Пробный камень
XIII
“Becausehewantedtoseemealone.”
“Didhe,indeed?AndmayIaskifyougratifyallhiswisheswithequalalacrity?”
“Idon’tknowthathehasanyotherswhereIamconcerned.”Shepausedagainandthencontinued,inalowervoicethatsomehowhadanunder-noteofwarning.“Hewishedtobidmegood-by.He’sgoingaway.”
Glennardturnedonherastartledglance.“Goingaway?”
“He’sgoingtoEuropeto-morrow.Hegoesforalongtime.Isupposedyouknew.”
Thelastphraserevivedhisirritation.“YouforgetthatIdependonyouformyinformationaboutFlamel.He’syourfriendandnotmine.Infact,I’vesometimeswonderedatyourgoingoutofyourwaytobesociviltohimwhenyoumustseeplainlyenoughthatIdon’tlikehim.”
Heranswertothiswasnotimmediate.Sheseemedtobechoosingherwordswithcare,notsomuchforherownsakeasforhis,andhisexasperationwasincreasedbythesuspicionthatshewastryingtosparehim.
“Hewasyourfriendbeforehewasmine.IneverknewhimtillIwasmarried.Itwasyouwhobroughthimtothehouseandwhoseemedtowishmetolikehim.”
Glennardgaveashortlaugh.Thedefencewasfeeblerthanhehadexpected:shewascertainlynotacleverwoman.
“Yourdeferencetomywishesisreallybeautiful;butit’snotthefirsttimeinhistorythatamanhasmadeamistakeinintroducinghisfriendstohiswife.Youmust,atanyrate,haveseensincethenthatmyenthusiasmhadcooled;butso,perhaps,hasyoureagernesstoobligeme.”
Shemetthiswithasilencethatseemedtorobthetauntofhalfitsefficacy.
