Part 31 (1/2)
”Tell everybody. I want them to know.”
”Then you care nothing for our feelings in this matter?”
She looked at him now. ”Your feeling?”
”It's nothing to you that we have a brother who's a bigamist?”
”But it's me--it's me.”
”You! You're completely out of it. Just let it rest as it is and it'll drop.”
”I want the people to know the truth,” Lulu said.
”But it's n.o.body's business but our business! I take it you don't intend to sue Ninian?”
”Sue him? Oh no!”
”Then, for all our sakes, let's drop the matter.”
Lulu had fallen in one of her old att.i.tudes, tense, awkward, her hands awkwardly placed, her feet twisted. She kept putting a lock back of her ear, she kept swallowing.
”Tell you, Lulu,” said Dwight. ”Here are three of us. Our interests are the same in this thing--only Ninian is our relative and he's nothing to you now. Is he?”
”Why, no,” said Lulu in surprise.
”Very well. Let's have a vote. Your snap judgment is to tell this disgraceful fact broadcast. Mine is, least said, soonest mended. What do you say, Ina--considering Di and all?”
”Oh, goodness,” said Ina, ”if we get mixed up with bigamy, we'll never get away from it. Why, I wouldn't have it told for worlds.”
Still in that twisted position, Lulu looked up at her. Her straying hair, her parted lips, her lifted eyes were singularly pathetic.
”My poor, poor sister!” Ina said. She struck together her little plump hands. ”Oh, Dwight--when I think of it: What have I done--what have _we_ done that I should have a good, kind, loving husband--be so protected, so loved, when other women.... Darling!” she sobbed, and drew near to Lulu. ”You _know_ how sorry I am--we all are....”
Lulu stood up. The white shawl slipped to the floor. Her hands were stiffly joined.
”Then,” she said, ”give me the only thing I've got--that's my pride. My pride--that he didn't want to get rid of me.”
They stared at her. ”What about _my_ pride?” Dwight called to her, as across great distances. ”Do you think I want everybody to know my brother did a thing like that?”
”You can't help that,” said Lulu.
”But I want you to help it. I want you to promise me that you won't shame us like this before all our friends.”
”You want me to promise what?”
”I want you--I ask you,” Dwight said with an effort, ”to promise me that you will keep this, with us--a family secret.”
”No!” Lulu cried. ”No. I won't do it! I won't do it! I won't do it!”
It was like some crude chant, knowing only two tones. She threw out her hands, her wrists long and dark on her blue skirt. ”Can't you understand anything?” she asked. ”I've lived here all my life--on your money. I've not been strong enough to work, they say--well, but I've been strong enough to be a hired girl in your house--and I've been glad to pay for my keep.... But there wasn't anything about it I liked.