Part 46 (1/2)
”At any rate you seem to enjoy yourself, or you would not stay so long.”
”Well, if I do, it's my own business.”
”It is my business,” she said, angrily.
”I'd like to see you help yourself,” he said, turning fiercely toward her.
She burst into tears.
”You might stay with me when I'm ill,” she said. ”I don't like to stay alone; I get so nervous that I sometimes think I'm going to die.”
Max laughed boisterously, as he said:
”Oh, I guess there's no danger of that. If you think there is you had better go back to that other man of yours. I'd rather have a live wife on my hands any day than a dead one, as I have no particular fancy for funerals; they create too much of a sensation.”
”Mercy, how you talk. I am sure I don't want to die, but I don't believe Scott would let me into the house if I were to go back to him.”
”Oh, yes, he would; he is one of those Christian fellows, you know. He would let you go back and run the Wilmer mansion, just as you used to, and then if you took a notion to run off with a handsomer man, he'd let you go and not even apply for a divorce. Say, do you know you are his wife just as much as you ever was?”
Irene started. She wondered what it was that had taken possession of Max to induce him to talk so harshly to her. It was true she knew he was under the influence of liquor, but he should have enough sense left to treat her as though she were human, even if he had made a brute of himself.
”Do you know,” he repeated, ”that you are Scott Wilmer's wife?”
”No, I don't know it,” she said, wiping the tears away. ”I am your wife.”
”Where is your certificate?” he asked mockingly.
”You should know; you know what you promised.”
”Oh, well, promises don't stand in law worth a cent.”
”I am sure that if Scott had promised anything it would have stood any law.”
”Oh, yes, but you see Scott is one of your Christian fellows; he wouldn't lie to save his soul.”
”No, he would never break a promise. But what is the use of talking about him?” she asked, impatiently. ”It is quite likely he is married before this time.”
”Oh, come, now, Rene, you know better than that; you know he never believed in divorces, and I'll bet my head he is not married.”
”Well, I couldn't go back there if I wanted to.”
”Try it.”
”You must want to get rid of me. What is the matter with you, Max?”
”Oh, nothing, only to tell you the truth, I know a little fairy who is crazy for me to make love to her, and she is one of the neatest little dancers in all the world.”
”Max,” cried Irene, angrily, ”you are a perfect devil, and I wish I had never seen you. I wish I had never left Scott.”
A fresh burst of tears and a violent fit of coughing followed this outburst of anger, and Irene sank back exhausted on her pillow.