The days had to be spent somehow; and she was
incurably, disconsolately sociable.
They WANTED her to receive Henry Prest,
then?
He married a quiet cousin, who had always been in
love with him, I believe. His face was redder than usual, and now and then a twitch
passed over it.
He stared, and gave a quick swallow, as though the
dose were choking him.
My opportunities were many; for once she had told
the tale she always wanted to be retelling it.
The reflection evidently occurred to him almost as
soon as it did to her.
He was visibly pleased with the last
phrase.
I knew the difficulties of your
position.
She was at his side at once, supporting him,
guiding him to the nearest armchair. That will be an economy, at any rate, she
concluded with a little shiver.
She smiled half-deprecatingly, and my bosom
swelled, acknowledging the distinction. He stared, and gave a quick swallow, as
though the dose were choking him.
What do you say to going to the Black Crook with
your cousin Hubert and one or two others?
He waited, glanced about the room, turned back to
her. What do you say to going to the Black Crook with your cousin Hubert and one or
two others?
I bent bewildered over the depths of her
plight.
As he did so, a whiff of his eau de Cologne reached
her, and she winced a little.
She was at his side at once, supporting him,
guiding him to the nearest armchair. If all New York wants to ostracize me, let
it!
Hubert twirled a self-conscious
moustache.
His pride was up in arms to defend her, not so much
for her sake as for his own. He waited, glanced about the room, turned back to
her.
He gave her one full look; all their life together
was in it, from the first day to the last. It was in this room that my husband asked
me to marry him. Hazeldean was a brief episode in our long relation. No one reproved
coarseness of language in women more than Henry Prest; one of Mrs.
Two of the tears overflowed, hung on her lashes,
melted down her cheeks.
It was the relief from anxiety that kept him alive,
that kept him happy. But, I say, my dear, I couldnt be expected to know it, could
I?
She sat as motionless as if their coils were about
her, till slowly his tentative grasp relaxed. He took me out of misery into
blessedness. I wasnt laughing at you, she said, but only at the coincidences of
life. They frightened Lizzie now as she looked back. I knew the difficulties of your
position.
His face was redder than usual, and now and then a
twitch passed over it.