Part 48 (2/2)
Andy had begun to smoke too. His air was calm, though grave; he seemed to have taken charge of the whole affair.
”Are you going to marry her?” the Nun suddenly inquired, with her usual directness.
”You might have gathered that much from what Andy said,” Harry grumbled in an injured tone.
”Does Vivien know yet?”
He dropped his cigarette-end into his emptied gla.s.s.
”Yes,” he answered, frowning. ”For G.o.d's sake, don't put me through a catechism, Doris!” He rose from his chair, looking round for his hat.
”Shall I walk back with you?” Andy asked.
”No, thanks. I'd rather be alone.” His tone was still very injured, as though the two were in league with one another, and with all the world, to persecute him. He came up to the Nun. ”I shan't see you again for a bit, I expect. Good-bye, Doris.” He held out his hand to her. The Nun interlaced her hands on the table in front of her.
”I won't!” she said. ”I won't shake hands with you to-night, Harry Belfield. You've broken the heart of the sweetest girl I ever met.
You've brought shame and misery on her--you who aren't fit to black her shoes! You've brought shame on your people. I suppose you've pretty well done for yourself in Meriton. And all for what? Because you must philander, must have your conquests, must always be proving to yourself that n.o.body can resist you!”
Harry looked morosely resentful at the indictment. ”Oh, you can't understand. n.o.body can understand who--who isn't made that way. You talk as if I'd meant to do it!”
”I think I'd rather you had meant to do it. That'd be rather less contemptible, I think.”
”Gently, gently, Doris!” Andy interposed.
She turned on him. ”Oh yes, it's always 'Gently, gently!' with Harry Belfield. He's to be indulged, and excused, and forgiven, and all the rest of it. Let him hear the truth for once, Andy. Even if it doesn't do him any good to hear it, it does me good to say it--lots of good!”
”You'd better go, Harry. You won't find her good company to-night. I'll be at the station to see you off to-morrow--before I see about the things at Nutley.”
”I'm going; and I'm much obliged to Doris for her abuse. She's always been the same about me--sneering and snarling!”
”I've never made a fool of myself about you. That's what you can't forgive, Harry.”
”Go, my dear fellow, go,” said Andy. ”What's the use of this?”
Harry moved off towards the door. As he went out, he said over his shoulder, ”At any rate you can't say I'm not doing the square thing now!”
They heard the ”Boots” open the door of the inn for him; a moment later his step pa.s.sed the window. Andy came and sat down by the Nun; she caught his big hand in hers.
”I'm trying hard not to cry. I don't want to break my record. How did it all happen?”
”Wellgood came back before they expected him. Harry met her--by chance, he says--after he'd left Vivien, and he was carried away, he says.
Somehow or other--I don't quite understand how--Vivien came on the scene again. Then Wellgood was on to them, and had the whole thing out, before his daughter. It seems that he's in love with Miss Vintry himself--so I understood Harry. That, of course, didn't make him any kinder.”
”It's cruel, cruel, cruel!”
”Yes, but do you remember a talk we had about it once?”
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