Part 34 (1/2)
”Not from us!” she said, with energy. ”No one speaking for us must ever apologise for militant acts. It takes all the heart out of our people.
Justify them--glory in them--as much as you like.”
There was a pause.
”Then you have no more work for me?” said Lathrop at last.
”We need not, I think, trouble you again. Your cheque will of course be sent from head-quarters.”
”That doesn't matter,” said Lathrop, hastily.
The reflection crossed his mind that there is an insolence of women far more odious than the insolence of men.
”After all they are our inferiors! It doesn't do to let them command us,” he thought, furiously.
He rose to take his leave.
”You are going up to London?”
”I am going. Miss Blanchflower stays behind, because her maid is ill.”
He stood hesitating. Gertrude lifted her eyebrows as though he puzzled her. She never had liked him, and by now all her instincts were hostile to him. His clumsy figure, and slovenly dress offended her, and the touch of something grandiose in his heavy brow, and reddish-gold hair, seemed to her merely theatrical. Her information was that he had been no use as a campaigner. Why on earth did he keep her waiting?
”I suppose you have heard some of the talk going about?” he said at last, shooting out the words.
”What talk?”
”They're very anxious about Monk Lawrence--after your speech. And there are absurd stories. Women have been seen--at night--and so on.”
Gertrude laughed.
”The more panic the better--for us.”
”Yes--so long as it stops there. But if anything happened to that place, the whole neighbourhood would turn detective--myself included.”
He looked at her steadily. She leant one thin hand on a table behind her.
”No one of course would have a better chance than you. You are so near.”
Their eyes crossed. ”By George!” he thought--”you're in it. I believe to G.o.d you're in it.”
And at that moment he felt that he hated the willowy, intangible creature who had just treated him with contempt.
But as they coldly touched hands, the door opened again, and Delia appeared.
”Oh I didn't mean to interrupt--” she said, retreating.
”Come in, come in!” said Gertrude. ”We have finished our business--and Mr. Lathrop I am sure will excuse me--I must get some letters off by post--”
And with the curtest of bows she disappeared.