Van Berg, we might sigh, 'and
such are human wishes generally.'"
"One is often tempted to do that anyway, even when not especially
prone to look askance at fortune."
"There is an easy way of escaping that temptation."
"How?"
"Do not form many wishes."
"Have you very few wishes?"
With a slight and piquant motion of her head she replied, "I was
only giving a bit of trite advice. It's asking a great deal to
require that one should both preach and practice."
"I think you are possessed by one wish which swallows up most
others," said Van Berg, a little abruptly.
A visible pallor overspread her face, and she drew back perceptibly
as one might shrink from a blow.
"You know how strong first impressions are," resumed Van Berg
hastily, "and the thought has passed through my mind that you might
be so preoccupied in wishing good things for others as to quite
forget yourself."
"If one could be completely occupied in that way," she said, with
a faint smile which suggested rather than revealed a vista of her
past experience, "one might have little occasion to wish for anything
for self. But, Mr. Van Berg, only we poor unreasoning women put
much faith in first impressions; and you know how often they mislead
even us, who are supposed to have safe instincts.
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