25
A male servant long in my house seemed to me the happiest of mortals. He laughed
invariably when spoken to, looked always delighted at work, appeared to know nothing
of the small troubles of life. But one day I peeped at him when he thought himself quite
alone and his relaxed face startled me. It was not the face I had known. Hard lines of
pain and anger appeared in it, making it seem twenty years older. I coughed gently to
announce my presence. At once the face smoothed, softened, lighted up as by a miracle
of rejuvenation. Miracle, indeed, of perpetual unselfish self-control.