Риф, или Там, где разбивается счастье

           “Ifyougoawaytoday,thedaythatourengagement’smadeknown,it’sonlyfair,”hepersisted,“thatyoushouldtellmewhenIamtoseeyou.”

           Sophy’seyeswaveredbetweenthetwoanddroppeddownwearily.“It’syouwhoarenotfair—whenI’vesaidIwantedtobequiet.”

           “Butwhyshouldmycomingdisturbyou?I’mnotaskingnowtocometomorrow.IonlyaskyounottoleavewithouttellingmewhenI’mtoseeyou.”

           “Owen,Idon’tunderstandyou!”hisstep-motherexclaimed.

           “Youdon’tunderstandmyaskingforsomeexplanation,someassurance,whenI’mleftinthisway,withoutaword,withoutasign?AllIaskhertotellmeiswhenshe’llseeme.”

           AnnaturnedbacktoSophyViner,whostoodstraightandtremulousbetweenthetwo.

           “Afterall,mydear,he’snotunreasonable!”

           “I’llwrite—I’llwrite,”thegirlrepeated.

           “WHATwillyouwrite?”hepressedhervehemently.

           “Owen,”Annaexclaimed,“youareunreasonable!”

           HeturnedfromSophytohisstep-mother.“Ionlywanthertosaywhatshemeans:thatshe’sgoingtowritetobreakoffourengagement.Isn’tthatwhatyou’regoingawayfor?”

           Annafeltthecontagionofhisexcitement.ShelookedatSophy,whostoodmotionless,herlipsset,herwholefacedrawntoasilentfixityofresistance.

           “Yououghttospeak,mydear—yououghttoanswerhim.”

           “Ionlyaskhimtowait——”

           “Yes,”Owen,brokein,“andyouwon’tsayhowlong!”

           BothinstinctivelyaddressedthemselvestoAnna,whostood,nearlyasshakenasthemselves,betweenthedoubleshockoftheirstruggle