Part 40 (2/2)
The eyes are following t.i.ta and her brother, Tom Hescott.
CHAPTER XXIV.
HOW RYLTON MAKES A MOST DISHONOURABLE BET, AND HOW HE REPENTS OF IT; AND HOW, THOUGH HE WOULD HAVE WITHDRAWN FROM IT, HE FINDS HE CANNOT.
”You have said,” says Rylton, when the steps have ceased, ”that you would warn me about my wife. Of what?”
She shrugs her shoulders.
”Ah, you are so violent--you take things so very unpleasantly--that one is quite afraid to speak.”
”You mean something”--sternly. ”I apologize to you if I was rough a moment since. I--it was so sudden--I forgot myself, I think.”
”To be able to forget is a most excellent thing--at _times,”_ says she, with a curious smile, her eyes hidden. ”If I were you I should cultivate it.”
”It?”
”The power to forget--_at times!”_
”Speak,” says he. ”It is not a moment for sneers. Of what would you warn me?”
”I have told you before, but you took it badly.”
”Words--words,” says he, frowning.
”Would you have deeds?” She breaks into a low laugh. ”Oh, how foolish you are! Why don't you let things go?”
”What did you mean?” persists he icily.
”What a tragic tone!” Her manner is all changed; she is laughing now. ”Well, what _did_ I mean? That your wife---- Stay!” with a little comic uplifting of her beautiful shoulders and an exaggerated show of fear, ”do not a.s.sault me again. That your wife has shown the bad taste to prefer her cousin--her old lover--to you!”
”As I said, words, mere words,” returns he, with a forced smile.
”Because she speaks to him, dances with him, is civil to him, as she is civil to all guests----”
”Is she _just as_ civil to all her guests?”
”I think so. It is my part to do her justice,” says he coldly, ”and, I confess, I think her a perfect hostess, if----”
”If?”
”If wanting in a few social matters. As to her cousin, Mr.
Hescott--being one of her few relations, she is naturally attentive to him.”
_”Very!”_
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