Conduct of life -- Fiction; Frame stories; Short stories
There was consternation in his glance; more than consternation--dismay.
"Go! Why on earth should you go? Is it the office! Do they want you
back at the office? Let _me_ write. Surely if I write and say--"
"As a matter of fact there is _no_ office. It's a mistake. I--I am not
what I seem!" cried Juliet, with a touch of melodrama, born of
desperation. Not another moment could she stand the deception; not
another moment could she masquerade under another woman's name. "I am
_not_ an inquiry agent. Never was. Never will be. It was just--
just--"
"Sit down. Sit down. Take your own time. Tell me all about it."
Antony pushed a deep-cushioned chair towards her, seated himself near at
hand, leaned forward, gazing into her eyes. There was no consternation
on his face this time; no dismay; nothing but happiest relief. "If you
only knew how _thankful_ I am! I hated the thought of such work for
you. Now--tell me!"
And Juliet told him. Told him how, among a party of friends, she had
avowed her yearning for adventure, and had been bidden to hold fast to
the thought, and await an opportunity. All things, she was told, come
in good time to those who wait. And she had waited; through long,
monotonous, uneventful months she had waited, and waited in vain. And
then, suddenly, a chance, an opening--a possibility which must be taken,
or left, while a moment ticked away its course! She told of the dead
girl whose place she had taken, honestly determining to do her best, and
allow no one to suffer through the exchange.
"If it had been work of which I was incapable I should have left at
once. You believe it, don't you? You _do_ believe it?"
Antony seemed to ignore the question as beneath his notice. Something
infinitely more important was occupying his mind.
"Then, what is your real name?"
"Juliet! All that I have told you of my people is true. Everything is
true, but the name and the work. Perhaps, in time to come, you might
explain to your uncle that Clare Lawson was just a professional name
which I adopted when I tried to take up work. It is quite usual. Many
women do it."
"_Juliet_!" he repeated softly. From his manner he appeared to have
heard only her name. "_Juliet_! It's perfect. A name that suits you
above all others. Of course you are Juliet. I was a fool not to know
that before. Juliet, I am so glad you are not Clare!"
"I'm not Clare, and I'm not Alice. It's a--a joke in two moves, but it
is time it should come to an end. To-morrow I must go."
"You must not go. It's madness! Is it because of--of what happened
to-day? It need never happen again. I was dreadfully sorry. I would
not for the world--"
"Of course, of course. I _quite_ understand. You were driven to it.
It was as disagreeable to you as to me," Juliet said sourly. _She felt_
sour; more ruffled by the explanation than she had been by the offence
itself.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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