He woke up suddenly and completely .It was four o'clock ,the hour at which his father had always called him to get up and help with milking .Strange how the habits of his youth clung to him still!His father had been dead for thirty years,and yet he still waked at four o'clock in the morning.But this morning,because it was christmas,he did not try to sleep again.
Yet what was the magic of christmas now? His childhood and youth were long past ,and his own children had grown up and gone.
Yesterday his wife had said ,"It isn't worthwhile,perhaps-----"And he had said,"oh,yes,Alice,even if there are only the two of us,let's have a Christmas of our own,"
HOW FORTUNATE THAT HE HAD BEEN ABLE TO LOVE !AH ,THAT WAS THE TRUE JOY OF LIFE ,THE ABILITY TO LOVE! FOR HE WAS QUITE SURE THAT SOME PEOPLE WERE GENUINELY UNABLE TO LOVE ANYONE. BUT LOVE WAS ALIVE IN HIM .IT STILL WAS .
IT OCCURRED TO HIM SUDDENLY THAT IT W