Part 36 (2/2)
”You've dared to, then?” she flashed
”Oh, don't bla you as I have all the while, I've been forced toin this isolation You've wanted, not unnaturally and very cleverly, I acknowledge, to see what's been going on at Westboro', what the Duke's been up to”
Her voice was suffocated as she said:
”Oh, stop, please! Whatever has come to you, Mr Bulstrode, I don't know, or why you dare to speak to itation he said s you've done, and of course I shall stand by you”
She esture ”Oh, I don't need you, I don't want you”
He s to see you through”
”See h your divorce,” he said practically
”But you're Westboro's friend,” she stammered, and he repudiated with just a little hesitation in his voice:
”Oh, not so much as yours But I' all round”
The gentleman's attitude so baffled her, he was so serious, and yet he took it so lightly, apparently, that she was obliged to believe he meant what he said
”You talked to ed
”Oh, I've been far too e henceforth to look at things from the worldly and conventional stand-point”
She put out her hand beseechingly ”Oh, leave that for the rest of us
It quite spoils you”
”I don't pretend to think--” He aze small as he looked past her in an attitude of reflection ”Oh, I don't clais But there is not much idealism in the modern divorce, is there?”
The duchess took a turn across the floor, twisting her fair hands together, then came round to his side and sat down on a low chair near him
”Are you quite serious?” she asked ”But I know that you are not Let me at least think so Your words shock me horribly”--and she looked piteously at hientle person, and yours is such an understanding ativen himself ar
”Oh, atmosphere!” he repeated scornfully ”One can't live on air, you know And I have been of the ed terribly,” she accused him
”I've only come down to solid earth,” he explained ”And the earth's after all where we belong, duchess Stand firaze, or somebody with a claim will knock you off your little foothold”
”Oh, _heavens_!” exclaith quite to have finished his material enjoyment of the tea, put his second empty cup down and looked at the lady