The Restless SexChambers, Robert W. (Robert William)
General
The Restless Sex
Chambers, Robert W. (Robert William)
American fiction -- 20th century
"Every time I came into town I went to his studio. My aunt had no idea
what I was up to. And we did have such good times, Jim!—you see he was
successful then, and he had a wonderful studio—and a car—and we ran out
into the country and then returned to take tea in his studio.... And,
Jim, it was all right—but it was not good for me."
She clasped his arm with both of hers and rested her head on his
shoulder; and went on talking in a steadier and more subdued voice:
"I didn’t write you about it; I was very sure you wouldn’t approve. And
my head was stuffed full of modernism and liberty and urge and the
necessity for self-expression. I felt that I had a perfect right to
enjoy myself.... And then came trouble. It always does.... Oswald’s
father, Chiltern Grismer, came to the hospital one day, terribly wrought
up and looking ghastly.
"My aunt had gone to New York to consult a specialist, but he asked for
me, and I came down to the private reception room. I was a graduate
nurse then. Oh, Jim!—it was quite dreadful. He seemed to be scared
until he saw that I was. Then he was fearfully harsh with me. He told
me that my aunt was about to begin suit against him to recover some
money—a great deal of money—which my aunt pretended I should have
inherited from my grandmother, Mr. Grismer’s sister.
"He said we were two adventuresses and that he would expose me and my
unhappy origin—all that horror of my childhood——"
A sob checked her; she rested in his arms, breathing fast and
irregularly; then, recovering self-control:
"I was bewildered. I told him I didn’t want his money. But there was
in his eyes a terror which I could see there even when he was upbraiding
and threatening me most violently. I didn’t know what to do; I wanted
to go back to my ward, but he followed me and held the door closed, and
I had to listen to the terrible, shameful things he said about my
mother’s mother and my own mother and myself.... Well—just as he was
about to leave, my aunt entered.... I was in tears, and Mr. Grismer’s
face was all twisted and contorted with rage, as I thought; but it
remained so, white and distorted, as though something had broken and he
couldn’t recover the mobility of his features. I heard what my aunt
said to him—I didn’t want to hear it. I cried out, protesting that I
didn’t wish any of his money.... He went away with his face all
twisted...."
"What did your aunt say to him?"
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account