India -- History -- British occupation, 1765-1947 -- Fiction
Going to the verandah outside the room he called a hotel servant and
gave him the order, then returned to his chair and sat down wearily. He
stared at the floor in silence. He had sent the girl that he loved away
utterly humiliated; and he knew that, with her proud spirit, the shame
of his rejection of her would cut her to the heart. He cursed himself
for bringing this pain to her. It was all his fault. Not only had he had
no right to speak of love to her while he was bound to another woman,
but he ought never to have sought her society as he had done, never
striven to gain her friendship, for by doing so he had unconsciously won
her love. The harm was done long before he spoke to her of his feelings.
What a selfish brute he was to thus cause two women to suffer!
Presently he remembered that his moodiness, his silence, were
uncomplimentary, cruel, to Violet. She was right in saying that she came
first. Indeed she was the only one to be considered now. The other had
passed out of his life. It might be that they should meet again some day
in their restricted world, but while he could he must try to avoid her.
There was only Violet left.
He looked up to find his companion's eyes fixed on him with an
undefinable expression. He roused himself with an effort that was not
lost on the woman watching him.
"So you have told your husband," he said. "Well, now we must arrange
what we are going to do."
"We won't discuss our plans at this moment," replied Violet. "I'm not in
the mood for it." Then after a pause she added bitterly, "I must give
you time to recover from the shock of the abrupt ending to your little
jungle romance."
Before he could reply the servant appeared with a tray.
"Ah, thank goodness, here are the cocktails. There's only one. Aren't
you having one, too? It will do you good. No?"
She sipped her cocktail slowly. When she had finished it she got up
from her chair, saying:
"I'll get ready to go to the Amusement Club. Will you wait for me here?
You needn't change--we won't play tennis to-day; for we've got this
dinner and dance on to-night and I don't want to tire myself. I shan't
be long."
As she passed his chair she tapped his cheek and said:
"Don't look so miserable, my dear boy. You'll soon get over the loss of
your jungle girl. There, you may kiss my hand as a sign of your return
to your allegiance."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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