Part 26 (1/2)
”Take off your hat.”
”Shall I?” She put up her hands, but she left the hat where it was, and her mother did not ask why.
”Is Adelaide back?”
”No, I left her glued to Paris. I crossed with Susan Fleet. Oh!”
She rested her head on the back of the big chair, and shut her eyes.
”Only tea. I can't eat!”
”Here it is.”
”I feel as if I'd been away for centuries, as if London must have changed.”
”It hasn't.”
”And you?”
”Oh, of course, I've shed my nature, as you see!”
”I believe you think I've shed mine.”
”Why?”
”I don't know.”
Her eyes wandered about the room.
”Everything just the same.”
”Then Africa really has made a great difference?”
The alert look that Mrs. Mansfield knew so well came into Charmian's face despite her fatigue.
”Who thought it would?”
”Well, you've never been out of Europe before.”
”You did?”
”Wouldn't it be natural if I had fancied it might?”
”Perhaps. But it was only the very edge of Africa. I never went beyond Mustapha Superieur. I didn't even want to go. I wonder if Susan Fleet did.”
”Do you think so?”
”I'm afraid I didn't think very much about it. But I begin to wonder now. I think she's so unselfish that perhaps she makes other people selfish.”
”You made great friends, didn't you?”