London (England) -- Fiction; Man-woman relationships -- Fiction; Women -- Fiction
"Neither could I. But perhaps we’re blind to what that fellow who’s
going to fork out the hundred thousand francs sees. I dare say if I
were to dance with her I might have glimpses of his notion of her.
Anyhow, you bet she’s a highly finished product; she’s got great gifts
and great skill--must have--and she knows exactly what she’s about--and
she looks eighteen and isn’t above twenty-five. You must remember she’s
on the way to being a star in the most powerful profession in the world.
They’ve made practically all the history there is, even in the East, and
they’re still making it--making it this very night."
There was a considerable silence, and then Lilian shot across the seat
and leaned heavily against Felix and clasped his neck.
"Darling," she said, "I know I’m going to have a baby!"
They could just see each other. Felix paused before replying.
"Very well! Very well," he said calmly. "We shall see who’s right."
Her thoughts concerning Lord Mackworth now seemed utterly incredible to
her in their mad aberration.
The next moment the car swerved unexpectedly to the side of the mounting
road and the engine stopped; the chauffeur jumped down, opened the
bonnet, unstrapped one of the side lamps and peered with it into the
secrets under the bonnet. Felix, loosing himself from Lilian, rapped
sharply on the front window, but got no response from the bent
chauffeur. Then impatiently he tried to let down the window and could
not. He lifted it, shook it, rattled it, broke the fragile fastening of
the strap. Suddenly the window fell with a bang into its slit, and there
was a tinkling of smashed glass.
"Damn it! I ought to have opened the door, but I was afraid of too much
cold."
The icy air of the hills rushed like an assassin into the interior of
the car, Felix shivered, unlatched the door and got out. The chauffeur
proved to be an Italian, with no more French than sufficed to take
orders and receive fares and tips. He could give no intelligible
explanation of the breakdown, but he smiled optimistically. The car was
absolutely alone on the road, and the road was alone in the vast
implacable landscape. No light anywhere, except the chilly, dazzling
moon and the stars, and the glitter of a far range of god-like peaks,
whence came the terrible wind. The scene and situation intimidated.
The inhuman and negligent grandeur of nature was revealed. Felix
returned into the car and shut the door, but could not shut out the
cold. Lilian covered his chest with her warm bosom. Gently he pushed her
away.
"No, no!"
"Let me, darling!"
"It’s no use. I shall suffer for this."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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