Vietnam or Thailand ? Vote for the TOP Country of the Week !
Updated: June 29, 2025
So it came about that the bill for the fancy-dress was still unpaid, and Undine left to wonder distractedly what had become of Van Degen's money. That Van Degen seemed also to wonder was becoming unpleasantly apparent: his cheque had evidently not brought in the return he expected, and he put his grievance to her frankly one day when he motored down to lunch at Tuxedo.
It's not because Ralph loves me that he wants me back it's simply because he can't afford to let me stay!" Van Degen's perturbation was increasing. "But you mustn't go it's preposterous! Why should a woman like you be sacrificed when a lot of dreary frumps have everything they want? Besides, you can't chuck me like this!
Mercy, I have to pay for being painted! He'll tell you he's giving me the picture but what do you suppose this cost?" She laid a finger-tip on her shimmering dress. Van Degen's eye rested on her with cold enjoyment. "Does the price come higher than the dress?" She ignored the allusion. "Of course what they charge for is the cut " "What they cut away?
Ralph struck an attitude of mock consternation. "Ah, in that case ! In Popple's society who wouldn't forget the flight of time?" He had recovered his usual easy tone, and Laura sat that Mrs. Van Degen's words had dispelled his preoccupation. He turned to his cousin. "Will you trust me with your present for the boy?" Clare gave him the parcel. "I'm sorry not to give it myself.
At every point Ralph felt his hold slip off the surface of his father-in-law's impervious fatalism. "Does she suppose Van Degen's going to marry her?" "Undine didn't mention her future plans to me." After a moment Mr. Spragg appended: "If she had, I should have declined to discuss them with her."
But even this argument did not move him. Undine, as soon as she had risked Van Degen's name, found herself face to face with a code of domestic conduct as rigid as its exponent's business principles were elastic. Mr. Spragg did not regard divorce as intrinsically wrong or even inexpedient; and of its social disadvantages he had never even heard.
Ralph Marvell rose from a monumental gilt arm-chair of pseudo-Venetian design and swept her long draperies to Van Degen's side. "He might, then for the privilege of painting you!" the latter rejoined, transferring his bulging stare from the counterfeit to the original. His eyes rested on Mrs.
His nearness was not agreeable to Undine, but she liked his free way, his contempt for verbal preliminaries. Ralph's reserves and delicacies, his perpetual desire that he and she should be attuned to the same key, had always vaguely bored her; whereas in Van Degen's manner she felt a hint of the masterful way that had once subdued her in Elmer Moffatt. But she drew back, releasing herself.
Bowen followed his glance to a neighbouring table, where, at the moment, Undine Marvell was seating herself at Peter Van Degen's side, in the company of the Harvey Shallums, the beautiful Mrs. Beringer and a dozen other New York figures. She was so placed that as she took her seat she recognized Bowen and sent him a smile across the tables.
Harmon B. Driscoll, would understand and esteem Mrs. Spragg. But how long would their virgin innocence last? Popple's vulgar hands were on it already Popple's and the unspeakable Van Degen's! Once they and theirs had begun the process of initiating Undine, there was no knowing or rather there was too easy knowing how it would end!
Word Of The Day
Others Looking