United States or Cuba ? Vote for the TOP Country of the Week !
For me, I was the most mystified man under heaven. Soon she began to speak, her head bowed. "I've come to the end of the tether, Majy dear. They've driven me from the hospital I didn't know how to tell you before I've been doing all sorts of idiotic things.
A spot of colour rose to her cheek. "I'm very glad. It's no use, Majy, pretending that I ignore his existence. I don't and I can't. Because I loved and married someone else doesn't alter the fact that I once cared for him, does it?" "Many people," said I, judicially, "find out that they have been mistaken as to the extent and nature of their own sentiments."
Again she was wearing the old black evening dress, in which I have told you she looked so beautiful. "No more music, dear. Come and talk to me." She crossed the room with her free step and sat near my chair. "What shall I talk about?" she laughed. "Leonard Boyce." The laughter left her face and she gave me a swift glance. "Majy dear, I'd rather not," she said with a little air of finality.
"I'm so glad we have had this talk, Majy darling. It has made everything between us so clear and beautiful. It is always such a grief to me to think you may not understand. I shall always be the little girl that looked upon you as a wonderful hero and divine dispenser of chocolates. Only now the chocolates stand for love and forbearance and sympathy, and all kinds of spiritual goodies."
"Of course for Mrs. Boyce's sake alone I should have no alternative." She turned round and began to take up the thread of the Nocturne from the point where she had left off; but she only played half a page and quitted the piano abruptly. "The pretty little spell is broken, Majy. No matter how we try to escape from the war, it is always shrieking in upon us.
She broke into frank laughter. "My darling Majy " That is the penalty one pays for admitting irresponsible modern young people into one's intimacy. They miscall one abominably. I thought she had outgrown this childish, though affectionate appellation of disrespect. "My darling Majy!" she said. "Children! How many do you think I'm going to have?" I was taken aback.
Oh, they've been all that's kind, of course I must have at least six months' rest, they say they talk about nursing homes I've thought and thought and thought about it until I'm certain. There's only one rest for me, Majy dear." She raised a tear-stained, tense and beautiful face and drew herself up so that one arm leaned on my chair, and the other on my shoulder.
After a while, Marigold announced her car, or, rather, her aunt's car. They took their leave. I gave them my benediction. Presently, Betty, fur-coated, came running in alone. She flung herself down, in her impetuous way, beside my wheel-chair. No visit of Betty's would have been complete without this performance. "I haven't had a word with you all the evening, Majy, dear.
The doctors say it's a nervous breakdown I've had rather a bad time but I thought it contemptible to let one's own wretched little miseries interfere with one's work for the country so I fought as hard as I could. Indeed I did, Majy dear. But it seems I've been playing the fool without knowing it, I haven't slept properly for months and they've sent me away.
Perhaps I wanted to see whether I hadn't gone off. Perhaps I wanted to try to feel good-looking even if I wasn't. Perhaps I thought my dear old Majy was sick to death of the hospital uniform perfumed with disinfectant. Perhaps it was just a catlike longing for comfort. Anyhow, I'm glad you like me." "My dear Betty," said I, "I adore you." "And I you," she laughed. "So there's a pair of us."
Word Of The Day