Пробный камень
VI
HehatedFlamel’scrowd—andwhatbusinesshadFlamelhimselftointerfereinthatway,standingupforthepublicationofthelettersasthoughGlennardneededhisdefence?...
GlennardturnedhisheadandsawthatFlamelhaddrawnaseattoAlexa’selbowandwasspeakingtoherinalowtone.Theothergroupshadscattered,strayingintwosalongthedeck.ItcameoverGlennardthatheshouldneveragainbeabletoseeFlamelspeakingtohiswifewithoutthesenseofsickmistrustthatnowloosenedhisjoints....
Alexa,thenextmorning,overtheirearlybreakfast,surprisedherhusbandbyanunexpectedrequest.
“Willyoubringmethoselettersfromtown?”sheasked.
“Whatletters?”hesaid,puttingdownhiscup.Hefelthimselfashelplesslyvulnerableasamanwhoislungedatinthedark.
“Mrs.Aubyn’s.Thebooktheywerealltalkingaboutyesterday.”
Glennard,carefullymeasuringhissecondcupoftea,said,withdeliberation,“Ididn’tknowyoucaredaboutthatsortofthing.”
Shewas,infact,notagreatreader,andanewbookseldomreachedhertillitwas,sotospeak,onthehomestretch;butshereplied,withagentletenacity,“IthinkitwouldinterestmebecauseIreadherlifelastyear.”
“Herlife?Wheredidyougetthat?”
“Someonelentittomewhenitcameout—Mr.Flamel,Ithink.”
Hisfirstimpulsewastoexclaim,“WhythedevildoyouborrowbooksofFlamel?Icanbuyyouallyouwant—”buthefelthimselfirresistiblyforcedintoanattitudeofsmilingcompliance.
