"I can see what your life would be, if you can't. You
would live in a no-man's land; and all the clergymen in the world
couldn't make you one."
"It wouldn't be the clergymen, Howat," she said simply. "And you mustn't
think I am only a silly with her first young man. I have kissed them
before, Howat; yes, and liked it. I am not happy with Jim; it's
something else, like tearing silk. He is so confident and so helpless;
he's drinking now, too."
"I suppose that is an added attraction," he commented. She chose to
ignore this. "I half promised him," she continued, "to take dinner with
his family. He will be in the city next week. I said I thought you'd
bring me."
"Well, I won't," he replied in a startled energy. "Mariana, you're out
of your head. Go to Byron Polder's house! Me!" In his excitement he
dropped a lighted cigarette on the Chinese rug. "I have no one else,"
she told him. "Perhaps I'll marry Jim, and go away ... I thought you
might want to be with me, at the last."
He fumbled for his glass, fixed it in his eye, and then dropped it out,
clearing his throat sharply. He rose and crossed the room, and looked
out through the open door at the night. The stars were hazy, and there
was a constant reflection of lightning on the horizon.
Pages:
302
303
304
305
306
307
308
309
310
311
312
313
314
315
316
317
318
319
320
321
322
323
324
325
326