you— in the door of The Leather Bottel, you had no hat on. I remember thinking, then, how much I’d love to see it tumbled about your shoulders.... And now, my dream's come true."
His eyes turned from the glory to meet his wife's.
Valerie was staring at him, with parted lips.
The light in her wonderful eyes was supernatural.
Anthony started.
"What is it, Valerie? What have I said? What— "
He stopped short and clapped a hand to his mouth....
Presently, he stood up and lifted her to her feet.
With his arms about her, he smiled into her eyes.
"'For you shall find it,'" he whispered, "'after many days.'"
The End