"I know you do. But let me recapitulate it," he said, resuming in a
businesslike voice: "When I met her at Hoyt's wedding I knew right away
that we had a personality to deal with--something rare! I remember
thinking then that it would be interesting to see whom she cared for,
what that volcanic little heart would be in love--Time went on; we saw
more of her. I met her, now and then, we had the theatricals, and the
California trip. One day, that fall, in the Park, I took her for a
drive, innocently enough, nothing prearranged. And I remember asking if
any lucky man had made an impression upon her."
Warren smiled, his eyes absent. Rachael's look of superb scorn was
wasted.
"It came to me in a flash," he went on, "that Magsie had come to care
for me. Poor little Magsie, she hadn't meant to, she hadn't seen it
coming. I remember her looking up at me--she didn't have to say a word.
'I'm sorry, Magsie,' I said. That was all. The touching thing was that
even in that trouble she turned to me. We talked it over, I took her
back to her hotel, and very simply she said, 'Kiss me, once, Greg, and
I'll be good!' After that I didn't see her for a long, long time.
"It seemed to me a sacred charge--you can see that. I couldn't doubt
it, the evidence was right there before my eyes, and thinking it over,
I couldn't be much surprised. We were in the fix, and of course there
was nothing to be done. She went away and that was the end of it, then.
But when I saw her again last winter the whole miserable business came
up. The rest, of course, she told you. She is unhappy and rebellious,
or she would never have dared to come to you! I can't understand her
doing so, now, for Magsie is a good little sport, Rachael; she knows
you have the right of way. The affair has always been with that
understanding. However much I feel for Magsie, and regret the whole
thing--why, I am not a cad!" He struck her to her heart with his
friendly smile. "You brought the subject up; I don't care to discuss
it," he said. "I don't question your actions, and all I ask is that you
will not question mine!"
"Perhaps--the world--may some day question them, Warren!" Rachael tried
to speak quietly, but she was beginning to be frightened at her own
violence. She shook with actual chill, her mouth was dry and her cheeks
blazing.
"The world?" He shrugged. "I can hardly see that it is the world's
business that you go your way and I go mine!" he said reasonably. He
glanced at his watch. "Perhaps you will be so good as to say no more
about it?" he suggested. "I have no time, now, anyway. Marriage--"
"Warren!" Rachael interrupted hoarsely. She stopped.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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