Лето
II
”
Charityimmediatelyperceivedthatsomethingbitterhadhappenedtohim,andthathewastryingtotalkdowntherecollection.Shewentuptobedearly,leavinghimseatedinmoodythought,hiselbowsproppedonthewornoilclothofthesuppertable.Onthewayupshehadextractedfromhisovercoatpocketthekeyofthecupboardwherethebottleofwhiskeywaskept.
Shewasawakenedbyarattlingatherdoorandjumpedoutofbed.SheheardMr.Royall’svoice,lowandperemptory,andopenedthedoor,fearinganaccident.Nootherthoughthadoccurredtoher;butwhenshesawhiminthedoorway,arayfromtheautumnmoonfallingonhisdiscomposedface,sheunderstood.
Foramomenttheylookedateachotherinsilence;then,asheputhisfootacrossthethreshold,shestretchedoutherarmandstoppedhim.
“Yougorightbackfromhere,”shesaid,inashrillvoicethatstartledher;“youain’tgoingtohavethatkeytonight.”
“Charity,letmein.Idon’twantthekey.I’malonesomeman,”hebegan,inthedeepvoicethatsometimesmovedher.
Herheartgaveastartledplunge,butshecontinuedtoholdhimbackcontemptuously.“Well,Iguessyoumadeamistake,then.Thisain’tyourwife’sroomanylonger.”
Shewasnotfrightened,shesimplyfeltadeepdisgust;andperhapshedivineditorreaditinherface,forafterstaringatheramomenthedrewbackandturnedslowlyawayfromthedoor.
