What did you want to speak
to me for? I don't care what it is, but you must do something."
Her attitude was fierce and entreating at the same time--clamorous, in
fact though her voice had hardly risen above a breath. It was clamorous
enough to be noticed. Heyst, on purpose, laughed aloud. She nearly
choked with indignation at this brutal heartlessness.
"What did you mean, then, by saying 'command me!'?" she almost hissed.
Something hard in his mirthless stare, and a quiet final "All right,"
steadied her.
"I am not rich enough to buy you out," he went on, speaking with an
extraordinary detached grin, "even if it were to be done; but I can
always steal you."
She looked at him profoundly, as though these words had a hidden and
very complicated meaning.
"Get away now," he said rapidly, "and try to smile as you go."
She obeyed with unexpected readiness; and as she had a set of very good
white teeth, the effect of the mechanical, ordered smile was joyous,
radiant. It astonished Heyst. No wonder, it flashed through his mind,
women can deceive men so completely. The faculty was inherent in them;
they seemed to be created with a special aptitude. Here was a smile
the origin of which was well known to him; and yet it had conveyed a
sensation of warmth, had given him a sort of ardour to live which was
very new to his experience.
Pages:
89
90
91
92
93
94
95
96
97
98
99
100
101
102
103
104
105
106
107
108
109
110
111
112
113