Part 13 (1/2)
”You heard me, Eunice?” he said, caustically, his hand on the doork.n.o.b.
”Not being deaf, I did,” she returned, without looking toward him.
”And you will obey me?” He turned back, and reaching her side, he grasped her arm with no uncertain touch. ”I demand your obedience!”
”Demands are not always granted!”
She gave him a dazzling smile, but it was defiant rather than friendly.
”I make it a request, then. Will you grant me that?”
”Why should I grant your requests, when you won't grant mine?”
”Good Lord, Eunice, are you going to harp on that allowance string again?”
”I am. Why shouldn't I, when it warps my whole life--”
”Oh, come, cut out the hifalutin' talk!”
”Well, then, to come down to plain facts, there isn't a day that I'm not humiliated and embarra.s.sed by the lack of a little cash.”
”Bad as that?”
”Yes, quite as bad as that! Why, the day we went out to Newark I didn't have five cents to buy Aunt Abby a newspaper, and she had to get along without one!”
”She seemed to live through it.”
”Sanford, you're unbearable! And to-day, at Mrs. Garland's, a woman talked, and then they took up a collection for the 'Belgian Home Fires,' and I didn't have a cent to contribute.”
”Who is she? I'll send a check.”
”A check! You answer everything by a check! Can't you understand?
Oh, there's no use explaining; you're determined you won't understand!
So, let us drop the subject. Is to-night the club election?”
”No, to-morrow night. But to-night will probably decide it in my mind.
It practically hinges on the Meredith set--if they can be talked over--”
”Oh, Sanford, I do hope they can!” Eunice's eyes sparkled and she smiled as she put her hands on her husband's shoulders. ”And, listen, dear, if they are--if you do win the election, won't you--oh, San, won't you give me an allowance?”
”Eunice, you're enough to drive a man crazy! Will you let up on that everlasting whine? No, I won't! Is that plain?”
”Then I shall go and get it for myself!”
”Go to the devil for all I care!”
Sanford flung out of the room, banging the door behind him. Eunice heard him speaking to Ferdinand, rather shortly, and as he left the apartment, she knew that he had gone to the club in their motor car, and if she went out, she would have to call a cab.