A Butterfly

Some very beautiful and refreshing lines ...from RK narayan's English Teacher, portraying the love and affection between a man, who has become callous after death of his wife, and his daughter...

"The first thing that woke me in the morning was the cold hands of my daughter placed on my forehead and the shout "Appa" (father), or sometimes she just sat, with her elbows on the ground and her chin between the palms, gazing into my face as I lay asleep. Whenever I opened my eyes in the morning, I saw her face close to mine, and her eyes scrutinizing my face. I do not know what she found so fascinating there. Her eyes looked like a pair of dark butterflies dancing with independent life, at such close quarters.
"Oh father has woken up!" she cried happily. I looked at her with suspicion and asked: "What have you been trying to do so close to me?" " I only wanted to watch that is all. I didn't wake you up."
"Watch what?"
"I wanted to watch if any ant or fly was going to get into you through your nose, that is all..."
"Did any get in?"
"No. Because I was watching." There was a hint in her tone as if a sentry had mounted guard against a formidable enemy.
"What do you do when you sleep, father?" Once again a question that could not be asked by an adult; perhaps only another child could find an answer for it. " I was saying something close to you and yet you didn't reply."
"What were you saying?"
"I said: there is a peppermint, open your mouth!...