Part 37 (1/2)
She saw him wince at the abrupt discourtesy of this. She apologized:
”I don't mean to be rude, but--well, it wouldn't interest you.”
”Oh yes, it would. Don't tell me if you don't want to, but--”
”But--”
”Oh, nothing!”
”You mean you'll think that if I don't tell you it's because I'm ashamed to.”
”Oh no, not at all.”
”Oh yes, at all. Well, what if I were?”
”I can't imagine your having done anything to be ashamed of.”
”O Lord! Am I as stupid as that comes to?”
”No! But I mean, you couldn't have done anything to be really ashamed of.”
”That's what I mean. I've done numberless things I'd give my right arm not to have done.”
”I mean really wicked things.”
”Such as--”
”Oh--well, I mean being bad.”
”Woman-bad or man-bad?”
”Bad for a woman.”
”So what's bad for one is not bad for another.”
”Well, not exactly, but there is a difference.”
”If I told you that I had been very, very wicked in those mysterious years, would it seem important to you?”
”Of course! Horribly! It couldn't help it, if a man cared much for a woman.”
”And if a woman cared a lot for a man, ought it to make a difference what he had done before he met her?”
”Well, of course--but that's different.”
”Why?”
”Oh, because it is.”
”Men say 'Because!' too, I see.”