"shesaid,"butI'lldomybest.Andweshallbeabletotalk."
Untilthenhewouldnotliveandallsortsofwild,madthoughtsranthroughhishead.
"Isthereagreaterfoolonearththanthevirtuousprig?"hemuttered,savagely.
Hecouldnotsleep,buttossedfromsidetoside,thinkingeverofthesofthandsandtheredlipsthathesoardentlywishedtokiss.InthemorninghesenttoHalfMoonStreetahugebasketofflowers.
"Itwasgoodofyou,"saidMrs.Wallace,whenhearrived,pointingtotherosesscatteredthroughtheroom.Sheworethreeinherhair,trailingbehindoneearinanexotic,charmingfashion.
"It'sonlyyouwhocouldthinkofwearingthemlikethat."
"Dotheymakemelookverybarbaric?"Shewasflatteredbytheadmirationinhiseyes."YoucertainlyhaveimprovedsinceIsawyoulast."
"Now,shallwestayhereorgosomewhere?"sheaskedafterdinner,whentheyweresmokingcigarettes.
"Letusstayhere."
Mrs.Wallacebegantalkingtheoldnonsensewhich,indayspast,haddelightedJamesitenchantedhimtohearhersay,inthetoneofvoiceheknewsowell,justthosethingswhichhehadathousandtimesrepeatedtohimself.Helookedatherwithahappysmile,hiseyesfixeduponher,takingineverymovement.
"Idon'tbelieveyou'relisteningtoawordI'msaying!"shecriedatlast."Whydon'tyouanswer?"
"Goon.Iliketoseeyoutalk.It'slongsinceI'vehadthechance."
"Youspokeyesterdayasthoughyouhadn'tmissedmemuch."
"Ididn'tmeanit.YouknewIdidn'tmeanit."
Shesmiledmockingly.
"Ithoughtitdoubtful.Ifithadbeentrue,youcouldhardlyhavesaidanythingsoimpolite."
"I'vethoughtofyoualways.That'swhyIfeelIknowyousomuchbetternow.Idon'tchange.WhatIfeltonce,Ifeelalways."
"Iwonderwhatyoumeanbythat?"
"ImeanthatIloveyouaspassionatelyaswhenlastIsawyou.Oh,Iloveyoutentimesmore!"
"Andthegirlwiththebunandthestrenuouslook?YouwereengagedwhenIknewyoulast."
Jameswassilentforamoment.
"I'mgoingtobemarriedtoheronthe10thofOctober,"hesaidfinally,inanexpressionlessvoice.
"Youdon'tsaythatasifyouwerewildlyenthusias