Part 33 (1/2)
”Do everything you ought--everything I imagine, I dream of. You _are_ clever: you can never make me believe the contrary after your speech on Tuesday, Don't speak to me! I've seen, I've heard, and I know what's in you. I shall hold you to it. You're everything you pretend not to be.”
Nick looked at the water while she talked. ”Will it always be so amusing?” he asked.
”Will what always be?”
”Why my career.”
”Shan't I make it so?”
”Then it will be yours--it won't be mine,” said Nick.
”Ah don't say that--don't make me out that sort of woman! If they should say it's me I'd drown myself.”
”If they should say what's you?”
”Why your getting on. If they should say I push you and do things for you. Things I mean that you can't do yourself.”
”Well, won't you do them? It's just what I count on.”
”Don't be dreadful,” Julia said. ”It would be loathsome if I were thought the cleverest. That's not the sort of man I want to marry.”
”Oh I shall make you work, my dear!”
”Ah _that_----!” she sounded in a tone that might come back to a man after years.
”You'll do the great thing, you'll make my life the best life,” Nick brought out as if he had been touched to deep conviction. ”I daresay that will keep me in heart.”
”In heart? Why shouldn't you be in heart?” And her eyes, lingering on him, searching him, seemed to question him still more than her lips.
”Oh it will be all right!” he made answer.
”You'll like success as well as any one else. Don't tell me--you're not so ethereal!”
”Yes, I shall like success.”
”So shall I! And of course I'm glad you'll now be able to do things,”
Julia went on. ”I'm glad you'll have things. I'm glad I'm not poor.”
”Ah don't speak of that,” Nick murmured. ”Only be nice to my mother. We shall make her supremely happy.”
”It wouldn't be for your mother I'd do it--yet I'm glad I like your people,” Mrs. Dallow rectified. ”Leave them to me!”
”You're generous--you're n.o.ble,” he stammered.
”Your mother must live at Broadwood; she must have it for life. It's not at all bad.”
”Ah Julia,” her companion replied, ”it's well I love you!”
”Why shouldn't you?” she laughed; and after this no more was said between them till the boat touched sh.o.r.e. When she had got out she recalled that it was time for luncheon; but they took no action in consequence, strolling in a direction which was not that of the house.